Dann Florek

Dann Florek Headshot

Actor • Director

Birth Date: May 1, 1950

Age: 74 years old

Birth Place: Flat Rock, Michigan

Dann Florek, a bald character player with a penchant for playing perpetually annoyed or annoying characters, has had a handful of film credits, but is perhaps best known for his regular and recurring work in primetime network television. Raised in Flat Rock, Michigan, Florek discovered acting while pursuing a degree in math and physics at Eastern Michigan University. Following college, the actor moved east and took New York stage roles before a 1970s relocation to San Diego, where he starred in productions for the city's famed La Jolla Playhouse.

Florek moved from the stage to the small screen with a role in the 1985 detective TV-movie "Braker" (ABC), beginning a prolific television career. The following year, he portrayed a doctor in the fact-based telepic "Alex: The Life of A Child" and went on to 1987 featured guest spots on the series "Hunter" (NBC) and "Mr. President" (Fox). He appeared as a judge in 1988 the courtroom drama "The Trial of Bernhard Goetz," a production of "American Playhouse" (PBS) scripted directly from actual trial transcripts. Also that year he was acted in episodes of the crime series "21 Jump Street" (Fox), "Matlock" and "Beverly Hills Buntz" (both NBC) and additionally began a five season recurring role on the legal drama "L.A. Law."

The actor gave a breakthrough performance on the popular NBC series playing David Meyer, a quirky businessman with an affection for legal secretary Roxanne (Susan Ruttan). Through the course of the series, Florek's memorable and remarkably irritating character wed, divorced and then remarried his beloved, and also teamed up with lawyer Becker (Corbin Bernsen) on a controversial divorce-themed instructional video.

While appearing on "L.A. Law," Florek continued to make many guest appearances on television series, and included among his credits turns in "Major Dad," "Free Spirit" and a notable appearance as a hard-nosed principal who clashes with the titular mom on the ABC sitcom "Roseanne." From 1990 to 1995, Florek starred as the endearingly exasperated Captain Cragen on the NBC drama "Law & Order."

Following this run, he was able to bide his time with additional guest shots on series including "Wings" (NBC), "Ellen" and "The Practice" (both ABC) and starring regular roles in the failed baseball sitcom "Hardball" (Fox, 1994) and the short-lived controversial comedy "The Secret Life of Desmond Pfeiffer" (UPN, 1998, as Abraham Lincoln) before bringing the cranky Cragen back into the homes of America in the NBC spin-off "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC, 1999- ).

Here Florek returned triumphantly to his acclaimed previous role, and his familiar take on the cynical captain was a welcome addition to the cast. After making his film debut in the Alan Alda-directed comedy "Sweet Liberty" (1986), he followed up with a featured part the following year in Alan Parker's controversial thriller "Angel Heart." In 1988, Florek racked up credits in the "Five Corners," "Sunset" and "Moon Over Parador" and then took a high profile role in the Vietnam-era war drama "Flight of the Intruder" (1991).

One of his more memorable big screen outings was as Fred's weasly boss Mr Slate in the feature take on the animated favorite "The Flintstones" (1994). Later that year he appeared in the panned "Getting Even With Dad," starring Macaulay Culkin and Ted Danson and had a supporting role in 1998's action thriller "Hard Rain"

Credits

Law & Order: Organized CrimeStream

Guest Star
Donald Cragen
Series
2021

Under the DomeStream

Guest Star
Series
2013
68%

Santorini Blue

Actor
Trent Parker
Movie
2013

Santorini Blue

Executive Producer
Movie
2013

L.A. Law: The Movie

Actor
Dave Meyer
Movie
2002

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Actor
Capt. Don CragenRecurring cast
Series
1999
78%

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Guest Star
Donald Cragen
Series
1999
78%

The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer

Actor
Abraham Lincoln
Series
1998
20%

From the Earth to the MoonStream

Actor
Robert Seamans
Miniseries
1998

Hard RainStream

Actor
Mr. Mehlor
Movie
1998
31%

The Poet

Actor
Chief Gelbart
Movie
1998

Exiled: A Law & Order Movie

Actor
Captain Donald Cragen
Movie
1998

Little Girl Fly Away

Actor
Chief Gelbart
Movie
1998

Total Security

Guest Star
Show
1997

Michael Hayes

Guest Star
Show
1997

Smart GuyStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

The PracticeStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

A Nightmare Come True

Actor
Det. Ron Shaye
Movie
1997

Sabrina the Teenage WitchStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

The Last Frontier

Guest Star
Show
1996

Hardball

Actor
Show
1994

EllenStream

Guest Star
Mr. Woodruff
Series
1994

The FlintstonesStream

Actor
Mr. Slate
Movie
1994
23%

Getting Even With Dad

Actor
Wayne
Movie
1994

NYPD BlueStream

Guest Star
Gary Hogan
Series
1993
83%

The John Larroquette Show

Guest Star
Series
1993

Flight of the IntruderStream

Actor
Lt. Cmdr. Mad Jack/Doc
Movie
1991
25%

Law & OrderStream

Actor
Donald Cragen
Series
1990

Law & OrderStream

Director
Series
1990

Law & OrderStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

WingsStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Free Spirit

Guest Star
Show
1989

RoseanneStream

Guest Star
Principal Hiller
Series
1988
76%

Mr. President

Guest Star
Bosdec
Show
1987

21 Jump StreetStream

Guest Star
Jim Crawford
Series
1987

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

Alex: The Life of a Child

Actor
Dr. Tom Dolan
Movie
1986

HunterStream

Guest Star
John Edleton
Series
1984

Hill Street BluesStream

Guest Star
Bowers
Series
1981
97%

Today

Guest
News
1952

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