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Jay Landsman

American homicide detective and actor

Television actor Police detective
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About Jay Landsman

Jay Landsman was an American television actor and police detective.

Jay C. Landsman

Acting career The book was later developed into the television series Homicide: Life on the Street. He was the inspiration for the fictional character John Munch on that show, and was portrayed by Delaney Williams on the television series The Wire, created by Simon. Landsman portrayed himself in a brief appearance on the HBO miniseries The Corner and, later, appeared in The Wire, playing the character of Lieutenant Dennis Mello, interacting with the fictionalised version of himself portrayed by Williams. He appeared in season five of the food and travel show No Reservations, when host Anthony Bourdain stopped in Baltimore on a tour of America's rust belt.

Police career Landsman's family's work in police and fire departments goes back generations. His father, Lt. Charles "Buck" Pfaff, was killed in a fire truck accident on Park Heights Avenue in 1949.

In December 2015, Landsman was promoted to lieutenant in the Baltimore County Police Department. Landsman retired from the city's police force in 1994, when he joined the county. In 2004, he and his son Jay C. Landsman Jr. were simultaneously promoted from corporal to sergeant in the department. By 2015, Landsman Jr. was a captain, having commanded Precinct 6 since April 2014, and by September 2017- when he was appointed Commander of the Technical Services Division at Baltimore County Police Headquarters- a Major.

As of March 2016, by which time he was a Lieutenant in the Pikesville precinct, all four of Landsman's children were serving with him in the Baltimore County Police Department, as was one granddaughter. His nephew, Richard Landsman, also served in Baltimore as a Lieutenant, as did other members of the Landsman family.

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Important facts

Born
Baltimore
Nationality
Employers
Baltimore Police Department

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jay Landsman?

American homicide detective and actor

When was Jay Landsman born?

Jay Landsman was born in Baltimore.

What was Jay Landsman's occupation?

Jay Landsman was a television actor and police detective.

What nationality was Jay Landsman?

Jay Landsman was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jay Landsman

· Wikidata: Q6166825

· DBpedia: Jay Landsman

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jay Landsman. https://biography.guide/jay-landsman/

MLA: "Jay Landsman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jay-landsman/.

Chicago: "Jay Landsman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jay-landsman/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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