The character of Sipowicz was ranked #23 on Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters list. He appeared in three of Altman's films from this period, and five of De Palma's, most prominently as a low budget movie director in Body Double (1984).įranz went on to win four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. He also starred in the short-lived Beverly Hills Buntz as the same character.ĭuring the late 1970s and early 1980s, Franz worked regularly with directors Brian De Palma and Robert Altman. Norm Buntz, remaining until the show's end in 1987. Due to his popularity with fans, he returned in 1985 as Lt. Franz first played the role of Detective Sal Benedetto, a corrupt cop in the 1983 season, who later kills himself. Other major roles were on the television series Hill Street Blues in which he played two characters over the run of that show. He has also guest starred in shows such as The A-Team. (By Franz's own count, the character of Andy Sipowicz was his 28th role as a police officer). Although he has in the past performed Shakespeare, his appearance led to his being typecast early in his career as a police officer. ![]() “So, I can be happy with that for another five or six years, thank you very much.Franz began his acting career at Chicago's Organic Theater Company. “I do feel typecast, but as far as a job goes, I can’t think of another role that I would be more satisfied in doing,” Franz said. I bought into it,” he said.Īlthough Franz may have more acting opportunities now, don’t expect another big-star break-up on the tumultuous “NYPD Blue” set. “I’ve seen the film and I think that I’ve been able to get rid of Sipowicz. He plays Gus Payne, a real-life New Orleans journalist whose coverage of political corruption made him a pawn in a battle between two rival branches of the FBI. In “Moment of Truth,” Franz actually gets a non-cop role, although he’s still surrounded by police. “I would expect it to be more of the same now because of this nice little gold statue,” he said. ![]() He wouldn’t mind expanding his range, however, and the high profile of “NYPD Blue” already has resulted in more acting offers. With a face that wouldn’t win any pretty-boy awards in Hollywood, Franz has been an obvious choice for gritty, street-wise cop roles. “If he feels like at any time he needs to talk with me, then I’m leaving it up to him to bring it up, because it’s his business.” “He has chosen a certain path and it’s not my place to pass judgment in one way or the other on his decision,” Franz said. He did say that he is looking forward to working with Smits, and that he hasn’t talked to Caruso about the controversy. And certainly, Sipowicz’s character is foremost in that category,” Franz said.įranz knows what will happen to Kelly, but he wouldn’t give away the secret. ![]() “With something this important happening to so many of the characters that are touched by John Kelly on the show, it’s got to have an impact on our lives. Law,” another cop role is a pretty good offer, he said.įranz and the rest of the “NYPD Blue” cast will have to adjust this fall to the departure of David Caruso, who is leaving after four episodes because of a salary dispute, and the arrival of his replacement, “L.A. “After 27, I thought, boy, I’ve had enough of this, and I really would like to branch out and have an opportunity to do some other characters,” he said.īut, when the caller is star producer Steven Bochco, the creator of “Hill Street Blues” and “L.A. By his own count, Sipowicz is the 28th cop Franz has played in an acting career that began when he was a high school student in Chicago. I mean, I don’t understand that philosophy,” he said.Īt the same time, Franz saluted the winner, “Picket Fences,” saying he is a fan of the CBS show.ĭespite the shock of his best-actor victory, nobody can accuse Franz of beginner’s luck. “It seems pretty odd to me when a show gets 26 nominations, sweeping the writing category, and damn near sweeping the directing category, and then they say, the writing’s great, the direction’s great, the acting’s great, but the show ain’t great.
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