Denis Arndt (1939-2025
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Prolific character actor Denis Leroy Arndt has died on March 25 at the age of 86. In Chicago, Denis starred in the hit production of Bertolt Brecht’s PUNTILLA AND HIS HIRED MAN at Remains Theatre in 1986. The show was presented at the Organic Theater and co-starred William Petersen, Amy Morton, Bruce Norris, and folksinger Bonnie Koloc. The next year, Denis returned to Chicago to play Prospero in Robert Falls' staging of Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST at the Goodman Theatre.
Denis received a Tony nomination for his first and only Broadway appearance at age 77 in Simon Stephens’ two-hander HEISENBERG, co-starring Mary-Louise Parker. Earlier, he acted in regional theaters across the country, including at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he starred in KING LEAR, TITUS ANDRONICUS, CORIOLANUS, OTHELLO, A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT and THE TEMPEST. In 1974, Denis appeared on the TV shows CRIME STORY and WISEGUY. He portrayed Mary Tyler Moore’s husband on the 1988 CBS sitcom ANNIE MCGUIRE (Adrien Brody played his son), and he was one of the cops ogling Sharon Stone in the iconic interrogation scene in BASIC INSTINCT. A favorite of TV producer David E. Kelley, he had roles on L.A. LAW, PICKET FENCES, CHICAGO HOPE, ALLY MCBEAL, THE PRACTICE , BOSTON PUBLIC, BOSTON LEGAL and MR. MERCEDES. Denis also played Dr. Bill Augustine on the fifth and final season of NBC’s PROVIDENCE in 2002 and through the decades worked on THE WONDER YEARS, MURDER, SHE WROTE, LIFE GOES ON, HERMAN’S HEAD, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, THE DISTRICT, 24, SUPERNATURAL, GREY’S ANATOMY and THE GOOD FIGHT. Denis’ big-screen credits included: DISTANT THUNDER, HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT, METRO, BANDIDAS and UNDISPUTED. Denis was born on February 23, 1939, in Issaquah WA. He earned two Purple Hearts and a Commendation Medal for flying helicopters during the Vietnam War. After the service, he graduated from the University of Washington and flew helicopters in Alaska for several years before returning to Seattle. While managing an apartment house, a friend persuaded him to audition for a role in a local play, and subsequently, in 1972 Arndt became a founding member of Seattle’s Intiman Theatre. Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Magee; his children — Scott, Tammy, Laurie, Kirsten, Bryce, McKenna and Tanner; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. His family noted that “in lieu of flowers, he would request you go grab life by the balls and follow your passion.” Asked in a 2017 interview with On Stage Blog what kept him motivated, Denis replied: “When you’re in a room and a story is being told, you know that everybody in that room’s cerebral cortex is focused exactly on the story as though it was happening to them. You know when that happens. I guess my motivation is that — the spiritual, empathic intercourse that happens between storyteller and audience member, the unrehearsed player.” With thanks to The Hollywood Reporter. |