Gregory Sierra

Gregory Joseph Sierra (January 25, 1937 – January 4, 2021) was an American actor known for his roles as Detective Sergeant Chano Amengual on Barney Miller; Julio Fuentes, the Puerto Rican neighbor of Fred G. Sanford on Sanford and Son, Marruja in The Castaway Cowboy; He was raised in Spanish Harlem by an aunt because his parents did not take charge of his care.

Career He began his career on the stage, touring with the National Shakespeare Company, and in 1967, appeared as the Duke of Austria in King John at the New York Shakespeare Festival. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1960s to work in film and television.

Personal life and death Sierra was of Puerto Rican descent. He married Eileen Defelitta in 1969, and they were divorced in 1972. In 1976, he married Susan Pollock, and they remained wed until her suicide in 1978. According to his wife, Helene Tabor, he died at age 83 in Laguna Woods, California, on January 4, 2021, after a long battle with stomach and liver cancer.

Filmography Sources:

Film

Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) — Verger Getting Straight (1970) — Garcia Weekend of Terror (1970) — Police Sergeant Red Sky at Morning (1971) — Chamaco Machismo: 40 Graves for 40 Guns (1971) — Lopez Pocket Money (1972) — Chavarin The Poseidon Adventure (1972) — Uncredited The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972) — One-Eyed Horsethief The Wrath of God (1972) — Jurado The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) — Dynamite The Clones (1973) — Nemo Papillon (1973) — Antonio The Laughing Policeman (1973) — Vickery Goodnight Jackie (1974) — Paul The Castaway Cowboy (1974) — Marruja (Bryson's henchman) The Towering Inferno (1974) — Carlos The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977) — Omar Welk Mean Dog Blues (1978) — Jesus Gonzales Evening in Byzantium (1978) — Fabricio The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) — The Count The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1983) — Diego Ramirez Let's Get Harry (1986) — Alphonso The Trouble with Spies (1987) — Capt. Sanchez Deep Cover (1992) — Barbosa Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) — Terence Wheeler Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) — Iraqi Patrol Boat Captain (uncredited) A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994) — Captain Nunez The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998) — Villanazul Vampires (1998) — Father Giovanni Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998) — Bonifacio The Other Side of the Wind (2018) — Jack Simon (final film role)

Television

It Takes a Thief — episode "Rock-Bye, Bye, Baby" — Fletcher (1969) The Flying Nun — episode "A Ticket for Bertrille" — Officer Juarez (1969) Mission: Impossible — episode "Phantoms" — Gomal (1970) McCloud — episode "Portrait of a Dead Girl" — 1st Deputy (1970) Mission: Impossible — episode "Chico" — Prado's butler (1970) Mod Squad — episode "A Town Called Sincere" — Zamaron (1970) Alias Smith and Jones — episode "Journey from San Juan" — Juan (1971) Mission: Impossible — episode "Cocaine" — Fernando Laroca (1972) Sanford and Son — 12 episodes — Julio Fuentes (1972-1975) Insight — episodes — "Hey, Janitor", "The Eye of the Camel", "Loser Take All", "Plus Time Served", & "A Decision to Love" (1973 — 1981) Kung Fu — episode "The Stone" — Solly (1973) All in the Family — episode "Archie is Branded" — Paul Benjamin (1973) The Waltons — episode "The Gypsies" — Volta (1973) Hawaii Five-O — episode "Tricks Are Not Treats" — Lolo (1973) Banacek — episode "The Two Million Clams of Cap'n Jack" — Norman Esposito (1973) Gunsmoke — 3 episodes — Blue Jacket / Osuna (1973-1975) McCloud — episode "This Must Be the Alamo" — Patrolman Rico Cross (1974) Columbo — episode "Publish or Perish" — Lou D'Allessandro (1974) Barney Miller — 35 episodes — Det. Sgt. Chano Amengual (1975-1976) Hunter — episode "The K Group: Parts 1 & 2" (1977) A.E.S. Hudson Street — 5 episodes — Dr. Tony Menzies (1978) Soap — 12 episodes — Carlos 'El Puerco' Valdez (1980–81) The Greatest American Hero — episode "Hog Wild" — Sheriff Mark Vargas (1981) Hart to Hart — episode "A Couple of Harts" — Eduardo (1981) Quincy M.E. — episode "Baby Rattlesnakes" — Rick Durado (1982) Hill Street Blues — ADA Alvarez — four episodes (1982) Zorro and Son — Commandante Paco Pico (1983) Kenny Rogers as The Gambler: The Adventure Continues — TV movie — Silvera (1983) Simon & Simon — episode "The Club Murder Vacation" — Gregory Cable (1983) Miami Vice — 4 episodes — Lt. Lou Rodriguez (1984) The Paper Chase — episode "Burden of Proof" — Public Defender (1984) Blue Thunder — episode "The Long Flight" — Luis Creighton Acuna (1984) Hart to Hart — episode "Max's Waltz" — Howard Castle (1984) Cagney & Lacey — episode "Violation" — Eddie 'Cleanhead' Stutz (1985) Simon & Simon — episode "The Enchilada Express" — Raul Gutierrez (1985) Airwolf — episode "Wildfire" — Frank Ochoa (1986) MacGyver — episode "The Gauntlet" — General Antonio Vasquez (1985) Murder, She Wrote — episode "Broadway Malady" — NYPD Det. Sgt. Moreno (1985) MacGyver — episode "Jack of Lies" — Colonel Antunnez (1986) Hunter — episode "Flashpoint" — Councilman Elandro (1987) Magnum, P.I. — episode "Pleasure Principle" — Miguel Torres (1987) Cagney & Lacey — episode "Ahead of the Game" — Coach Kellino (1987) The Munsters Today — episode "Farewell Grandpa" — Don Steinburg (1988) Super Password — Himself (Celebrity Contestant) (1988) Murder, She Wrote — episode "Murder Through the Looking Glass" — Sanchez (1988) Growing Pains — episodes "The New Deal": Parts 1 & 2 — Dr. Paul Ramirez (1989) MacGyver — episode "The Treasure of Manco" — Captain Diaz (1990) Unspeakable Acts — TV movie — Frank Fuster (1990) The Golden Palace — episode "Ebbtide for the Defense" — Rubin (1992) Murder, She Wrote — episode "Day of the Dead" — Ramon (1992) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — episode "Will Gets Committed" — Hector Alvarez (1992) The X-Files — episode "The Jersey Devil" — Dr. Diamond (1993) Murder, She Wrote — episodes "The Petrified Florist", "A Nest of Vipers", & "Film Flam" — Lieutenant Gabriel Caceras (1993-1995) Thea — episode "How I Got Over" — Mr.Gutierrez (1993) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — episode "Second Skin" — Entek (1994) Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman — episodes — "The Washington Affair: Parts 1 & 2" — General Ely Samuel Parker (1994) Walker, Texas Ranger — episode "Standoff" — Col. Rafael Mendoza (1995) Ellen — episode "When the Vow Breaks" — General Colon (1996)