# Michael Tucci

Michael Tucci (born April 15, 1946) is an American actor and retired high school teacher. He played Pete Schumaker in It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986–1990), and Sonny LaTierri in the 1978 film Grease.

## Personal life

He graduated from H. Frank Carey Junior-Senior High School in Franklin Square, New York, and C.W. Post College of Long Island University, where he was President of local Sigma Beta Epsilon fraternity that had Marjorie Merriweather Post as its honorary house mother and later became a chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon national fraternity. Tucci also served as a dormitory Residence Manager. He also earned a J.D. degree from St. John's Law School. He is married to a former television network executive, Kathleen, with whom he has two daughters, Kate (b. 1989) and Kelly (b. 1994).

## Career

Tucci is best known for playing the T-Birds member Sonny LaTierri in the 1978 film version of the musical Grease. He portrayed law student Gerald Golden in the TV series The Paper Chase from 1983 to 1986. He then played best friend Pete Schumaker on It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986–1990). He also spent more than three years touring with companies of the musical Chicago, performing as Amos, Roxy Hart's husband. He also performed as the Green Apple in the play "Destination" by Uta Hagen. He was also in numerous productions on Broadway.
On television, he also played Mark Sloan's friend and hospital administrator Norman Briggs for the first four seasons of Diagnosis: Murder. He played the father of Melissa McCarthy's character in The Heat (2013).
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 American Croatian comedians George Dulcich and Stanko Zovak.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | The Night They Robbed Big Bertha's | Lou | |
| 1975 | Forced Entry | Richie | Alternative title: The Last Victim |
| 1978 | Grease | Sonny LaTierri | |
| 1979 | Sunnyside | Harry Cimoli | |
| 1981 | Lunch Wagon | Arnie | Alternative title: Lunch Wagon Girls |
| 1982 | Pandemonium | Man Leaving Restaurant | |
| 1982 | Groucho | Chico Marx | |
| 1998 | Evasive Action | Judge | |
| 1999 | Elevator Seeking | Carl | Direct-to-video |
| 2001 | Blow | Dr. Bay | |
| 2001 | Mimic 2 | Dr. Shapiro | Direct-to-video |
| 2013 | The Heat | Mr. Mullins | |

## Television credits

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | Delvecchio | George Sanfillipo | Episode – "Red Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" |
| 1976 | Barney Miller | Fred | Episode – "Hash" |
| 1978 | Barney Miller | Rubin | Episode – "The Accusation" |
| 1979 | The Love Boat | Sam | Episode – "Ages of Man/Bo 'n Sam/Families" |
| 1980 | Barney Miller | Danny Rizzo | Episode – "People's Court" |
| 1980 | Angie | Dennis | Episode – "Angie and Brad's Close Encounter" |
| 1980 | Alice | Dino | Episodes – "Hello Vegas, Goodbye Diner", "Too Many Robert Goulets" |
| 1980 | Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb | Captain Claude Eatherly | TV movie |
| 1981 | Lou Grant | Marvin | Episode – "Reckless" |
| 1982 | Barney Miller | Gilbert Doyle | Episode – "The Clown" |
| 1982–1983 | Trapper John, M.D. | Dr. Charlie Nichols | Recurring role (3 episodes) |
| 1982 | The Powers of Matthew Star | Pileggi | Episode – "The Italian Caper" |
| 1983–1986 | The Paper Chase | Gerald Golden | 36 episodes |
| 1984 | Night Court | Mr. Pina | Episode – "The Nun" |
| 1985 | Diff'rent Strokes | Officer Jim Coletta | Episode – "Street Smarts" |
| 1986 | Cagney & Lacey | Polonais | Episode – "The Man Who Shot Trotsky" |
| 1986 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Lionel | Episode – "The Princess Who Had Never Laughed" |
| 1986–1990 | It's Garry Shandling's Show | Pete Schumaker | Main cast (71 episodes) |
| 1991 | MacGyver | Philip | Episode – "Honest Abe" |
| 1991 | Chance of a Lifetime | Randall | TV movie |
| 1992–1993 | Flying Blind | Jeremy Barash | Main cast (22 episodes) |
| 1993–1997 | Diagnosis: Murder | Norman Briggs | Main cast (85 episodes) |
| 1994 | Monty | Dr. Rubin | Episode – "Baby Talk" |
| 1994 | MacShayne: The Final Roll of the Dice | Harvey Bell | TV movie |
| 1995 | Just Like Dad | Frank Turner | TV movie |
| 1996 | The Man Who Captured Eichmann | Danny | TV movie |
| 1997 | Life's Work | Principal Blair | Episode – "Harassment" |
| 1999 | JAG | Father Genaro | Episode – "Second Sight" |
| 2001 | Once and Again | Arnold | Recurring role (2 episodes) |
| 2015 | The Comedians | Billy's Agent | Episode – "Pilot" |