Jordan Charney (born April 1, 1937)^[1] is an American character actor.

Early years

Born in New York City,^[1] Charney studied at the Lincoln Center Training Theatre.^[2]

Career

Many of his earliest roles were on daytime television, with appearances in numerous soaps. Charney created the role of creepy Julian Dark in the early to mid-1960s on the CBS soap, The Secret Storm. He played Sam Lucas, a former convict who became a lawyer, in both Another World and its spin-off Somerset, playing the role from 1967 to 1974. He also appeared as Lt. Vince Wolek on One Life to Live (1975–1977). Other roles were on Love of Life and All My Children.

Charney portrayed newspaper editor Ted Bergman in the 1977 CBS series The Andros Targets.^[3] In 1980, he played Capt. Roger Westerby, an old flame of Corabeth Godsey, in a season eight episode of The Waltons. He had a recurring role as Frank Angelino, Jack Tripper's boss, on Three's Company (1981–1983). He is often cast as a judge, attorney, prison warden, or police officer. He has made appearances on Falcon Crest, Dynasty, Night Court and 100 Centre Street, among many other series. He can also be seen in the recurring role of Judge Donald Karan on Law & Order.

Charney has also appeared in such films as The Hospital, Network, and Ghostbusters, and acted on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater.^[4]

Charney, who is married to television director Nancy Cooperstein, has appeared Off-Broadway with Sabine Singh in The Gold Standard by Daniel Roberts.

In 1982 Charney became artistic director of Actors Alley theater in the San Fernando Valley in California. By November 1986 the group's membership had grown from 22 when he arrived to 70. It offered weekly classes for members and presented both free and paid-admission plays for the public.^[2]

Filmography

Film

Television