Dann Florek

Dann Florek

Florek as Donald Cragen in Law & Order.
Born Ezekial Dann Florek
(1950-05-01) May 1, 1950
Flat Rock, Michigan, United States
Residence Venice, California
Other names Dann Florek
Occupation Actor, director
Years active 1982 – present
Spouse(s) Karen Florek (1983–present)

Ezekial Dann Florek (born May 1, 1950), better known as Dann Florek, is an American actor and director. He is best known for his role as Donald Cragen on NBC's Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Early life

Florek at Eastern Michigan University in 1969.

Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan, the son of Darlene and Leonard Florek, Sr., a chiropractor.[1] He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated. He moved to New York City to pursue an acting career in the theatre.

Career

Florek worked his way into supporting roles in such diverse '80's films as Sweet Liberty, Moon Over Parador and Angel Heart. He also played Mr. Slate in the live-action film version of The Flintstones.

Florek played Dave Meyer, the husband of Susan Ruttan's character, Roxanne Melman, on 22 episodes of NBC's hit drama L.A. Law beginning in 1988. Florek also had a recurring role in the WB sitcom Smart Guy as the high school gym coach. He also appeared in several episodes of Roseanne.

Law & Order

Starting in 1990, Florek co-starred in the NBC police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order as Capt. Don Cragen. [2] The first few years of Law & Order had mediocre ratings and finally after the close of the 1992-1993 season, NBC told creator/executive producer Dick Wolf that they would cancel the show unless he added a few women to the all-male cast. Wolf reluctantly complied and fired Florek as well as Richard Brooks (who played Paul Robinette), replacing them with S. Epatha Merkerson and Jill Hennessy, respectively. However, Florek was allowed to direct a few Law & Order episodes in 1994 and 1995.

Florek reprised the role of Cragen in the 1995 episode "Bad Faith" (which he also directed), and in the 1998 TV-movie Exiled, centered on former L&O star Chris Noth's character, Mike Logan. In 1999 he returned to the Cragen role, only this time on the Law & Order spin-off series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as the unit captain. Florek was written out of the series during its 15th season, and his final episode aired on January 15, 2014.[2] He reprised his role in the 21st episode of season 16 in May 2015.

Personal life

Florek and his wife, Karen, live in Venice, Los Angeles. Karen works as an artist. His brother, Dave, is also an actor. All three trained in the Daniel L. Quirk Jr. drama school at Eastern Michigan University.

Florek received an honorary Bachelor of Arts and an honorary Doctorate of Arts (on December 13, 2008, and December 14, 2008, respectively) from Eastern Michigan University, presented to him by President Susan Martin and the EMU Board of Regents. During the latter event, Florek was the head speaker at the school's winter 2008 commencement ceremony.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Country Girl Larry Television movie
1983 Eddie Macon's Run Man in bar
1985 Braker Hayes Television movie
1986 Sweet Liberty Jesse
1986 Alex: The Life of a Child Dr. Tom Dolan Television movie
1987 Angel Heart Herman Winesap
1987 Five Corners Policeman
1988 Sunset Marty Goldberg
1988 The Trial of Bernhard Goetz Judge Crane Television movie
1988 Moon Over Parador Toby
1989 An Innocent Man Prosecuting Attorney Uncredited
1989 The Edge Strip-Joint Operator Television movie
1991 Flight of the Intruder Lt. Cmdr. Mad
1994 The Flintstones Mr. Slate
1994 Getting Even with Dad Wayne
1997 A Nightmare Come True Det. Ron Shaye Television movie
1998 Hard Rain Mr. Mehlor
1998 Little Girl Fly Away Chief Gelbart Television movie
1998 The Pentagon Wars Maj. Gen. Bob Braden Television movie
1998 Exiled: A Law & Order Movie Captain Donald Cragen Television movie
2000 Beautiful Joe Happy
2002 Law & Order: The Beginning Himself
2003 Focus Room William
2003 SVU Beginning Himself
2004 Law & Order: The First 3 Years Himself
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Police Sketch: Dann Florek Himself
2005 Jerry Orbach Tribute Himself
2006 Copy That Dann Short film
2013 Santorini Blue Trent Parker

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Hill Street Blues Bowers Episode: "Intestinal Fortitude"
1986 The Equalizer Lieutenant Ferraro Episode: "Breakpoint"
1987 Mr. President Bosdec Episode: "Armageddon Kinda Sore"
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Winthrop Episode: "Doctors Wilde"
1987 Hunter John Edleton Episode: "Night on Bald Mountain"
1988–1993 L.A. Law Dave Meyer 22 episodes
1988 American Playhouse Judge Crane Episode: "The Trial of Bernhard Goetz"
1988 Matlock Ken Pritchard Episode: "The Hucksters"
1988 21 Jump Street Jim Crawford Episode: "Brother Hanson & the Miracle of Renner's Pond"
1988 CBS Schoolbreak Special Stan Pallon Episode: "Gambler"
1988 Almost Grown Giardello Episode: "Ghost Town
1989 Free Spirit Bill / Mr. Flynn Episode: "The Bosses Are Coming"
1989 Major Dad Buzz Episode: "Rescue Mission"
1990 Grand Robert Episode: "The Healing"
1990 Roseanne Principal Hiller Episode: "Bird Is the Word"
1990–2004 Law & Order Captain Donald Cragen 69 episodes
1994 Hardball Ernest 'Happy' Talbot 9 episodes
1994 Wings Bob Episode: "Insanity Claus"
1995 Ellen Mr. Woodruff Episode: "$5,000"
1995 The John Larroquette Show Winters Lennox Episode: "Love on the Line"
1996 Champs Ernie Episode: "It's Must Have Been Gridlock"
1997 Roseanne Dr. Rudmen 2 episodes
1997 Michael Hayes Carnap Episode: "The Confidence Man"
1997 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Bob Gordon Episode: "Cat Showdown"
1997 Total Security Morris Silver Episode: "Dental Men Prefer Blondes"
1997 NYPD Blue Gary Hogan Episode: "Sheedy Dealings"
1998 The Pretender Don Larson Episode: "Crash"
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Robert Seamans 2 episodes
1998 The Practice Father Michael Ryan Episode: "Duty Bound"
1998 The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer Abraham Lincoln 4 episodes
1997–1999 Smart Guy Coach Gerber 6 episodes
1999–2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Captain Donald Cragen 337 episodes
Nominated—Prism Award for Best Performance in a Drama Series
2015 Under the Dome Colonel Walker Episode: "The Enemy Within"

References

  1. ↑ "Roxanne`s Beau Is A Leading Man In Real Life". Chicago Tribune, 1 December 1988
  2. 1 2 Dann Florek to Exit NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU'

External links

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