Dennis Franz : Biography, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Address, Filmography (NYPD Blue)

Before entering "Hill Street Blues" (1981), as Norm Buntz, appeared as Sal Benedetto for a few episodes.

Always travels with a pet bird.

Graduated from Proviso East H.S. Maywood IL, in 1962.

Served 11 months in Vietnam with the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions.

Frequently plays cops

Franz's own recipes are included in "The Cop Cookbook" by Greta Garner-Hewitt, Ken Beck and Jim Clark, published in 1997.

Attended Wright Junior College and Southern Illinois University, with a major in speech and theater

By 11th grade, he tried out for a part in a school play called, "The Crucible," because his girlfriend was auditioning. He won the part, but his girlfriend didn't

In high school, he was active in baseball, football and swimming

Is a board member of the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance

Is an animal lover, has a dog named Bigelow.

Was a mailman before becoming an actor

Hobbies: Snow-skis, plays golf and gives time and talent to charitable organizations.

He and Jimmy Smits began their association with Steven Bochco in the 1980s.

Andy Sipowicz, Franz's character on "NYPD Blue" (1993), was ranked #31 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [20 June 2004 issue].

His former "NYPD Blue" (1993) co-star, David Caruso, is currently the star of "CSI: Miami" (2002), the spin-off of William Petersen's series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000). Franz and Petersen co-presented an award at the 2004 Emmys.