Don Calfa
| Don Calfa | |
|---|---|
 Don Calfa with Living Dead co-stars Linnea Quigley and Beverly Randolph in 2007 | |
| Born |
Donald George Calfa December 3, 1939 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–present |
Donald George "Don" Calfa (born December 3, 1939) is an American film and television character actor whose credits span over 40 years, playing both comedic and dramatic roles. Although Calfa has appeared in many high-profile films and television series, he is perhaps best known for his role as mortician Ernie Kaltenbrunner in the 1985 cult horror-comedy The Return of the Living Dead.
Early life and career
Calfa was born on December 3, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Ozone Park, Queens and later West Hempstead, Long Island. According to his official biography, Calfa was originally interested in pursuing a career in the fine arts, but diverted his interest to acting after seeing Rebel Without a Cause. He promptly dropped out of high school to join a theater workshop (later finishing his degree through night school), eventually joining both the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.[1] Before transitioning to film, Calfa worked heavily in theater, appearing in many Off-Off-Broadway productions and having performed on Broadway in 1965 in Mating Dance and in 1971 in Lenny.[1][2]
Calfa has worked steadily in both film and television for over 40 years, and has worked alongside such high-profile actors and directors as Warren Beatty, Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.[3] Although he has worked extensively as a dramatic actor, Calfa is perhaps best recognized for his comedic performances in various cult films, including as Paulie the hitman in the 1989 dark comedy Weekend at Bernie's, Scarface in Foul Play, Harold Grand in Treasure of the Moon Goddess and mad scientist Ralph Willum in Chopper Chicks in Zombietown.
Calfa is most widely known, however, for his major role in the 1985 cult horror-comedy The Return of the Living Dead, in which he played the eccentric mortician Ernie Kaltenbrunner. He would later audition for the role of Doc Mandel in the 1988 sequel Return of the Living Dead Part II, which also featured several returning stars from the original, but the part ultimately went to Philip Bruns. In 1993, Calfa was set to play the character Colonel Peck in Return of the Living Dead III, but had to pull out of production due to personal reasons.[4] He remains good friends with the rest of the Living Dead cast and crew, and continues to make appearances alongside them at horror conventions and screenings of the film across the United States. Calfa was also interviewed for the 2012 documentary on the film, More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead.
Personal life
Calfa currently resides in California, and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[1] He has been a close friend and colleague of fellow actor Richard Lynch since the 1960s, acting alongside him in the films H.P. Lovecraft's: Necronomicon (1993), Toughguy (1995), Corpses Are Forever (2003) and Lewisburg (2010).[4] His former spouse was Trixie Flynn (10 September 1977 – 26 August 1981) (divorced).
Filmography
Film roles
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1968 | No More Excuses | Priest | Directed by Robert Downey, Sr. |
| 1969 | Utterly Without Redeeming Social Value | Peter DeCola | |
| 1970 | Pound | Italian Terrier | Directed by Robert Downey, Sr. |
| 1972 | Greaser's Palace | Morris | Directed by Robert Downey, Sr. |
| 1973 | The Rainbow Boys | Mazella | |
| Cinderella Liberty | Lewis | Directed by Mark Rydell | |
| 1974 | Rhinoceros | Waiter | |
| Bank Shot | Stosh Gornik | ||
| Shanks | Albert Einstein | Directed by William Castle | |
| 1975 | Peeper | Rosie | |
| 1976 | Nickelodeon | Waldo | Directed by Peter Bogdanovich |
| 1977 | New York, New York | Gilbert | Directed by Martin Scorsese |
| 1978 | Foul Play | Scarface | |
| 1979 | 10 | Neighbor | Directed by Blake Edwards |
| The Rose | Don Frank | ||
| 1941 | Telephone operator | Directed by Steven Spielberg | |
| 1981 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | Goebel | |
| 1983 | The Star Chamber | Lawrence Monk | |
| The Man Who Wasn't There | Tohfa | ||
| 1984 | E. Nick: A Legend in His Own Mind | E. 'Nick' Vanacuzzi | Starring role |
| 1985 | The Return of the Living Dead | Ernie Kaltenbrunner | Major role |
| 1986 | Running Scared | Women's Room Lawyer | |
| 1987 | Treasure of the Moon Goddess | Harold Grand | Major role |
| Talking Walls | Andre | ||
| 1988 | Blue Movies | Max | |
| The Presidio | Howard Buckely | ||
| 1989 | Weekend at Bernie's | Paulie | Major role |
| Chopper Chicks in Zombietown | Ralph Willum | Major role | |
| 1991 | Bugsy | Louie Dragna | Directed by Barry Levinson |
| 1992 | Me, Myself and I | Irving | Major role |
| Stay Tuned | Wetzel | ||
| 1993 | H.P. Lovecraft's: Necronomicon | Mr. Benedict | |
| 1995 | Cobs n Roberts | ||
| Toughguy | Office Worker #1 | ||
| Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie | City Hall Guard | ||
| 1998 | Progeny | Jimmy Stevens | |
| Dr. Dolittle | Patient at Hammersmith | ||
| 2001 | Downward Angel | Adam | |
| 2002 | The 4th Tenor | Bum #3 | |
| 2003 | Night Creep | Mr. Blunt | |
| Corpses Are Forever | Jack Stark | Credited as Lance Fladoda | |
| 2010 | Lewisburg | Night Clerk | |
| 2012 | More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead | Himself | Documentary film |
Television roles
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
| 1972 | Goodnight, My Love | Bananas | Made for TV movie |
| The Delphi Bureau | Gunjamen | Episode: "The White Plague Project" | |
| 1973 | The Blue Knight | Made for TV movie | |
| 1974–1975 | Kojak | Fidelio Ortez Burgess |
Episode: "Marker to a Dead Bookie" Episode: "A House of Prayer, a Den of Thieves" |
| 1974–1977 | The Streets of San Francisco | Larry Mason Sparrow Randolf J. "Moonshine" Fisher |
Episode: "Mister Nobody" Episode: "Poisoned Snow" Episode: "A Good Cop...But" |
| 1976 | Most Wanted | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Baretta | Corsican | Episode: "Aggie" | |
| Delvecchio | Sergeant Mendez Narc |
Episode: "Contract for Harry" Episode: "The Avenger" | |
| 1977–1981 | Barney Miller | Mr. DiLucca Angelo Dodi Leon Bidell Calvin J. Kendall Gilbert Lesco Arthur Thompson Eddie |
Episode: "Group Home" Episode: "Copy Cat" Episode: "Hostage" Episode: "Identity" Episode: "The Desk" Episode: "The Vests" Episode: "Homeless" |
| 1977 | Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected | Episode: "The Final Chapter" | |
| 1978 | The Bionic Woman | Petie "The Weasel" Regan | Episode: "Rancho Outcast" |
| The Comedy Company | Harry Fenner | Made for TV movie | |
| Steel Cowboy | "Go" Trucker | Made for TV movie | |
| 1979 | The Runaways | Sam | Episode: "Dreams of My Father" |
| 1980 | Nobody's Perfect | Rosen | Episode: "What's on Third?" |
| 1981 | Park Place | Howie Beech | Recurring role (4 episodes) |
| Benson | Dr. Death | Episode: "The Grass Ain't Greener" | |
| 1982 | The Day the Bubble Burst | Mr. Cinelli | Made for TV movie |
| 1983 | Allison Sydney Harrison | Pat Rosetti | Made for TV movie |
| Shooting Stars | Driscoll | Made for TV movie | |
| 1984 | Legmen | Oscar Armismendi | Episode: "Poseidon Indenture" |
| Hill Street Blues | Oscar Foreman | Episode: "Eva's Brawn" | |
| Night Court | Miles Seaver | Episode: "Billie and the Cat" | |
| 1985 | Simon & Simon | Randall Deeds | Episode: "Slither" |
| Our Family Honor | Maltz | Episode: "Runaway Movie Queen" | |
| Amazing Stories | Messenger | Episode: "The Amazing Falsworth" | |
| 1986 | Blacke's Magic | Episode: "Wax Poetic" | |
| Throb | Coyote Man | Episode: "My Fair Punker Lady" | |
| 1987 | Private Eye | Made for TV movie | |
| 9 to 5 | Janipopolous | Episode: "Love and Death" | |
| 1988, 1993 | Murder, She Wrote | Clifford Coleson Vinnie |
Episode: "Mr. Penroy's Vacation" Episode: "The Survivor" |
| 1988 | Houston Knights | Episode: "Bad Paper" | |
| 1989 | Mancuso, F.B.I. | Episode: "Murder of Pearl" | |
| 1990 | Matlock | Andrew Sloan | Episode: "Nowhere to Turn" |
| Twin Peaks | Vice Principal Greege | Episode: "Episode 10 (uncredited) and Episode 17" | |
| 1990–1993 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Carmine Delpino | Recurring role (3 episodes) |
| 1990, 1995 | Columbo | Rudy | Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" Episode: "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" |
| 1993–1994 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Mr. Pitts | Recurring role (3 episodes) |
| 1994 | Boy Meets World | Frank | Episode: "Who's Afraid of Cory Wolf?" |
| 2003 | Less Than Perfect | Uncle Nicky | Episode: "Save the Squirrel, But Bet the Over/Under" |