VENNERA, Chick 1952–

(Francis Vennera, Chick Vennerra)

PERSONAL

Original name, Francis Vennera; born March 27, 1952, in Herkimer, NY; son of Frank (a musician) and Victoria (maiden name, Guido) Vennera; married Suzanne Messbauer (a clothing designer), April 9, 1983; children: Nicole. Education: Trained for the stage at Pasadena Playhouse and with Milton Katselas at Actors Lab. Avocational Interests: Golf.

Addresses: Agent—Contemporary Talent Partners, 1800 Century Park East, Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Career: Actor, voice performer, writer, and composer. Beverly Hills Playhouse, Beverly Hills, CA, acting coach. Saxophone player and singer in a nightclub band, New York City; appeared as Goofy, Disney on Parade; voice performer for commercials. Worked as a telephone salesperson and delivered flowers. Military service: U.S. Army, Signal Corps, served with Special Services.

Member: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Nosotros.

Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, 1977, for Jockeys.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Marv Gomez, Thank God It's Friday, Columbia, 1978.

Sergeant Danny Ruffelo, Yanks (also known as Yanke—Gestern waren wir noche Fremde), Universal, 1979.

Pepper Zombie, Hysterical, American Cinema, 1981.

Tony, High Risk (also known as Los gringos), American Cinema, 1981.

Ness, Boarding School, Trankis, 1985.

Edgar Ness, Free Ride, 1986.

Tony Leonard, Kidnapped, Hickmar, 1986.

Joe Mondragon, The Milagro Beanfield War, Universal, 1988.

Nuzo, Last Rites, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1988.

Shapiro, Night Eyes (also known as Hidden View and Hidden Vision), Paramount/Prism Entertainment, 1990.

Kyle, The Terror Within II, Concorde Productions, 1991.

Santos, McBain, Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment, 1991.

Stephen Ross, Double Threat, American International Pictures, 1992.

Chavez Ravine, 1992.

Freddie Summers, Body Chemistry 3 (also known as Body Chemistry III: Point of Seduction and Point of Seduction: Body Chemistry III), Concorde-New Horizons, 1994.

Alex Stein, Night Eyes 4 (also known as Midnight Hour and Night Eyes … Fatal Passion), 1995.

Freddie Summers, Body Chemistry 4: Full Exposure (also known as Body Chemistry 4), 1995.

Perry, Alone in the Woods, 1996.

Edward, Evasive Action, 1998.

Chiccio, Active Stealth, New City Releasing, 1999.

Dennia, Final Voyage, New City Releasing, 1999.

Morabito, Fugitive Mind, Royal Oaks Communications, 1999.

Salvator, The Prophet (also known as The Capitol Conspiracy), Concorde-New Horizons, 1999.

Voice of Pesto, Wakko's Wish (animated; also known as Steven Spielberg Presents: "Animaniacs: Wakko's Wish"), Amblin Entertainment/Warner Bros., 1999.

Convenience store manager, Running Red, PM Entertainment Group, 2000.

Ellerson, Intrepid (also known as Deep Water), New City Releasing/Phoenician Entertainment, 2000.

Stan Alton, Tycus, New City Releasing, 2000.

Vladi, Stranded (also known as Black Horizon, On Eagle's Wings, and Space Station), New City Releasing, 2001.

Paolo, Glass Trap, 2004.

Film Director:

Second unit director, Friend of the Family II (also known as Hell Hath No Fury, Innocence Betrayed, and Passionate Revenge), New City Releasing, 1996.

(As Francis Vennera) Second unit director, Maximum Revenge (also known as Maximum Security), New City Releasing, 1997.

Angel in Training, New City Releasing/Unapix Entertainment, 1999.

Television Appearances; Series:

Raoul, Hail to the Chief, ABC, 1985.

Voice of Sammy the Rat, Foofur (animated), NBC, 1986–88.

Voice of Lorenzo, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (animated; also known as Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures), TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network, 1996–97.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Arthur Hailey's "The Moneychangers" (also known as The Moneychangers), NBC, 1976.

Once an Eagle, NBC, 1976.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Luis, Billy: Portrait of Street Kid (also known as Ghetto Child), CBS, 1977.

Frankie, A Bunny's Tale, ABC, 1985.

Raul Solo, Kissing Miranda, 1995.

Spitz, Time under Fire (also known as Beneath the Bermuda Triangle), The Movie Channel, 1999.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Coach Pingatore, A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story, NBC, 1989.

(As Chick Vennerra) Frank de la Grana, Runaway Father, 1991.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Luis, "The Glory Game," Baretta, ABC, 1975.

Mitch Costigan, "Comeback" (also known as "Casualty of War"), Vega$, ABC, 1980.

Mitch Costigan, "Magic Sister Slayings," Vega$, ABC, 1980.

Joe Bram, "Sanctuary," T. J. Hooker, ABC, 1985.

Stack, Hollywood Beat, ABC, 1985.

Hector Rivera, "The Mugger," Night Court, NBC, 1986.

Spider, "Arnold's Tangled Web," Diff'rent Strokes, ABC, 1986.

Enrique Mas, "Mr. Lucky—All That Jazz," The Golden Girls, NBC, 1989.

Enrique Mas, "Rose Fights Back," The Golden Girls, NBC, 1989.

Pepe, "Fiddler on the Ropes," The Golden Girls, NBC, 1989.

Voice of Johnny T Rex, "Extinct Possibility," DarkWing Duck (animated), ABC and syndicated, 1992.

Voice of Twitch, "Off Balance," Batman: The Animated Series (animated; also known as Batman), Fox, 1992.

Voice of Joe P., "Taming of the Screwy," Animaniacs (animated; also known as Steven Spielberg Presents "Animaniacs"), Fox and The WB, 1993.

Voice of Moe/Toon Rooster, "The Comeback Kid," Bonkers (animated; also known as Disney's "Bonkers"), syndicated, 1993.

Rip, "Iowa vs. New York," Pig Sty, UPN, 1995.

Voice of Pesto Pigeon, "The Comeback Kid," Animaniacs (animated; also known as Steven Spielberg Presents "Animaniacs"), The WB, 1995.

Jake Swerdlow, The Watcher, UPN, 1995.

Johnny, "Hot & Cold," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1996.

Voice of Gustavo Arollo, "Ice Will Burn," The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (animated; also known as Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures), TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network, 1996.

Voices of Walker and others, "Alligators and Okeechobee Vikings," The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (animated; also known as Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures), TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network, 1996.

Benny Turpin, "Mr. Rabb Goes to Washington," JAG, CBS, 1998.

Benny Turpin, "People v. Mac," JAG, CBS, 1998.

Mesarigos, "Crosshairs," Air America, syndicated, 1998.

Voices of first and second sharks and first salesperson, "Free Inside/Journey to the Center of Cow," Cow and Chicken (animated), Cartoon Network, 1998.

Johnny Roman, "Strip Show," L.A. Heat, TNT, 1999.

Bill Mackey, "The Question," Chicken Soup for the Soul, PAX TV, 2000.

Luciano, "Saint Bernadette," That's Life, CBS, 2000.

Voice of chauffeur, "Ace in the Hole," Batman Beyond (animated), The WB, 2000.

Voice of Ferret, "The Big Leagues," Static Shock (animated), The WB, 2002.

Voice of Ferret, "Static Shaq," Static Shock (animated), The WB, 2002.

Voice of Ferret, "Power Outrage," Static Shock (animated), The WB, 2004.

Appeared as a ruffian, Lucas Tanner, NBC.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

(Uncredited) Mitch Costigan, Vega$ (also known as High Roller), ABC, 1978.

Private Joseph Battaglia, G.I.'s, CBS, 1980.

Television Additional Voices; Animated Series:

Capitol Critters, ABC, 1992.

Also provided additional voices for the animated series The Jetsons.

Stage Appearances:

Sonny, Grease (musical), Royale Theatre, New York City, 1976.

Angel Quiton, Jockeys, Promenade Theatre, New York City, 1977.

Appeared in productions of Dark of the Moon, The Rose Tattoo, and The Tigers, all in Los Angeles.

Major Tours:

Sonny, Grease (musical), U.S. and Canadian cities, 1973–75.

RECORDINGS

Video Games:

Voices of Hades Beast and house alarm, Zork: Grand Inquisitor, 1997.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Episodic; Stories for Episodes:

"Comeback" (also known as "Casualty of War"), Vega$, ABC, 1980.

"Magic Sister Slayings," Vega$, ABC, 1980.

Composer for an episode of Vega$, ABC.