Adrian Zmed

Adrian George Zmed (born March 14, 1954)[2] is an American actor, singer and television personality, noted for the roles of Johnny Nogerelli in Grease 2 and Officer Vince Romano in the T.J. Hooker television series.

Adrian Zmed
Zmed in October 2008
Born
Adrian George Zmed

(1954-03-14) March 14, 1954
OccupationActor, singer and television personality
Years active1978present
Spouse(s)Barbara Fitzner (1976–?; 2 sons)
Susan Wood (?–?)
Lyssa Lynne Baker (2012–present)
ChildrenZachary Adrian (b. 1982)[1]
Dylan Zmed

Early life

Zmed was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of three sons of George Zmed,[3] later known as George Zmed-Smith (1916–2010), a Romanian Orthodox priest, who served from 1952 until his retirement in 1983,[1] and his wife, Persida (née Golub) Zmed,[4] later known as Sadie Smith (1923–2015).[5] George Zmed was a first-generation American born in Chicago to Romanian parents, Nicolae and Paraschiva (née Bălan), who had emigrated from Comloşu Mare, Timiș County in the early 20th century. At the age of five, George and his family returned to Romania, where he was educated; he returned to the United States in November 1952. George and Persida (also Romanian-born) were married October 15, 1942, in Timișoara. The couple had three sons, in the following order: Cornel, Walter, and Adrian.[6]

Adrian graduated from Lane Tech High School in Chicago. He began playing American football for the school's team until, when playing in 1968,[1] he broke a leg bone which in turn punctured a major artery.[7] He quit sports and began acting, appearing in his high school's production of Guys and Dolls. After being featured on a local TV show as one of Chicago's top high school performers, Zmed transferred to the Goodman School of Drama[1] and began studying voice at the Chicago Conservatory of Music.[7] He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Goodman School of Drama.

Acting career

Zmed's first major acting gig was the role of Danny Zuko in the national touring company production of Grease.[1] He later appeared in the Broadway musical three times, twice in the role of Zuko. At 40, Zmed revived the role of Zuko in the 1995 Broadway revival.

Television

In 1978, Zmed made his television debut, appearing as Marty Decker in two episodes of Starsky & Hutch. From there, he won the role of Socks Palermo in the short-lived television series Flatbush (1979), based upon the film The Lords of Flatbush.[8] Following the show's cancellation, he was cast as Frankie Millardo in Goodtime Girls,[9] which lasted one season (1980). He had guest roles on such series as Angie,[1][10] I'm a Big Girl Now[11] and Bosom Buddies,[1][12] and made a guest appearance on An Evening at the Improv in 1982.

Zmed reached celebrity status as Officer Romano in ABC's T.J. Hooker.[1] He played Fred Feliciano in Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story (1984) and made guest appearances on a number of television shows throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including Hotel, Empty Nest, Murder, She Wrote and Caroline in the City. He left T.J. Hooker in 1985 when the show moved to CBS, choosing instead to replace Deney Terrio as host of Dance Fever for its final two seasons.

He has appeared as himself on VH1's I Love the 80s, Saturday Night Live and The Bozo Show. He appeared as Basil (the "floating head") on the soap opera Passions and participated in VH1's Confessions of a Teen Idol.[13]

Features

Following the huge success of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the movie version of Grease, Paramount Pictures quickly secured the rights to a sequel. Zmed was chosen to play one of the lead roles in Grease 2, Johnny Nogerelli, the new leader of the T-Birds gang.[14] His performance led to other movie roles, including The Final Terror (1983) and Bachelor Party (1984).[15] He appears in the film The Craving Heart (2006).[15]

Return to theatre

Zmed returned to stage work in the 1990s. He headlined the musical Children of Eden at the Paper Mill Playhouse. He starred in three shows on Broadway: Falsettos, Blood Brothers, and Grease. He later appeared as Noah in the musical The Ark[16] in New York City. He played Nick in the short-lived play Surf the Musical at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas in 2012.[17]

Other work

Zmed provided the voiceover for Toth in the 2002 video game Star Wars Jedi Starfighter. He was also under contract from June 2008 to April 2009 with Princess Cruise Lines to perform Adrian Zmed, in Concert... aboard the Coral Princess and the Island Princess.

In 2006, he filmed a 30-second public service announcement for the non-profit organization Dogs Deserve Better.

Personal life

Zmed has been married three times. He married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Fitzner,[17] in 1976. Their two sons, Zachary and Dylan, are rock musicians who have been members of the rock band The Janks[18] and the Bird Dogs, an Everly Brothers tribute band.[19]

Zmed married Broadway actress/singer Susan Wood in 1995;[20] that marriage also ended in divorce.

He married Lyssa Lynne Baker on October 5, 2012.[21] They held another (smaller) wedding in Thailand on November 23, 2012.[22]

Zmed remains friends with his co-star and childhood television hero William Shatner. He spoke in a 2016 interview with Las Vegas Magazine about Shatner:

I learned so much just watching him...it's a very different energy on camera than onstage. Instead of reaching the last person 50 rows away from you, you're reaching someone three feet in front of you, which is really daunting...His camera technique was just incredible. He was so relaxed and all. I learned so much in term of the moment, on how you readjust your energy, how you get efficient with camera technique. And just the stories. When he directed, he would mentor me. I do consider Bill a mentor, no question about it...Oh yeah. He was very helpful in saying, "Be smart with the money that you're making during T.J. Hooker and be smart with the decisions you're making in terms of your career"...I did heed his advice on making good choices.[23]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982Grease 2Johnny Nogerelli
1983The Final TerrorMarco Ceronealternate title: Campsite Massacre
1984Bachelor PartyJay O'Neill
1989Eyewitness to MurderTyler
1993The Other WomanGreg Mathewsdirect-to-video movie
1994Improper ConductDoug
1999Unconditional LoveMario
2000Running from the ShadowsSasch
2000Little InsectsSir Sneekleberry (voice)
2002Until MorningKyle
2004The Drone VirusFrank Schmidt
2005Shira: The Vampire SamuraiKristofdirect-to-video movie
2005Sex Sells: The Making of TouchéLance Long
2006The Craving HeartPhil Jorgenson
TBASpring Break '83Billy's fatherpost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978Starsky & HutchMarty DeckerEpisode: "Discomania"
1979FlatbushSocks Palermo6 episodes
1979–80AngieMaxieEpisodes: "The First Separation", "The Thief", "Marie Moves Out"
1980Goodtime GirlsFrankie Millardo13 episodes
1980For the Love of ItFernandoTV movie
1981I'm a Big Girl NowMechanicEpisode: "There's No Business Like Joe Business"
1981Bosom BuddiesJoseph "Joey Midnight" RaybonzEpisode: "Best Friends"
1982–85T. J. HookerOfficer Vincent "Vince" Romano72 episodes
1984GlitterTomEpisode: "Pilot"
1984Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana StoryFred FelicianoTV movie
1985–87Dance FeverHimself (host)60 episodes
1986HotelBobEpisode: "Shadows of Doubt: Part 1"
1986The Love BoatEddy ConradSegment: "Spain Cruise: Love's Labors Found" (Parts 1 & 2)
1987Alfred Hitchcock PresentsEdgar KraftEpisode: "When This Man Dies"
1987You Are the JuryStanley ManningEpisode: "The State of Oregon vs. Stanley Manning"
1987HotelScott OsborneEpisode: "Dark Horses"
1988Empty NestGaryEpisode: "Your Check Isn't in the Mail"
1989Murder, She WroteBert FirmanEpisode: "From Russia...with Blood"
1994Silk StalkingsCalvinEpisode: "Judas Kiss"
1998The Steve Harvey ShowDerrick LoveEpisode: "White Men Can Funk"
1998Storm Chasers: Revenge of the TwisterSmittyTV movie
1998Caroline in the CityJonathanEpisode: "Caroline and the Rotten Plum"
1999Diagnosis: MurderHimselfEpisode: "Trash TV: Part 2"
2000Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV ShowHookEpisode: "Hook, Whodunit?"
2007PassionsBasil13 episodes
2007Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas SpectacularDirty Caroler DadTV movie
2013Outside the BoxJack TorrenceEpisode: "The Shining"
2016Lady DynamiteHimselfEpisodes: "A Vaginismus Miracle", "Knife Feelings"
2016Sharknado: The 4th AwakensHimselfTV movie
2018Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up AdventuresRandy Riff-Raff (voice)Episode: "The Roadsterettes/Oh Happy Day"

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002Star Wars: Jedi StarfighterToth (voice)

References

  1. Adelson, Suzanne (June 20, 1983). "T.j. Hooker's Adrian Zmed Looks to a Serious Future Beyond Beefcake and Bad Boys". People. 19 (24). Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  2. Zmed, Adrian [@RealAdrianZmed] (March 4, 2013). "Today is not my birthday people...but thanks for the thoughts. My birthday is March 14" (Tweet). Retrieved March 16, 2013 via Twitter.
  3. "Death Notice: Very Rev. Fr. George Zmed-Smith". January 17, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  4. "In Memoriam: Preoteasa Persida Zmed". OCA.org.
  5. "Obituary: George Zmed". ROEA.org. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
  6. "In Memoriam: Archpriest George Zmed". OCA.org. Retrieved 2010-01-14.
  7. Murphy, Suzanne (January 20, 1984). "Adrian Zmed: Interview 'Capturing Criminals and Fans'". Teen Magazine. Archived from the original on February 15, 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2008.
  8. "Flatbush". Internet Movie Database.
  9. "The Goodtime Girls". Internet Movie Database.
  10. "Angie". Internet Movie Database.
  11. "I'm a Big Girl Now". Internet Movie Database.
  12. "Bosom Buddies". Internet Movie Database.
  13. "Confessions of a Teen Idol". VH1.com. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  14. "Adrian Zmed Biography". Starpulse.com.
  15. Adrian Zmed at IMDb
  16. Bradley, Brad. "A CurtainUp Review: The Ark". CurtainUp.com. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  17. "30 Years Later: The cast of 'T.J. Hooker'". FoxNews.com. November 23, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  18. "The Janks". ReverbNation.com. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  19. Valcourt, Keith (July 10, 2016). "The Bird Dogs: 'For the Love of Phil and Don'". washingtontimes.com. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  20. https://www.deseretnews.com/article/427924/GREASE--DANNY-AND-HIS-SANDY-EXPECT-TO-BE-MARRIED-BY-TUESDAY-WHEN-TOURING-COMPANY-ARRIVES-IN.html
  21. "Zmed/Baker Wedding: October 5, 2012". YouTube.com. Dustree Productions. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  22. "High Class Cinema: Lyssa & Adrian / Wedding Trailer". YouTube.com. Ella Gagiano Photography. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  23. Zmed, Adrian (2016-01-22). "Q&A: Adrian Zmed". lasvegasmagazine.com (Interview). Interviewed by Matt Kelemen. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
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