Born:
May 01, 1950
in
Flat Rock, Michigan
Best Known For:
Playing Capt Donald Cragen in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.
Early-life:
Born Ezekial Dann Florek on May 1, 1950, in Flat Rock, Michigan. His younger brother, Dave, is also an actor and has appeared in such productions as Hidalgo, Grace Under Fire and Ghostbusters II. Florek studied maths and physics at East Michigan University, but his participation in the campus choir led him to be offered a drama scholarship, which he snapped up. He later joined the prestigious Acting Company at Juilliard School in New York.
Career:
Florek started his professional career on stage in the Big Apple before heading west to theatres in San Diego and La Jolla. He made his TV debut in 1982's The Country Girl, and his first film, Eddie Macon's Run, was released a year later. He became a star in 1988 thanks to a role in LA Law, but quit to take part in Law and Order in 1990. The actor spent three years with the show, but later reprised his role as Cragen in spin-off Special Victims Unit in 1999. Florek has also appeared in the films Angel Heart, Sweet Liberty and Hard Rain.
Quote:
On his dramatic career change from science to showbusiness: "I thought, hey, maybe it'll be more fun than synthetic projective geometry."
Trivia:
He divides his time between New York and Los Angeles.