Hank Garrett

Last updated

Hank Garrett
Hank Garrett circa 1961 to 1963 for his role in Car 54, Where are You%3F.png
Garrett in Car 54, Where are You? , 1961
Born
Henry Greenberg Cohen Sandler Weinblatt

(1931-10-26) October 26, 1931 (age 93)
Harlem, New York City
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • author
  • speaker
  • teacher
  • mixed martial artist
  • professional wrestler
Years active1958–2018
Spouses
Agnes Deangelis
​
​
(m. 1963;div. 1979)​
Linda Slessinger
​
​
(m. 1982;died 2008)​
Deanna Marie Smith
​
(m. 2017)​
Parent(s)Ida and Sam Greenberg
Website hankgarrett.biz

Hank Garrett (born Henry Greenberg Cohen Sandler Weinblatt; October 26, 1931) is an American actor, comedian, author, speaker, teacher, mixed martial artist and retired professional wrestler [1] best known for the television role of Officer Nicholson on Car 54, Where Are You? [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and career

Garrett was born in Harlem, New York City, to Sam and Ida Greenberg, both Jewish Russian immigrants. His birth certificate lists his name as Henry Greenberg Cohen Sandler Weinblatt. [4] Garrett began powerlifting, bodybuilding and karate as a means of self-protection in a rough neighborhood, starting at age 13. He was the 1958 winner of the Junior Olympic Powerlifting competition. [5] This led to an extended stint (1957-66) in professional wrestling under the name of The Minnesota Farm Boy. [6]

His mother was worried that he was on a path toward delinquency and had Willie Bryant and Sammy Davis Jr. talk to him, and they got him a job as a "band boy". He would set up the music stands for a band at shows, he was paid $50 for his first day of work. He later worked at the club owned by Larry Storch. [5]

After several years in pro wrestling, Garrett turned to comedy and performed a regular routine in the Borscht Belt, using anecdotes from his childhood years in Harlem. [7] [ failed verification ]

Television career

As well as his regular role on Car 54, Where are You? , [8] Garrett has acted in a number of television productions [9] [10] including episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard , Knots Landing , Max Headroom , Santa Barbara , Three's Company , Airwolf , Knight Rider , Columbo , Dragnet , Kojak , and Alien Nation . Garrett is also known for his voiceover work on Garfield and GI Joe .

Film career

Among Garrett's film credits are notable roles in Serpico , Three Days of the Condor , [11] Death Wish , and The Sentinel . Garrett tends to be cast as the "heavy" in many roles. [12]

He played the hitman disguised as a postman in Three Days of the Condor. [13] During the filming, a tell was needed so that the Redford character would know that Garrett was not a real postman, and Redford thought of the idea to have Garrett wear his shoes. During the filming of the fight scene, Garrett broke Redford's nose. [5] Garrett won the New York Film Critics’ Award for that role. [14]

Personal life

Garrett has been married three times. His first wife was Agnes Deangelis (1963-1979), his second was Linda DeBlasio (1982-2008) and his third is Deanna Marie Smith (since July 23, 2017). [15] [16] He has two sons.[ citation needed ]

Garrett was active in philanthropic causes, and is on the Screen Actors Guild board. He lives in the San Fernando Valley and was last working on producing a one-man show. [17] [18] [19]

Awards

Garrett has also been recognized as an actor with a New York Film Critics' Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award, among other awards. In June 2009, he was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. [6] [20] He was also inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. [14]

Selected filmography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hank Greenberg</span> American baseball player (1911–1986)

Henry Benjamin Greenberg, nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an American professional baseball player and team executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Detroit Tigers as a first baseman in the 1930s and 1940s. A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award winner, he was one of the premier power hitters of his generation and is widely considered one of the greatest sluggers in baseball history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Hanks</span> American actor and film producer (born 1956)

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Hanks is ranked as the fourth-highest-grossing American film actor. His numerous awards include two Academy Awards, seven Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards; he has also been nominated for five BAFTA Awards and a Tony Award. He received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John G. Avildsen</span> American film director (1935–2017)

John Guilbert Avildsen was an American film director.

<i>Serpico</i> 1973 biographical-crime film by Sidney Lumet

Serpico is a 1973 American biographical crime drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino in the title role. The screenplay was adapted by Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler from the book written by Peter Maas, with the assistance of its subject Frank Serpico. The story details Serpico's struggle with corruption within the New York City Police Department during his eleven years of service, and his work as a whistleblower that led to the investigation by the Knapp Commission.

<i>Three Days of the Condor</i> 1975 film by Sydney Pollack

Three Days of the Condor is a 1975 American political thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, and Max von Sydow. The screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel was based on the 1974 novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Allen (baseball)</span> American baseball player (1904–1959)

John Thomas Allen was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin James</span> American comedian and actor (born 1965)

Kevin George Knipfing, known professionally as Kevin James, is an American comedian and actor. He began his career by performing stand-up comedy at clubs on Long Island in the 1980s. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Doug Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens (1998–2007), for which he received the nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006.

<i>Car 54, Where Are You?</i> American television series 1961–63

Car 54, Where Are You? is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963. Filmed in black and white, the series starred Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, two mismatched New York City police officers who patrol the fictional 53rd precinct in The Bronx. Car 54 was their patrol car.

<i>The Electric Horseman</i> 1979 film by Sydney Pollack

The Electric Horseman is a 1979 American western comedy-drama film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and directed by Sydney Pollack. The film is about a former rodeo champion who is hired by a cereal company to become its spokesperson and then runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse and costume he is given to promote it in Las Vegas after he finds that the horse has been abused.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Maivia</span> Samoan-American professional wrestler (1937–1982)

Fanene Leifi Pita Maivia, better known as Peter Maivia, was a Samoan-American professional wrestler, actor and stunt coordinator. Maivia was the grandfather of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson via adoption, and was also part of the famous Anoaʻi family via blood brother pact. He was also the promoter of the National Wrestling Alliance member Polynesian Pro Wrestling in Hawaii.

Allen Stephen Covert is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for his starring role in the 2006 comedy film Grandma's Boy, and his supporting actor role in the movie Strange Wilderness (2008). He is a frequent collaborator of actor and friend Adam Sandler with prominent roles in such films as Happy Gilmore (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998), Big Daddy (1999), Little Nicky (2000), Mr. Deeds (2002), Anger Management (2003), 50 First Dates (2004) and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe E. Ross</span> American actor

Joe E. Ross was an American actor known for his trademark "Ooh! Ooh!" exclamation, which he used in many of his roles. He starred in such TV sitcoms as The Phil Silvers Show and Car 54, Where Are You?.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Greenberg</span> American actor (born 1978)

Bryan Greenberg is an American actor. He is known for his starring role as Ben Epstein in the HBO original series How to Make It in America as well as a recurring role in The Mindy Project. He also had a recurring role as Jake Jagielski in the WB series One Tree Hill and as Nick Garrett on the ABC drama October Road. His film work includes The Perfect Score, Prime, Bride Wars, and Friends with Benefits. He made his directorial debut with his film Junction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Kazmaier</span> American strongman

William Kazmaier is an American former world champion powerlifter, world champion strongman and professional wrestler. During his illustrious career, he set over 40 powerlifting and strongman world records, and won two International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Championships and three World's Strongest Man titles. In the 1980s, Kazmaier became famous for his claim to be "the strongest man who ever lived" by equaling and surpassing spectacular and versatile feats of strength of famous strongmen of the 20th century. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest strength athletes of all-time, and was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

<i>The Hot Rock</i> (film) 1972 film by Peter Yates

The Hot Rock is a 1972 American crime comedy-drama film directed by Peter Yates and written by William Goldman, based on Donald E. Westlake's 1970 novel of the same name, which introduced his long-running John Dortmunder character. The film stars Robert Redford, George Segal, Ron Leibman, Paul Sand, Moses Gunn and Zero Mostel. It was released in the UK with the alternative title How to Steal a Diamond in Four Uneasy Lessons.

<i>The Postman Always Rings Twice</i> (1946 film) 1946 film by Tay Garnett

The Postman Always Rings Twice is a 1946 American film noir directed by Tay Garnett and starring Lana Turner, John Garfield, and Cecil Kellaway. It is based on the 1934 novel of the same name by James M. Cain. This adaptation of the novel also features Hume Cronyn, Leon Ames and Audrey Totter. The musical score was written by George Bassman and Erich Zeisl.

<i>The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg</i> 1998 American film

The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg is a 1999 documentary film written, directed, and produced by Aviva Kempner about Hank Greenberg, first baseman of the Detroit Tigers, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. A Jewish player who chose not to play on Yom Kippur in 1934 during a heated pennant race, Greenberg had to face a great deal of antisemitism. In 1938 he nearly broke Babe Ruth's 60 home run record by hitting 58 home runs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. G. Armstrong</span> American actor (1917–2012)

Robert Golden Armstrong Jr. was an American character actor and playwright. A veteran performer who appeared in dozens of Westerns during his 40-year career, he may be best remembered for his work with director Sam Peckinpah.

Jack Kehoe was an American film actor appearing in a wide variety of films, including the crime dramas Serpico (1973), The Sting (1973), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984) and Brian De Palma's The Untouchables (1987), as well as the cult favorites Car Wash (1976) and Midnight Run (1988), the popular western Young Guns II (1990), and On the Nickel (1980).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Henderson (actor)</span> American actor (1915–2004)

Albert Horton Henderson was an American actor. He was born in New York City and died in Los Angeles.

References

  1. ↑ "Theater Reviews: Festen, Just Imagine, Never Land, Save Gertrude". Theater Critics. L.A. Weekly . October 14, 2009. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015.
  2. ↑ "the star of "Car 54 Where are you?" TALKS TO RETROCRUSH" Archived December 28, 2014, at the Wayback Machine . RetroCrush.
  3. ↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. pp. 220–. ISBN   978-0-307-48320-1.
  4. ↑ "Hank Garrett Welcomes YOU!". hankgarrett.net. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 Gilbert Gotfried and Frank Santopadre (August 29, 2016). "Hank Garrett". Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast (Podcast). Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Oliver, Greg. "Savage, Orndroff, Graham top 2009 PWHF induction list". SLAM! Wrestling . Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  7. ↑ Everitt, David (2001). King of the Half Hour: Nat Hiken and the Golden Age of TV Comedy. Syracuse University Press. p. 166. ISBN   978-0-8156-0676-5.
  8. ↑ CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU?: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (DVD). Film Threat.
  9. ↑ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. p. 642. ISBN   978-0-14-024916-3.
  10. ↑ American Film. American Film Institute. 1979. p. 76.
  11. ↑ "The Celebrity Collector". Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine.
  12. ↑ Rubenstein, Leonard (1979). The great spy films. Citadel Press. ISBN   978-0-8065-0663-0.
  13. ↑ Barnes & Noble Books (2004). TV Guide film & video companion. Barnes & Noble Books. p. 886. ISBN   978-0-7607-6104-5.
  14. 1 2 Profile, coasttocoastam.com. Accessed June 2, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Hank Garrett". IMDb.com.
  16. ↑ "Hank Garrett". AOF 2017 Action on Film Festival Aug 17-26. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  17. ↑ The Motion Picture Guide (1987) by Jay Robert Nash, Stanley Ralph Ross, Cinebooks via books.google.com. Accessed June 2, 2024.
  18. ↑ Cinefantastique, volumes 6-7 by Frederick S. Clarke (1977).
  19. ↑ New York Media, LLC (July 31, 1972). New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. pp. 51–. ISSN   0028-7369.
  20. ↑ Gates, Robert K. "Hank Garrett". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on September 10, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.