Adrian Zmed
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Adrian Zmed (born March 4, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois) is a Romanian-American television and film actor. Zmed is better known for his roles as "Johnny Nogerelli" in Grease 2, and as "Officer Vince Romano" in the T.J. Hooker television series, where he starred alongside William Shatner.
Zmed took on the role of Danny Zuko in Grease twice: first during the original Broadway run in the 1970s, and again during the show's revival in 1995.
Adrian Zmed made his television debut as "Socks Palermo" in the 1979 series Flatbush. In 1980, he appeared on another television series, The Goodtime Girls, playing "Frankie Millardo". This was followed by a guest appearance in 1982's An Evening at the Improv.
In 1982, Zmed starred as "Johnny Nogerelli", the new leader of the "T-Birds", in Grease 2, opposite Michelle Pfeiffer.
That film led Zmed to a short period playing other teenagers on film, including 1983's The Final Terror, in which he played "Gerone". While this film bombed at the box office, his next movie (while not necessarily a hit by Hollywood economical standards), fared better: Zmed played "Jay O'Neill" in 1984's Bachelor Party, alongside Tom Hanks.
Zmed continued to appear on television as the host of Dance Fever. He reached celebrity status playing "Officer Romano" in the aforementioned T.J. Hooker, a TV series based on the life of a real Los Angeles cop of the same name. He appeared on the show until 1985. Meanwhile, Zmed played "Fred Feliciano" in the TV movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story (1984) and made guest appearances on a number of television shows throughout the 80s and 90s, including Hotel, Empty Nest, Murder, She Wrote, and Caroline in the City.
Adrian Zmed returned to stage work in the 1990s. He headlined the musical Children of Eden at the Paper Mill Playhouse, and starred in three shows on Broadway: Falsettos, Blood Brothers, and Grease. He most recently appeared as Noah in the musical The Ark, in New York City, and in the 2006 Stan Harrington film, The Craving Heart.
Zmed has appeared as himself on VH1's popular I Love the 80s, and Saturday Night Live.
[edit] Facts
- Zmed appears Spanish and Italian, leading him to play many of these characters during his career.
- Zmed speaks fluent Romanian.
- In the original Broadway production of Grease, he starred with Jeff Conaway, who is best known as Kenickie in the 1978 motion picture Grease.
- He is married to musical actress Susan Wood, with whom he has two sons.
- He provided the voiceover for "Toth" in the 2002 video game, "Star Wars Jedi Starfighter".
- In 2006 filmed a 30 second PSA on chained dogs for humane non-profit Dogs Deserve Better.