George DiCenzo

George Ralph DiCenzo (April 21, 1940 – August 9, 2010) was an American actor and one-time associate producer of Dark Shadows. He was in show business for over 30 years, in film, TV, stage, and commercials. DiCenzo played Marty's grandfather Sam Baines in the film Back to the Future. He also had a minor role in William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist III.

Life and career DiCenzo was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He appeared in more than 30 feature films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Choirboys (1977), The Frisco Kid (1979), The Ninth Configuration (1980), Back to the Future (1985), About Last Night (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987), The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988), 18 Again! (1988), Sing (1989) and The Exorcist III (1990).

He appeared in Hotel, directed by Mike Figgis, and Tempted, directed by Bill Bennett. He also played the late baseball commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in the television film Hustle about disgraced baseball great Pete Rose. In 2002 George played Ennio Salieri in the video game Mafia, and also provided the voice of Earnest Kelly in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, released that same year.

In 1976, he appeared in the CBS television film Helter Skelter as prosecuting attorney Vincent Bugliosi. In the 1981–82 television season, DiCenzo was a regular on McClain's Law, with James Arness and Marshall Colt, starting with the television film McClain's Law, structured as the series' pilot. He appeared in the 1977 miniseries Aspen, the 1980 television film The Night the City Screamed, and made regular appearances on Murder, She Wrote, Law & Order and NYPD Blue.

His own series included Equal Justice and Joe's Life in the early and mid-1990s. He appeared as a guest star in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Semi-Professional". In the early 1990s, DiCenzo appeared on Broadway with Nathan Lane in On Borrowed Time.

DiCenzo's voice can be heard in commercials, audiobooks, and cartoon series. His roles in the latter include the title character in BlackStar (1981), Hordak in She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985–1986), and Captain America in Spider-Man (1981) and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981–1983). He was an acting teacher in New York City and Philadelphia for several years. He apprenticed under his mentor Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

Death DiCenzo died of sepsis on August 9, 2010, at the age of 70. He was buried in the North and Southampton Churchyard at Churchville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Filmography Film

+ Year Title Role Notes 1970 House of Dark Shadows Deputy Uncredited 1971 Going Home Sergeant 1972 Across 110th Street Patrolman 1974 Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue George 1975 The Swiss Family Robinson Suramin 1975 Las Vegas Lady Eversull 1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Major Benchley 1977 The Choirboys Lieutenant Grimsley 1979 The Frisco Kid Darryl Diggs 1980 The Ninth Configuration Captain Fairbanks 1981 Gangster Wars Arnold Rothstein 1981 McClain's Law Lieutenant DeNisco 1983 Breach of Contract 1985 The Secret of the Sword Hordak (voice) 1985 Back to the Future Sam Baines 1986 The Longshot DeFranco 1986 About Last Night Mr. Favio 1986 Omega Syndrome Philadelphia 'Phil' Horton 1987 Walk Like a Man Bob (Bub) Downs 1988 The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking Mr. Blackhart 1988 18 Again! Coach 1989 Sing Mr. Marowitz 1989 Face of the Enemy James Wald 1990 The Exorcist III Stedman 1992 Gypsy Eyes Wyden 1997 Lesser Prophets Jerry 1998 Illuminata Jailor 2000 It Had to Be You Mel 2001 Tempted Byron Blades 2001 Hotel Boris 2004 Stateside Detective #2 2006 A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Uncle George (final film role)

Television

+ Year Title Role Notes 1973 Ironside Joe Episode: "Another Shell Game" 1973 Ironside Paul Benson Episode: "Downhill All the Way" 1973 Gunsmoke Newt Episode: "Susan Was Evil" 1974 Barnaby Jones Sy Landau Episode: "Foul Play" 1974 Kung Fu Jesse Episode: "The Predators" 1974 The Rockford Files Harry Stoner Episode: "Tall Woman in Red Wagon" 1975 Streets of San Francisco Frank Episode: Dead Air 1975 Gunsmoke Mr. Bruce Episode: "The Fires of Ignorance" 1975 S.W.A.T. Owings Episode: "Sole Survivor" 1975 Kojak Harry Ferguson Episode: "Be Careful What You Pray For" 1976 Helter Skelter Vincent Bugliosi Television film 1977 Aspen Abe Singer 3 episodes 1977–1980 Hawaii Five-O Len Sessup, Alika Kalei, Yuri Bloch 3 episodes 1979 The Waltons Calvin Satterfield 2 episodes 1981 BlackStar John Blackstar (voice) 13 episodes 1981 McClain's Law Lt. DeNisco Television film 1981–1982 McClain's Law Lt. DeNisco 15 episode 1981–1983 Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends Captain America, Cyclops, additional voices 24 episodes 1982 Spider-Man Captain America (voice) Episode: "The Capture of Captain America" 1984 Magnum, P.I. M. Barry Aldridge Episode: "Blind Justice" 1985–1986 She-Ra: Princess of Power Hordak, Bow, additional voices 93 episodes 1987 The Equalizer Frank Dorgan Episode: "Memories of Manon" 1988 The Equalizer Bruno Dominic Episode: "A Dance on the Dark Side" 1980 The Night the City Screamed Cliff Barrankos Television film 1990–1991 Equal Justice D.A. Arnold Bach 26 episodes 1991 Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion Albert Nardone Television film 1991 In the Heat of the Night Ramon Palez Episode: "A Woman Much Admired" 1992 Law & Order Eddie Palmieri Episode: "The Working Stiff"1993–1994Batman: The Animated SeriesUbu (voice)2 episodes 1993 Joe's Life Stan Gennaro 11 episodes1993AnimaniacsCommandant (voice)Episode: "Puttin' on the Blitz" 1995–1996 NYPD Blue Pete Russell 2 episodes 1997 Law & Order Sam "Bunny" Russo Episode: "Barter" 2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Judge Raoul Sabatelli Episode: "Semi-Professional" 2004 Hustle A. Bartlett Giamatti Television film

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2002 Mafia Ennio Salieri 2002Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityEarnest Kelly