READER PANEL

PROFILE

Bruce Weitz

ON SOAP OPERA DIGEST AND WEEKLY ONLINE

SOAP STAR STATS

Bruce Weitz (Anthony, GH)

— ABC

Vital Statistics

BIRTHDAY:: May 27
HAILS FROM:: Norwalk, CT
MARITAL STATUS:: Married to wife Vivian since December 2, 1986.
CHILDREN:: Son Joey, 16.
YEARS ON SHOW:: 2007-09
AWARDS:: Emmy winner, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for HILL STREET BLUES in 1984; he was nominated six times during his tenure. In 1985, he won the Q Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series at the Viewers For Quality Television Awards.

THE 411

Growing up Jewish in a predominantly non-Jewish area of Connecticut, coupled with his slighter than average frame, Bruce Weitz admitted to Digest that he got into a lot of fights when he was young. To stay out of trouble, he found acting and hasn't looked back since. Today, Weitz is most widely known for his six-year stint as the barking, biting Mick Belker on HILL STREET BLUES, for which he won an Emmy. Ironically, Weitz made his very first TV appearance on RYAN'S HOPE and 31 years later, he became an ABC soap fixture all over again for his short-term role of clinically insane crime boss Anthony Zacchara on GENERAL HOSPITAL. The part was supposed to last a mere six weeks, but Weitz impressed producers so much that they scrapped their plans to kill off Anthony and the character lived on to wreak havoc for over a year longer. Weitz admitted that he'd considered himself retired until GH called and upon Anthony's trip to prison, the actor said that he was looking forward to getting back to his gardening. However, Weitz was quick to stress that should GH call again to reprise Anthony, "Without hesitation, yes, I would."

ET CETERA

Five Random Facts
—His first theater job was at a summer theater in Blackwood OH, where the actors lived in converted chicken coops and were paid $25 a week.
—His mom, Sybil, is 89, and often calls to comment on his on-screen wardrobe.
—Is not related to filmmaking brothers Paul and Chris Weitz.
—Shares a birthday with horror legends Vincent Price and Christopher Lee.
—Appeared as Belker on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE in 1982 when his then-HILL STREET BLUES co-star Daniel J. Travanti (ex-Furillo) hosted. (John Cougar pre-Mellencamp was the musical guest.)

OTHER ROLES

Other Soap Roles
RYAN'S HOPE (ADA Benjamin Levine, 1976)

Theater
Among his many theatrical credits, Weitz appeared on Broadway opposite George C. Scott in Death Of A Salesman and Al Pacino in The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel.

TV Roles
CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (Leon Slocomb, 2008)
DEXTER (Lenny Asher, 2007)
THOUGH NONE GO WITH ME (Will Bishop, 2006)
GHOST WHISPERER (Tobias Northrop (2005)
GREY'S ANATOMY (Edward Levangie, 2005)
JAG (Hank Olin, 2004; Chief Petty Officer Paul "Seal" Bauwer, 1997)
SUE THOMAS: F.B.EYE (Wes Kenner, 2004)
THE PRACTICE (D.A. Robert Webb, 2003)
THE GUARDIAN (Jake's Father, 2003; Mr. Straka, 2002)
JUDGING AMY (Martin, 2002-2003)
ER (Alderman John Bright, 2003)
THIRD WATCH (Uncle Mike, 2002)
JOE AND MAX (Mike, 2002)
CURSED (Art Blankey, 2001)
ONCE AND AGAIN (Captain Patterson, 2001)
BULL (Edward Rufo, 2000-01)
WALKER, TEXAS RANGER (Captain Ryder, 2000)
THE WEST WING (Senate Majority Leader, 2000)
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL (Mr. Fineman, 2000)
ROCKET POWER (Longboarder, 1999)
DUE SOUTH (Huck Bogart, 1998)
PROFILER (Bill Porter, 1998)
SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (Voice of Bruno Mannheim, 1996-98)
BREAKING THE SURFACE: THE GREG LOUGANIS STORY (Ron O'Brien, 1997)
NYPD BLUE (Lawrence Curry, 1996)
SUDDEN TERROR: THE HIJACKING OF SCHOOL BUS #17, (Lt. Dominick Caroselli, 1996)
SISTERS (Pug Finnegan, 1996)
CYBILL (Officer Bart Coleman, 1996)
JUSTICE FOR ANNIE: A MOMENT OF TRUTH MOVIE (Detective McAdams, 1996)
THE LEGEND OF RUBY SILVER (Bill McLean, 1996)
MIXED BLESSINGS (Doctor, 1995)
HER HIDDEN TRUTH (Lt. Ricky Levine, 1995)
MURDER, SHE WROTE (Dr. Max Franklin, 1995)
THE O.J. SIMPSON STORY (Robert Shapiro, 1995)
THE X FILES (Agent Bocks (1995)
BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (Lyle Bolton/Lock-Up, 1994)
LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (Martin Snell, 1994)
DREAM ON (1994)
THE BYRDS OF PARADISE (Dr. Murray Rubinstein, 1994)
DUCKMAN: PRIVATE DICK (Voice, 1994)
HIGHLANDER (Tommy Sullivan, 1994)
NICK'S GAME (Alex, 1993)
CIVIL WARS (Bernard Ryman, 1993)
BABE RUTH (Miller Huggins, 1991)
ANYTHING BUT LOVE (Mike Urbanek, 1991-92)
LEONA HELMSLEY: THE QUEEN OF MEAN (Joseph Lubin, 1990)
RAINBOW DRIVE (Dan Crawford, 1990)
THE RAY BRADBURY THEATER (Brock, 1990)
THE HITCHHIKER (1989)
A CRY FOR HELP: THE TRACEY THURMAN STORY (Burton Weinstein, 1989)
A DEADLY SILENCE (Det. McCready, 1989)
THE TWILIGHT ZONE (Simon Foster, 1989)
FAIR GAME (Joe Maples, 1989)
MIDNIGHT CALLER (Ed Adderly, 1989)
BABY M (Rick Whitehead, 1988)
MAMA'S BOY (Jake McCaskey, 1988)
MATLOCK (Lt. Jim Manning, 1987)
IF IT'S TUESDAY, IT STILL MUST BE BELGIUM (Martini, 1987)
HILL STREET BLUES (Sgt. Mick Belker, 1981-1987)
A REASON TO LIVE (Bob Cousins, 1985)
DEATH OF A CENTERFOLD: THE DOROTHY STRATTEN STORY (Paul Snider, 1981)
EVERY STRAY DOG AND KID (1981)
PARIS (1979)
THE WHITE SHADOW (Joe Kelly, 1979)
HAPPY DAYS (Robert, 1978)
QUINCY M.E. (Boyd, 1977)

Film Roles
Imps* (Larry, 2009)
Quality Time (Jack Savage, 2008)
The Metrosexual (Lou Bremer, 2007)
The Dukes (Toulio, 2007)
El Cortez (Popcorn, 2006)
Dinocroc (Dr. Campbell, 2004)
The Entrepreneurs (Xavier Felix, 2003)
Half Past Dead (Lester McKenna, 2002)
Facing the Enemy (Lt. Carl Runyon, 2001)
Focus (Earl, 2001)
Mach 2 (Phil Jefferson, 2001)
No Place Like Home (Dalrymple, 2001)
Gut Feeling (1999)
The Landlady (Pepper McAllen, 1998)
Deep Impact (Stuart Caley, 1998)
Shattered Illusions (Henry, 1998)
Fool's Gold (Sheriff Matson, 1998)
Memorial Day (Jules #1, 1998)
Velocity Trap (Capt. "Turd" Fenner, FED 397 aka Atlantic, 1997)
Coyote Summer (Snapper, 1996)
Prehysteria! 3 (Hal MacGregor, 1995)
Windrunner (Coach Woodhouse, 1995)
Molly & Gina (Paymer, 1994)
No Place To Hide (Captain Nelson Silva, 1993)
The Liars' Club (Jack, 1993)
The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (Voice on Tape, 1977)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

"I had a ball. I really did, and I don't say that about many things. If I didn't, I would tell you. Believe me [laughs]!" — On his GH tenure, Soap Opera Digest, 3/3/09

"Between the two of us, we have about 180 years in the business." — On working with Stephen Macht (ex-Trevor, GH), Digest, 2/3/09

"Because of my size, I used to get into a lot of fights. Fighting was a big problem for me and a big problem for my parents, who had to come get me out of jail on several occasions." — On the worst trouble he got into when he was younger, Digest, 9/9/08