Trivia

Was a mailman before becoming an actor.

Currently resides in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Always travels with a pet bird.

After graduating from college, he was drafted into the United States Army. He served 11 months with the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions in Vietnam.

Is an animal lover, has a dog named Bigelow.

He and Jimmy Smits began their association with Steven Bochco in the 1980s.

Before entering Hill Street Blues (1981), as Norm Buntz, appeared as Sal Benedetto for a few episodes.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 19, 1999.

Andy Sipowicz, Franz's character on NYPD Blue (1993), was ranked #31 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [June 10, 2004 issue].

Hobbies: Snow-skis, plays golf and gives time and talent to charitable organizations.

Is a board member of the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance.

Attended Wright Junior College and Southern Illinois University, with a major in speech and theater.

He was considered for the role of Vic in George Lucas' American Graffiti (1973), which went to Joe Spano.

His own recipes are included in "The Cop Cookbook" by Greta Garner-Hewitt, Ken Beck and Jim Clark, published in 1997.

In high school, he was active in baseball, football and swimming.

By 11th grade, he tried out for a role in a school play called "The Crucible" because his girlfriend was auditioning. He won the role but his girlfriend did not.

He was nominated for the 1977 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in the play "Cops" at the Organic Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois.

His parents are Ellinore (Mueller) and Franz Ferdinand Schlachta. Dennis' father was born in Wattenshield, Germany, to Jakob Schlachta and Regina Katharina Dolinga, and had German and Polish ancestry. Dennis' mother was born in Chicago, to Ismar Mueller/Miller and Martha Hecht, who were both Jewish emigrants, Ismar from Dyhernfurth, Silesia and Martha from Prague.

Best known by the public for his starring role as Detective Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue (1993).

Attended and graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois (1962).

He appears in the music video for the single "Goodbye Earl" by The Chicks (2000).

Stepchildren: Tricia (born 1974) and Krista (born 1976). Both are from his wife Joanie Zeck's first marriage.

He was nominated for the 1976 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for "Switch Bitch" at the Organic Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois.

Has two older sisters: Heidi Schlachta (born 1935) and Marlene Schlachta (born 1938).

While he planned to take a year off after he finished filming NYPD BLUE, he didn't plan at the time to completely retire from acting, but he enjoyed traveling and spending time with his family so much that he decided that he wouldn't seek any more acting work and in fact he has not appeared in any roles since 2005.

His former NYPD Blue (1993) co-star, David Caruso, starred in CSI: Miami (2002), the spin-off of William Petersen's series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) from 2002-2012. Franz and Petersen co-presented an award at the 2004 Emmy Awards.