Joseph Edward Penny Jr. (born June 24, 1956) is a retired American actor best known for his roles as Nick Ryder on the detective series Riptide from 1984 to 1986, and as Jake Styles in the CBS television series Jake and the Fatman from 1987 to 1992.

Joe Penny
1972 yearbook photo of Penny
Born
Joseph Edward Penny Jr.

(1956-06-24) June 24, 1956 (age 68)
Uxbridge, London, England
NationalityAmerican
EducationMarina High School
OccupationActor
Years active1977–2016
Known for
Spouse
Cindy M. Penny
(m. 2004)
[1]

Biography

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Early life

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Penny was born in Uxbridge, London to an American father, Joseph Edward Penny Sr., and an Italian mother, Anne Teresa Rita Cox. He was brought up in Marietta, Georgia, United States.[1] After his parents divorced, he moved to California with his mother. He attended Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California, where he played football and basketball.[1]

Career

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Starting with a minor role on Forever Fernwood in 1977, Penny has appeared in numerous TV films and television series, including in major roles on Riptide and Jake and the Fatman. He has also made many guest appearances on television shows including Touched by an Angel, T. J. Hooker, Vega$, Matt Houston, Lou Grant, CHiPs, Flamingo Road, The Sopranos, Diagnosis: Murder, Matlock, Walker, Texas Ranger, Archie Bunker's Place, 7th Heaven, Tucker's Witch, Boomtown, The Gangster Chronicles, and CSI.[1][2] In 2005, he co-starred with Lea Thompson in the mystery series Jane Doe on the Hallmark Channel.

Filmography

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Feature films

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Year Title Role Notes
1978 Our Winning Season Dean Berger
1981 Bloody Birthday Mr. Harding
1981 S.O.B. Officer Phil Buchwald
1981 Gangster Wars Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel
1981 Lifepod G.W. Simmons
1999 BitterSweet Carl Peckato Direct-to-video
1999 Jack of Hearts Arden Cook
2000 The Prophet's Game Walter Motter
2001 The Little Unicorn Tiny Direct-to-video
2016 The Last Night Inn Sam

Television films

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 Delta County, U.S.A. Joe Ed
1978 Deathmoon Rick Bladen
1979 The Girls in the Office Beau Galloway
1980 The Gossip Columnist Paul Cameron
1986 Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star Robert McCay
1987 Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife Edward Moran
1987 Roses Are for the Rich Lloyd Murphy
1988 A Whisper Kills Dan Walker
1990 The Operation Dr. Ed Betters
1992 The Danger of Love: The Carolyn Warmus Story Michael Carlin
1994 Terror in the Night Lonnie Carter
1994 The Disappearance of Vonnie Ron Rickman
1995 Young at Heart Michael Garaventi
1996 Double Jeopardy John Dubroski
1996 She Woke Up Pregnant Dr. Roger Nolton
1997 Family of Cops II Ben Fein
1997 Stranger in My Home Ned Covington
1999 Family of Cops III: Under Suspicion Ben Fein
2002 Two Against Time George Tomich
2002 The Red Phone: Manhunt Jack Darrow
2003 The Red Phone: Checkmate Jack Darrow
2005 Vanishing Act Frank Darnell Jane Doe (film series)
2005 Now You See It, Now You Don't Frank Darnell
2005 Til Death Do Us Part Frank Darnell
2005 The Wrong Face Frank Darnell
2006 Yes, I Remember It Well Frank Darnell
2006 The Harder They Fall Frank Darnell
2007 Ties That Bind Frank Darnell
2007 Reign of the Gargoyles Major John Gustafson
2007 How To Fire Your Boss Frank Darnell Jane Doe (film series)
2008 Eye of the Beholder Frank Darnell
2011 Betrayed at 17 John Taylor

Television series

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Brandon Episode: "The Mystery of Pirate's Cove"
1977 Forever Fernwood Sal DiVito 8 episodes
1978 CHiPs Officer Brent Delaney Episode: "Flashback!"
1978 Mother, Juggs & Speed Speed TV pilot episode
1979 Samurai Lee Cantrell TV pilot episode
1979 Lou Grant Dave Tynan Episode: "Cop"
1980 Paris Mike Fitz Episode: "Fitz's Boys"
1980 Homefront Rocco Spinelli TV pilot episode
1981 The Gangster Chronicles Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel 13 episodes
1981 Flamingo Road Nick Walker Episode: "The Hostages" (Parts 1 & 2)
1981 Vega$ Nickie Andreas Episode: "The Andreas Addiction"
1983 Tucker's Witch Justin St. Peter Episode: "Dye Job"
1983 Archie Bunker's Place Rick Baxter Episode: "I'm Torn Here"
1983 Savage: In the Orient Det. Peter Savage TV pilot episode
1983 Lottery! Douglas Matson Episode: "Denver: Following Through"
1983 Matt Houston Eric Jason Episode: "The Centerfold Murders"
1983 T.J. Hooker Miles Dickson Episode: "The Cheerleader Murder"
1984–1986 Riptide Nick Ryder 56 episodes
1986–1990 Matlock Paul Baron 3 episodes
1986 The Twilight Zone Ricky Frost Episode: "The Convict's Piano"
1987–1992 Jake and the Fatman Det. Jake Styles 106 episodes
1995 Touched by an Angel Zack Bennett Episode: "Trust"
1998 Diagnosis: Murder Det. Reggie Ackroyd Episode: "The Last Resort"
1999 Twice in a Lifetime Flash Jericho / David Lazarus Episode: "Blood Brothers"
1999 Walker, Texas Ranger Sonny Tantero Episode: "Suspicious Minds"
2000 Chicken Soup for the Soul David Episode: "The Surprise"
2000 The Sopranos Victor Musto 2 episodes
2002 Boomtown Les Van Buren Episode: "Insured by Smith & Wesson"
2003 7th Heaven Nick Episode: "Baggage"
2005 Threshold Robert Sprague Episode: "Shock"
2007 Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss Frank Hallmark Movie
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Jack Oakley Episode: "The Good, the Bad and the Dominatrix"
2008 Days of Our Lives Martino Vitali 6 episodes
2008 CSI: Miami Travis Drake Episode: "Wrecking Crew"
2009–2010 Cold Case Hank Butler 3 episodes

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Joe Penny". Soaps.com. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  2. ^ "Joe Penny". TV Guide. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
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