Daniel J. Travanti

Daniel J. Travanti
Born Danielo Giovanni Travanti
(1940-03-07) March 7, 1940
Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.

Danielo Giovanni "Daniel J." Travanti (born March 7, 1940) is an American actor best known for his starring role as Captain Frank Furillo in the 1980s television drama Hill Street Blues.

Biography

Travanti, one of five children, was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Italian immigrant parents. His father worked at the American Motors assembly plant in that city. During his teen years, Travanti was an athlete and good student, earning scholarships to Harvard University, Princeton University, and Dartmouth College, though he eventually attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[1] In 1957, before his senior year, he attended the youth government and leadership program called Badger Boys State as a representative chosen from his high school.

In the very early 1960s he played Cathy Lane's besotted beau, "Rock" in an episode of The Patty Duke Show. In 1964, Travanti guest-starred in the episode "Murder by Scandal" of CBS's drama about newspapers, The Reporter. He made his feature film debut in 1965 (credited as "Dan Travanty") playing a deaf-mute nightclub bouncer in the psychological thriller Who Killed Teddy Bear? starring Sal Mineo and Juliet Prowse.

In 1966 he played the role of radio talk-show host and murderer Barney Austin in the Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Midnight Howler." He (credited as Dan Travanty in all four) was the lead guest-star in the Season 3 episode "Collision Of Planets" of Lost in Space in 1967, appeared in the episode "The Octopus" of the single-season crime drama The Silent Force in late 1970, was featured in the Season 5 episode "Murder Times Three" of Mannix in late 1971, and appeared in the Season 6 episode "Image" of Mission: Impossible in early 1972. Also in 1972 he played a fugitive in The Devil's Playground episode of Cannon with his future Hill Street Blues co-star James B. Sikking. In 1982 Travanti appeared briefly in the Newhart episode "A View From The Bench".

Years later, Travanti earned five nominations and two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Hill Street Station Captain Frank Furillo. In 1983, Travanti starred in the TV movie Adam for which he received another Emmy nomination. Since then, Travanti has appeared in a number of TV movies and has made appearances in television programs such as Poltergeist: The Legacy (1997) and Prison Break (2005). In 1986, HBO broadcast the made-for-cable biographical film Murrow, with Travanti's portrayal of Edward R. Murrow receiving a Cable Ace nomination. He co-starred in the film Millennium (1989) and as Lt. Ray McAuliffe in the television series Missing Persons (1993).

Travanti has publicly acknowledged his past as an alcoholic[2] who found sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous, calling the affliction a "disease of loneliness and secrecy." In 1981, he made such a confession to Rona Barrett in an interview on NBC and even recited, from memory, all of the organization's "Twelve Steps" on camera.[3] Captain Furillo, his best-known character, was also a recovering alcoholic, and the character was shown multiple times taking part in AA meetings.

In January–March 2007, Travanti appeared off-Broadway in Oren Safdie's The Last Word... at the Theater at St. Clements in New York City, and in November–December 2008, Travanti played the "Con Melody" in an off-off Broadway production of Eugene O'Neill's A Touch of the Poet for Friendly Fire Theater in New York.

In 2010, he appeared in an episode of Criminal Minds as a 75-year-old serial killer suffering from Alzheimer's.

Travanti had a recurring role on the Starz television series Boss.

On 9 May, 2001, Travanti gave the opening remarks for the Disclosure Project's National Press Club conference on government relations with extraterrestrials, in Washington D.C.

Filmography

Many of Travanti's roles prior to the mid-1970s were credited as "Dan Travanty" or "Dan Travanti." Later roles are credited as "Daniel J. Travanti." [4]

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1965 Who Killed Teddy Bear? Carlo Film debut
1968 Call to Danger John Henderson Television movie
1970 The Love War Ted Television movie
1976 St. Ives Johnny Parisi
1980 It's My Turn Interviewer Uncredited
1983 Adam John Walsh Television movie
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
1986 Murrow Edward R. Murrow Television movie
Nominated—CableACE Award for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
1988 Midnight Crossing Morely Barton
1989 Millennium Arnold Mayer
1990 Megaville Duprell
1991 Tagget John Tagget Television movie
1992 Weep No More, My Lady Ted Television movie
1992 The Christmas Stallion Alan Television movie
1992 Hello Stranger Unknown
1995 Just Cause Warden
1995 The Wasp Woman Dr. Zinthorp Television movie
1995 Siao Yu Mario Moretti
1996 To Sir, with Love II Horace Weaver Television movie
2013 One Small Hitch Max Shiffman

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1963 General Hospital Spence Andrews Unknown episodes
1964 Route 66 Marty Johnson Episode: "Child of a Night"
1964 East Side/West Side Paul Jerome Episode: "The Name of the Game"
1964 The Patty Duke Show Hank 'Rocky' Elway Episode: "Block That Statue"
1964 The Reporter Cutler Episode: "Murder by Scandal"
1964 The Defenders Detective Russo Episode: "The Siege"
1965 Gidget Tom Brighton Episode: "Now There's a Face"
1966 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Luca Episode: "The Deadly Goddess Affair"
1966 Perry Mason Barney Austin Episode: "The Case of the Midnight Howler"
1966 Flipper Commander Willard 2 episodes
1967 Lost In Space Episode: "Collision Of Planets"
1967 Judd for the Defense Don Oliver Episode: "A Civil Case of Murder" (as Dan Travanty) [5]
1969 The Mod Squad George Episode: "Willie Poor Boy"
1970 The Silent Force Episode: "The Octopus"
1971 The Interns Harry Random Episode: "The Choice"
1971 Mannix Tom Stabler Episode: "Murder Times Three"
1972 Mission: Impossible Tony Gadsen Episode: "Image"
1974 Gunsmoke Carl as Dan Travanty Episode: "The Colonel"
1974 Gunsmoke Barker as Dan Travanty Episode: "Like Old Times"
1974 The Bob Newhart Show Mr. Gianelli Episode: "The Battle of the Groups"
1974 Kojak Lt. Charles 'Chuck' Danena Episode: "A Souvenir from Atlantic City"
1976 Kojak Captain Badaduchi Episode: "A Grave too Soon"
1977 Family Benjamin Maxwell Episode: "...More Things in Heaven and Earth"
1979 Hart to Hart Edgar Episode: "Max in Love"
1980 Knots Landing Lt. Steinmetz Episode: "The Constant Companion"
1981–1987 Hill Street Blues Capt. Frank Furillo 144 episodes
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1981–82)
Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actor in a Quality Drama Series
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1983–86)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1983–85)
1984 Newhart Himself Episode: "A View from the Bench"
1988 American Playhouse Gene Garrison Episode: "I Never Sang for My Father"
1993–1994 Missing Persons Lt. Ray McAuliffe 17 episodes
1995 The Outer Limits Thornwell Episode: "The Voice of Reason"
1997 Poltergeist: The Legacy William Sloan 7 episodes
2005–2006 Prison Break President Richard Mills 2 episodes
2008 Grey's Anatomy Barry Patmore Episode: "Here Comes the Flood"
2010 Criminal Minds Lee Mullens Episode: "Remembrance of Things Past"
2011–2012 Boss Gerald 'Babe' McGantry 11 episodes

References

  1. ↑ Horwitz, Simi (2007-02-20). "Having 'The Last Word...'". Backstage.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
  2. ↑ http://members.wizzards.net/~mlworden/choices/sparkle.htm
  3. ↑ Video on YouTube
  4. ↑ "Daniel J. Travanti" filmography at Internet Movie Database, imdb.com, accessed Mar. 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.tv.com/shows/judd-for-the-defense/a-civil-case-of-murder-159680/

External links

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