Gregory Sierra
Gregory Sierra | |
---|---|
Born | New York City, U.S. | January 25, 1937
Died | January 4, 2021 Laguna Woods, California, U.S. | (aged 83)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1969–2018 |
Spouses | Eileen Defelitta
(m. 1969; div. 1972)Susan Pollock
(m. 1976; died 1978)Helen Tabor |
Gregory Joseph Sierra (January 25, 1937 – January 4, 2021) was an American actor known for his roles as Detective Sergeant Chano Amengual on
Early life
Gregory Joseph Sierra was born on January 25, 1937, in Manhattan.[1] He was raised in Spanish Harlem by an aunt as his parents did not take charge of his care.[1] After serving in the Air Force, Sierra went with a friend to an acting school audition in Manhattan. Sierra was only there to support his friend, but after performing some improvisation he was admitted instead of his friend.[1][2]
Career
He began his career on the stage, touring with the National Shakespeare Company, and in 1967 appeared as the Duke of Austria in King John at the New York Shakespeare Festival. He then moved to Los Angeles in the late 1960s to work in film and television.[1]
Sierra's film credits include The Flying Nun (1969), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Papillon (1973), The Towering Inferno (1974), The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) and The Trouble with Spies (1987).
In 1973, Sierra guest-starred in an unusually dramatic episode of
From 1972 to 1975, he had the recurring role of Julio Fuentes, a Puerto Rican neighbor of the Sanfords, on Sanford and Son. After that he spent two years as part of the ensemble cast of Barney Miller, as Detective Sergeant Chano Amengual. He starred as Dr. Tony Menzies on the short-lived 1977 sitcom A.E.S. Hudson Street. In 1980 and 1981, for the fourth and unresolved final season of the soap opera parody Soap, he played Latin American revolutionary Carlos "El Puerco" Valdez, Jessica Tate's lover.
In 1984, he was hired for the main cast of
In 1992, Sierra played drug dealer Felix Barbossa in the
His television credits also include .
Personal life and death
Sierra was of Puerto Rican descent.[3] He married Eileen Defelitta in 1969, and they were divorced in 1972. In 1976, he married Susan Pollock, and they remained wed until her suicide in 1978.[4] He lived in Laguna Woods, California, with his wife, Helen Tabor.[3] Sierra died on January 4, 2021, after a long battle with stomach and liver cancer, at age 83.[2][1]
Filmography
Film
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) — Verger
- Getting Straight (1970) — Garcia
- Weekend of Terror (1970) — Police Sergeant
- Red Sky at Morning (1971) — Chamaco
- Machismo: 40 Graves for 40 Guns (1971) — Lopez
- Pocket Money (1972) — Chavarin
- The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972) — One-Eyed Horsethief
- The Wrath of God (1972) — Jurado
- The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) — Dynamite
- The Clones (1973) — Nemo
- Papillon (1973) — Antonio
- The Laughing Policeman (1973) — Vickery
- Goodnight Jackie (1974) — Paul
- The Castaway Cowboy (1974) — Marruja (Bryson's henchman)
- The Towering Inferno (1974) — Carlos
- The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977) — Omar Welk
- Mean Dog Blues (1978) — Jesus Gonzales
- Evening in Byzantium (1978) — Fabricio
- The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) — The Count
- The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1983) — Diego Ramirez
- Let's Get Harry (1986) — Alphonso
- The Trouble with Spies (1987) — Capt. Sanchez
- Deep Cover (1992) — Barbosa
- Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) — Terence Wheeler
- Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) — Iraqi Patrol Boat Captain (uncredited)
- A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994) — Captain Nunez
- The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998) — Villanazul
- Vampires (1998) — Father Giovanni
- Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998) — Bonifacio
- The Other Side of the Wind (2018) — Jack Simon (final film role)
Television
- It Takes a Thief — episode "Rock-Bye, Bye, Baby" — Fletcher (1969)
- The Flying Nun — episode "A Ticket for Bertrille" — Officer Juarez (1969)
- Mission: Impossible — episode "Phantoms" — Gomal (1970)
- McCloud — episode "Portrait of a Dead Girl" — 1st Deputy (1970)
- Mission: Impossible — episode "Chico" — Prado's butler (1970)
- Mod Squad— episode "A Town Called Sincere" — Zamaron (1970)
- Alias Smith and Jones — episode "Journey from San Juan" — Juan (1971)
- Mission: Impossible — episode "Cocaine" — Fernando Laroca (1972)
- Sanford and Son — 12 episodes — Julio Fuentes (1972-1975)
- Insight — episodes — "Hey, Janitor", "The Eye of the Camel", "Loser Take All", "Plus Time Served", & "A Decision to Love" (1973 — 1981)
- Kung Fu— episode "The Stone" — Solly (1973)
- All in the Family — episode "Archie is Branded" — Paul Benjamin (1973)
- The Waltons — episode "The Gypsies" — Volta (1973)
- Hawaii Five-O — episode "Tricks Are Not Treats" — Lolo (1973)
- Banacek — episode "The Two Million Clams of Cap'n Jack" — Norman Esposito (1973)
- Gunsmoke— 3 episodes — Blue Jacket / Osuna (1973-1975)
- McCloud — episode "This Must Be the Alamo" — Patrolman Rico Cross (1974)
- Columbo — episode "Publish or Perish" — Lou D'Allessandro (1974)
- Barney Miller — 35 episodes — Det. Sgt. Chano Amengual (1975-1976)
- Hunter— episode "The K Group: Parts 1 & 2" (1977)
- A.E.S. Hudson Street — 5 episodes — Dr. Tony Menzies (1978)
- Soap — 12 episodes — Carlos 'El Puerco' Valdez (1980-81)
- The Greatest American Hero — episode "Hog Wild" — Sheriff Mark Vargas (1981)
- Hart to Hart — episode "A Couple of Harts" — Eduardo (1981)
- Quincy M.E. — episode "Baby Rattlesnakes" — Rick Durado (1982)
- Hill Street Blues — ADA Alvarez — four episodes (1982)
- Zorro and Son — Commandante Paco Pico (1983)
- Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues— TV movie — Silvera (1983)
- Simon & Simon — episode "The Club Murder Vacation" — Gregory Cable (1983)
- Miami Vice— 4 episodes — Lt. Lou Rodriguez (1984)
- The Paper Chase — episode "Burden of Proof" — Public Defender (1984)
- Blue Thunder — episode "The Long Flight" — Luis Creighton Acuna (1984)
- Hart to Hart — episode "Max's Waltz" — Howard Castle (1984)
- Cagney & Lacey — episode "Violation" — Eddie 'Cleanhead' Stutz (1985)
- Simon & Simon — episode "The Enchilada Express" — Raul Gutierrez (1985)
- Airwolf — episode "Wildfire" — Frank Ochoa (1986)
- MacGyver — episode "The Gauntlet" — General Antonio Vasquez (1985)
- Murder, She Wrote — episode "Broadway Malady" — NYPD Det. Sgt. Moreno (1985)
- MacGyver — episode "Jack of Lies" — Colonel Antunnez (1986)
- Hunter — episode "Flashpoint" — Councilman Elandro (1987)
- Magnum, P.I. — episode "Pleasure Principle" — Miguel Torres (1987)
- Cagney & Lacey — episode "Ahead of the Game" — Coach Kellino (1987)
- The Munsters Today — episode "Farewell Grandpa" — Don Steinburg (1988)
- Super Password— Himself (Celebrity Contestant) (1988)
- Murder, She Wrote — episode "Murder Through the Looking Glass" — Sanchez (1988)
- Growing Pains — episodes "The New Deal": Parts 1 & 2 — Dr. Paul Ramirez (1989)
- MacGyver — episode "The Treasure of Manco" — Captain Diaz (1990)
- Frank Fuster (1990)[7]
- The Golden Palace — episode "Ebbtide for the Defense" — Rubin (1992)
- Murder, She Wrote — episode "Day of the Dead" — Ramon (1992)
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — episode "Will Gets Committed" — Hector (1992)
- The X-Files — episode "Jersey Devil" — Dr. Diamond (1993)
- Murder, She Wrote — episodes "The Petrified Florist", "A Nest of Vipers", & "Film Flam" — Lieutenant Gabriel Caceras (1993-1995)
- Thea — episode "How I Got Over" — Mr.Gutierrez (1993)
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — episode "Second Skin" — Entek (1994)
- General Ely Samuel Parker(1994)
- Walker, Texas Ranger — episode "Standoff" — Col. Rafael Mendoza (1995)
- Ellen — episode "When the Vow Breaks" — General Colon (1996)
References
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 27, 2021. several sources have his birth year incorrectly listed as 1937
- ^ a b Koseluk, Chris (January 22, 2021). "Gregory Sierra, Actor on 'Barney Miller' and 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ^ a b Webb, Claire (November 16, 2009). "An old pro returns to stage". The Orange County Register. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
- ^ "Gregory Sierra, 83". Classic Images. November 2021. p. 47.
- ^ "Gregory Sierra". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "Gregory Sierra". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (January 15, 1990). "Review/Television; 'Unspeakable Acts': Sex Abuse in Day Care". The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
External links
- Gregory Sierra at IMDb
- Gregory Sierra at the Internet Broadway Database
- Gregory Sierra at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Gregory Sierra discography at Discogs