Hank Garrett

Hank Garrett (born October 26, 1931) is an American actor and comedian, best known for the television role of Officer Nicholson on Car 54, Where Are You?

Garrett was born in Harlem, New York City, to Sam and Ida Greenberg, both Jewish Russian immigrants. His birth certificate lists his name as Henry Greenberg Cohen Sandler Weinblatt. Garrett began powerlifting, bodybuilding and karate as a means of self-protection in a rough neighborhood, starting at age 13.

He was the 1958 winner of the Junior Olympic Powerlifting competition. This led to an extended stint (1957-1966) in professional wrestling under the name of The Minnesota Farm Boy.

His mother was worried that he was on a path toward delinquency and had Willie Bryant and Sammy Davis Jr. talk to him, and they got him a job as a "band boy". He would set up the music stands for a band at shows, he was paid $50 for his first day of work. He later worked at the club owned by Larry Storch.

After several years in pro wrestling, Garrett turned to comedy and performed a regular routine in the Borscht Belt, using anecdotes from his childhood years in Harlem.

As well as his regular role on Car 54, Where are You?, Garrett has acted in a number of television productions including episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, Knots Landing, Max Headroom, Santa Barbara, Three's Company, Airwolf, Knight Rider, Columbo, Dragnet, Kojak, Alien Nation. Garrett is also known for his voiceover work on Garfield and GI Joe.

Among Garrett's film credits are notable roles in Serpico, Three Days of the Condor, Death Wish, and The Sentinel. Garrett tends to be cast as the "heavy" in many roles,

He played a hitman dressed as a postman in Three Days of the Condor. During the filming a tell was needed so that the Redford character would know that Garrett was not a real postman and Redford thought of the idea to have Garrett wear Redford's shoes in the scene, that would raise suspicion. During the filming of the fight scene, Garrett broke Redford's nose. Garrett won the New York Film Critics’ Award for that role.

Garrett has co-starred with television and film notables including Peter Falk, Patrick Stewart, Kathleen Turner, Christopher Lloyd, Al Pacino, Sophia Loren, James Coburn and James Earl Jones.

Garrett has been married twice. His first wife was Agnes Deangelis (1963-1979); Linda Slessinger (1982-2008).

In 2014, Garrett is active in philanthropic causes, and is on the Screen Actors Guild board. He lives in the San Fernando valley and is working on production of a one-man show.

• Serpico (1973)
• Death Wish (1974)
• Three Days of the Condor (1975)
• Deadly Hero (1976)
• The Sentinel (1977)
• Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
• Firepower (1979)
• The Amityville Horror (1979)
• The Jazz Singer (1980)
• The Sting II (1983)
• The Rosebud Beach Hotel (1984)
• Johnny Dangerously (1984)
• The Boys Next Door (1985)
• Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
• Steel and Lace (1991)
• Final Approach (1991)
• Exit in Red (1996)
• Baby Geniuses (1999)