Michael Tucci

Michael Tucci (born 15 April 1946) is an American film, television, and stage actor, and also a retired high school teacher. He is best known for his "Sonny LaTierri" role in Grease (1978) and "Norman Briggs" in the television series Diagnosis Murder(1993-1997).

Early life and education

Michael Tucci was born on April 15, 1946, in New York City, New York, to Minerva D. (née LaRosa) and Nicholas Tucci, a business executive. 

Tucci graduated from H. Frank Carey Junior-Senior High School in Franklin Square, New York. He later attended LIU Post (Long Island University) in Brookville, New York, where he was President of the local Sigma Beta Epsilon fraternity, which had Marjorie Merriweather Post as its honorary house mother and later became a chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon national fraternity. He also served as a dormitory Residence Manager. 

Tucci also earned a J.D. degree from St Johns University Law School, Queens, New York. 

Career

After finishing his law education, Tucci briefly worked as an assistant district attorney in New York before switching to show business in 1973.

He made his screen debut in 1975, playing a supporting role of "Lou" in Peter Kares's comedy The Night They Robbed Big Bertha's, starring Hetty Galen and Robert Nichols. The following year, he was cast as "Richie" in Jim Sotos' horror movie The Last Victim. 1976 also saw his television debut with the role of "George Sanfillipo" in the episode "Red Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" of the series Delvecchio.

In the summer of 1978, Tucci was seen in his most memorable role of the T-Birds member "Sonny"/"Martin LaTierri" in Randal Kleiser's musical-romance movie Grease, starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, and Stockard Channing. His next film credit was in the role of "Harry Cimoli" in Timothy Galfas' action film Sunnyside (1979, starring Joey Travolta and John Lansing).

From 1983 to 1986, Tucci portrayed law student "Gerald Golden" in the TV series The Paper Chase. He then played Garry Shandling's close friend and neighbor "Pete Schumaker" on It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986–1990). 

Tucci also spent more than three years touring with companies of the musical Chicago, performing as "Amos," husband of Roxie Hart (played by Belle Callaway). He also performed as the "Green Apple" in the play "Destination" by Uta Hagen. He was in numerous productions on Broadway and was awarded the 1979 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Lead Performance for "Kid Twist," in an NTFN production at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

On television, he also played Dick Van Dyke's friend and hospital administrator "Norman Briggs" for the first four seasons of Diagnosis: Murder.

In 2013, he played the father of Melissa McCarthy's character in Paul Feig's The Heat.

Most recently, in 2018, Tucci played the role of "Weezi Abramowitz" in six episodes of the television series The Rich & the Ruthless.

He has also finished filming for Nick Gaglia's mystery/thriller PinkCity: A Psychedelic Meditation. The film is in post-production with the release date yet to be announced. 

Tucci was also a teacher and theatre coach at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. In 2014, he directed the school's rendition of We're the Millers starring George Dulcich and Stanko Zovak.

Personal life

Tucci is married to a former NBC Universal executive, Kathleen Mary Tucci, with whom he has two daughters, Kate (b. 1989) and Kelly (b. 1994).

Filmography

Television credits