Chip Zien

Zien was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from Whitefish Bay High School and later from the University of Pennsylvania.{{cite book |last1=Aikin |first1=Jefferson J. |last2=Fehring |first2=Thomas H. |title=Historic Whitefish Bay: A Celebration of Architecture and Character |date=2017 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9781439663042 |page=96 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S0AvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA96 |access-date=January 1, 2022}} There, he was the chairman of the Mask and Wig Club,{{cite web |last=Buckley |first=Michael |title=Wherefore Art Thou Dromio? |url=https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/wherefore-art-thou-dromio_2503.html |website=TheaterMania |access-date=January 1, 2022 |date=August 27, 2002}} a historic collegiate musical comedy troupe.

Young Zien started in local theatrical productions. One of his early roles was as a child in a production of South Pacific at the Melody Top summer outdoor theatre in Milwaukee.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19811227&id=NiAiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oX4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1640,2077382/ "Chip Zien: A Happy Irony," ] Damien Jacques, The Milwaukee Journal, Sunday December 27, 1981, Part 5, pages 1 and 2, accessed May 11, 2013

Zien's first major role was in 1977 at the Manhattan Theater Club in the musical The Redemption Center (by Ron Cowen, Seth Glassman, and Sandy Naishtat), opposite Alice Playten as the young couple. Later, Chip received acclaim in the role of Marvin in William Finn's first musical, In Trousers, which ran Off-Broadway in 1979.[http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/4124 In Trousers] lortel.org, retrieved December 9, 2017 In its sequels, March of the Falsettos (1981)[http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/2327 March of the Falsettos] lortel.org, accessed December 9, 2017 and Falsettoland,[http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/shows/plays/falsettoland/ Falsettoland] playwrightshorizons.org, accessed May 23, 2015 this role was played by Michael Rupert, while Zien played Mendel, a role he reprised when these two one-act musicals were joined together and played Broadway as Falsettos in 1992.[http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=4686 Falsettos] Internet Broadway Database, accessed May 22, 2015 In 1998 Zien was featured in another Finn musical when he played a children's show host called Mr. Bungee, dressed as a frog, in A New Brain Off-Broadway at the Lincoln Center Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.Brantley, Ben. [https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/19/movies/theater-review-a-romp-through-the-valley-of-death.html?ref=williamfinn "Theater Review; A Romp Through the Valley of Death"] The New York Times, June 19, 1998 He received a 1999 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for this role.

He appeared in the Off-Broadway play Isn't It Romantic by Wendy Wasserstein in a Playwrights Horizons production at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, opening in June 1984. He was nominated for the 1984 Drama Desk Award, Featured Actor in a Play.[http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=698 Isn't It Romantic] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028124525/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=698 |date=2014-10-28 }} lortel.org, accessed May 23, 2015 He originated the role of the Baker in Into the Woods in 1986 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and on Broadway in 1987.

[http://www.sondheimguide.com/woods.html#BWP Into the Woods] sondheimguide.com, accessed May 22, 2015

Zien starred on Broadway in Ride the Winds (as Inari) (1974), The Suicide (as Victor Victorovich) (1980), Grand Hotel (as Otto Kringelein) (1989) and The Boys from Syracuse (as Dromio of Ephesus) (2002).[https://www.playbill.com/person/chip-zien-vault-0000031215 "Chip Zien"] playbill.com, accessed April 8, 2022 He appeared in the City Center Encores! staged concert production of Applause as Buzz Richards in 2008.Gans, Andrew. [https://www.playbill.com/article/welcome-to-the-theatre-city-center-encores-begins-new-season-with-applause-com-147472 "Welcome to the Theatre": City Center Encores! Begins New Season with Applause "] playbill.com, February 7, 2008

In 2005, Zien played the part of Goran in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway.[http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/4680/Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang " Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Listing, 2005"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523204507/http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/4680/Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang |date=2015-05-23 }} playbillvault.com, accessed May 22, 2015

In 2007, Zien was a replacement in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables in the role of Monsieur Thénardier.

From April 1 to June 19, 2011, Zien appeared in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of The People in the Picture, which played at Studio 54 on Broadway.[http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/13727/The-People-in-the-Picture " The People in the Picture Listing"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318213903/http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/13727/The-People-in-the-Picture |date=2012-03-18 }} playbillvault.com, accessed May 20, 2015

Zien appeared in a revival of Into the Woods at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park from August 9 to September 1, 2012. He played the Mysterious Man, the father of the character he had originated in the original production 26 years prior.[http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=5960 Into the Woods] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407030655/http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show |date=2015-04-07 }} lortel.org, accessed May 22, 2015

Zien appeared in the Broadway musical It Shoulda Been You at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre as Murray with music by Barbara Anselmi, book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove. The show, marking the directorial debut of David Hyde Pierce, starred Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess, and David Burtka, and opened in previews March 17, 2015, and officially on April 14.Playbill Staff. [https://www.playbill.com/article/the-verdict-read-reviews-for-new-musical-it-shoulda-been-you-on-broadway-com-346801 "The Verdict: Read Reviews for New Musical It Shoulda Been You On Broadway"]

playbill.com, April 14, 2015

Zien originated the role of Older Rabbi Josef Roman Cycowski of the famous Comedian Harmonists both Off-Broadway and on Broadway in the musical Harmony at both the Museum of Jewish Heritage at the National Theater Folksbiene (where he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award) and the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

In 1973, Zien made his television debut on an episode of Love, American Style. More guest roles in television followed, and in the early 1980s, he began a stream of regular TV roles. In 1981, he appeared on Ryan's Hope as Daniel Thorne, the producer of the fictional Proud and the Passionate soap opera on the series in which the character Barbara Wilde (Judith Barcroft) was starring. Later that year, he began a two-year run in the freshman NBC sitcom Love, Sidney as Jason Stoller, the young, hot-shot ad agency director who was Sidney Shorr's (Tony Randall) boss. Immediately after Love, Sidney's cancellation, Zien was cast in a similar role on the ABC sitcom Reggie, an American adaptation of the British series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. He played C.J. Wilcox, the overbearing young boss of Richard Mulligan's Reggie Potter. The series aired as a summer replacement during August and September 1983, but was not renewed by ABC after the tryout run. In 1986, he provided the voice of the title character in Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/22361/howard-the-duck " Howard the Duck Cast and Crew"] tcm.com, accessed May 22, 2015 Zien later starred on the short-lived CBS drama Shell Game in 1987.[http://www.tv.com/shows/shell-game/cast/ " Shell Game Cast"] tv.com, accessed May 23, 2015.

In the 1990s, Zien was part of the ensemble cast of the CBS sitcom Almost Perfect (1995–96), playing neurotic screenwriter Gary Karp.[http://www.filmreference.com/film/86/Chip-Zien.html "Chip Zien Biography"] filmreference.com, accessed May 22, 2015 Almost Perfect was cancelled shortly into its second season, but the series sustained its loyal following via reruns on USA Network not long after. Zien would return to regular roles in daytime drama, first on Guiding Light in early 1999, and by that summer, as newspaper reporter Donald Steele on All My Children, a role that would last until 2001.

From 1999 to 2000, Zien had a recurring guest role on the CBS primetime drama Now and Again as Gerald Misenbach.[http://www.tv.com/shows/now-and-again/cast/ " Now and Again Cast"] tv.com, accessed May 22, 2015 He has appeared repeatedly as Attorney Cromwell on Law & Order.{{cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Ernio |title=PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Chip Zien |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/playbillcoms-cue-a-chip-zien-com-141961 |website=Playbill |access-date=January 1, 2022 |date=July 4, 2007}}

During the 2002–03 season, Zien was the announcer on daytime's The Caroline Rhea Show, which was based in New York (on the former Rosie O'Donnell Show set). In 2006, he appeared in the critically acclaimed film United 93 as Mark Rothenberg.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/629241/united-93 " United 93 Cast and Crew"] tcm.com, accessed May 22, 2015 He played Dr. Marsh in the vampire comedy film Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead.

Zien is married to former dancer and dancing instructor Susan Pilarre; the couple has two children.

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Category:1947 births

Category:Living people

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:American male stage actors

Category:Male actors from Milwaukee

Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni

Category:Jewish American male actors

Category:Jewish American film people

Category:American male voice actors

Category:Whitefish Bay High School alumni

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:21st-century American Jews