Chick Vennera
In the midst of performing as a singer and musician from a very young age, Chick Vennera made his television debut as a vocal talent on a first-season episode of the classic Space-Age cartoon series "The Jetsons." After two years of acting studies at the venerable Pasadena Playhouse, the New York native enlisted in the Army, where he entertained the troops with his acrobatic and melodious stage act. Upon his return to civilian life, Vennera performed with the international Disney On Parade tour before segueing into the world of Broadway. Concurrently, he reemerged as a TV character actor with appearances on such live-action cop dramas as "Baretta" and "The Blue Knight" (1975-1976). Although Vennera made a memorable big-screen debut as the parking-lot dancer 'Marv the Leather Man' in the disco comedy "Thank God It's Friday," it was his lofty stage work that landed him a role opposite Richard Gere in "Yanks," a World War II drama directed by John Schlesinger. Vennera delivered his first lead film performance as a defiant bean farmer in the comedic fantasy "The Milagro Beanfield War" and, on the television front, continued to guest appear on such series as "The Golden Girls" (NBC 1985-1992), which featured his fan-favorite depiction of the pompous reporter Enrique Mas. In the '90s, Vennera became a prolific contributor in the field of voice acting, performing on such popular animated shows as "Animaniacs" and "Batman." The actor launched his own performance-arts school in 2009. Chick Vennera died of cancer on July 7, 2021 at the age of 74.
Photos
Chick Vennera
Filmography
Movies
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Tycus | Stan Alton (Character) | - | 2000 |
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Running Red | Liquor Store Owner (Character) | - | 2000 |
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Air Rage | Fishman (Character) | - | 2000 |
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Active Stealth | Chiccio (Character) | - | 1999 |
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Fugitive Mind | Jimmy Morabito (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Intrepid | Ellerson (Character) | - | 1999 |
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Angel in Training | Director | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Angels in Training | Director | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Capitol Conspiracy | Salvator (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alone in the Woods | Perry (Character) | - | 1997 |
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Beneath the Bermuda Triangle | Spitz (Character) | - | 1997 |
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Night Eyes... Fatal Passion | Alex Stein (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kissing Miranda | Raul Solo (Character) | - | 1995 |
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Body Chemistry IV | Freddie Summers (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Body Chemistry 3: Point of Seduction | Freddie Summers (Character) | - | 1994 |
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Double Threat | Stephen Ross (Character) | - | 1992 |
33% |
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McBain | Roberto Santos (Character) | $294.5K | 1991 |
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The Terror Within II | Kyle (Character) | - | 1991 |
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Night Eyes | Shapiro (Character) | - | 1990 |
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A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story | Unknown (Character) | - | 1989 |
61% |
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The Milagro Beanfield War | Joe Mondragon (Character) | $12.7M | 1988 |
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Last Rites | Nuzo (Character) | $292.3K | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kidnapped | Tony Leonard (Character) | - | 1987 |
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High Risk | Tony (Character) | - | 1981 |
57% |
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Yanks | Danny Ruffelo (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Vegas | Mitch Costigan (Character) | - | 1978 |
36% |
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Thank God It's Friday | Marv Gomez (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid | Luis (Character) | - | 1977 |
TV
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83% | No Score Yet | That's Life | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | JAG | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mad About You | Johnny (Guest Star) | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Watcher | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1995 |
No Score Yet | 94% | Darkwing Duck | Unknown (Guest Voice) | 1992 |
No Score Yet | 94% | The Golden Girls | Enrique Mas (Guest Star) | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Diff'rent Strokes | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Blue Knight | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1975 |