Charlie Picerni

Charlie Picerni

Born: December 19, 1935
in Queens, New York, USA
Charlie Picerni was born in Corona Queens, New York. The fourth of five children to Italian parents. After high school, he worked different jobs, one being construction work on high-rise buildings in Manhattan. He married, at a young age, his childhood girlfriend, Marie. He had a son after one year of marriage and decided he didn't want to work in construction, anymore. So, he headed west to try his luck in the movie business!

His brother, Paul Picerni, was an actor on a hit TV show at that time called "The Untouchables (1959)". Charlie worked as a stand-in, an extra and started doing stunt double work. Charlie immediately fell in love with this work and moved his family to California. Charlie excelled as a stuntman and then moved up to stunt-coordinating TV shows. He got his big break on "Starsky and Hutch (1975)", he was the stunt coordinator and Paul Michael Glaser's stunt double. Aaron Spelling and Duke Vincent saw what direction Charlie was heading in - Directing"!

He started second unit-directing "Starsky and Hutch (1975)" and then moved up to directing episodes of "Starsky". He continued stunt-coordinating and second unit-directing such shows as "Kojak (1973)" and "Magnum, P.I. (1980)". He then started directing television for producers Aaron Spelling, Leonard Goldberg and Stephen J. Cannell, for such shows as "T.J. Hooker (1982)", "Matt Houston (1982)", "Vega$ (1978)", "Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)", "Hunter (1984)", "Stingray (1985)", "Finder of Lost Loves (1984)", "The A-Team (1983)", "J.J. Starbuck (1987)", "Spenser: For Hire (1985)", "Blue Thunder (1984)", "Gavilan (1982)" and HBO's "Tales from the Crypt (1989)".

At that time, Charlie caught Warner Brothers producer Joel Silver's eye. Joel hired Charlie to stunt-coordinate "Die Hard (1988)". This led to second unit-directing and stunt-coordinating on the films, "Die Hard 2 (1990)", "Road House (1989)", "Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)" & "Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)", "Hudson Hawk (1991)", "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)", "The Last Boy Scout (1991)", "Demolition Man (1993)", "Ghost (1990)", "Ricochet (1991)", "Basic Instinct (1992)", "A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)", "True Romance (1993)", "2 Days in the Valley (1996)", "15 Minutes (2001)" and many more. Charlie also, during this time, directed multiple episodes on a TV series, called "Seven Days (1998)", for Paramount studios.

Charlie also worked as an actor in many TV and film projects throughout his career. Realizing he wanted to further his career as a director, he studied at the "Beverly Hills Playhouse" in the Master class for two years. In 2007, he directed, produced and co-wrote a feature film entitled "Three Days to Vegas (2007)", starring Peter Falk, Rip Torn and George Segal. In 2010, Charlie directed Ayn Rand's play, "Night of January 16th", at the Odyssey Theatre to rave reviews! While continuing to work in all avenues of the motion picture business, he is developing and writing his own project called "Spaghetti Park", which he will produce and direct.

Charlie is a proud member of "The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences".

Movies for Charlie Picerni...

True Lies
Title: True Lies
Character: Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Released: July 15, 1994
Type: Movie
A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.
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Rapid Fire
Title: Rapid Fire
Character: Driver of Gunman Car (uncredited)
Released: August 21, 1992
Type: Movie
College student Jake Lo is pursued by smugglers, mobsters and crooked federal agents after he witnesses a murder by a Mafia kingpin.
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Die Hard
Title: Die Hard
Character: Dwayne Robinson's Driver (uncredited)
Released: July 15, 1988
Type: Movie
NYPD cop John McClane's plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her office, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.
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Two of a Kind
Title: Two of a Kind
Character: SWAT Officer
Released: December 13, 1983
Type: Movie
God has had just about enough of the human's attitude so he will destroy the planet very soon. It is up to a struggling inventor and a bank teller, both with very amateur criminal minds, to save the world.
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Murder Me, Murder You
Title: Murder Me, Murder You
Character: Man with Knife (uncredited)
Released: April 9, 1983
Type: Movie
Private eye Mike Hammer probes his long-lost love's death while seeking their daughter.
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Title: Knight Rider
Character: Donner
Released: September 26, 1982
Type: TV
Michael Long, an undercover police officer, is shot while investigating a case and left for dead by his assailants. He is rescued by Wilton Knight, a wealthy, dying millionaire and inventor who arranges life-saving surgery, including a new face and a new identity--that of Michael Knight. Michael is then given a special computerized and indestructible car called the Knight Industries Two Thousand (nicknamed KITT), and a mission: apprehend criminals who are beyond the reach of the law. The series depicts Michael's exploits as he and KITT battle the forces of evil on behalf of the Foundation for Law and Government.
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Title: T. J. Hooker
Character: Ennis
Released: March 13, 1982
Type: TV
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recuits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
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Sizzle
Title: Sizzle
Character: Hitman
Released: November 29, 1981
Type: Movie
A sultry nightclub singer, a small-town girl in the big city, sets out to avenge her boyfriend's murder after he is killed while running illegal booze for the mob.
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Margin for Murder
Title: Margin for Murder
Character: Glover
Released: October 15, 1981
Type: Movie
Mickey Spillane's hard-hitting '50s private eye, Mike Hammer, returns to television in the guise of Kevin Dobson to track down the killer of his best friend who was driving Hammer's car. Joining in the hunt are the detective's Girl Friday, the ever-hopeful Velda, and his cop friend, Pat Chambers.
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Rivkin: Bounty Hunter
Title: Rivkin: Bounty Hunter
Released: May 20, 1981
Type: Movie
A New York-based bounty hunter who makes a living chasing and capturing bail jumpers matches wits with a heavily-armed drug dealer in this pilot to a prospective series.
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The Baltimore Bullet
Title: The Baltimore Bullet
Character: The Dealer
Released: April 1, 1980
Type: Movie
A tale of two hustlers trying to set up a big game.
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Stunts Unlimited
Title: Stunts Unlimited
Character: Air Stuntman
Released: January 4, 1980
Type: Movie
A group of Hollywood stunt performers are recruited by former U.S. Intelligence agent Dirk Macauley to retrieve a stolen laser gun from a notorious arms dealer in this pilot to a proposed TV series.
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Title: The Incredible Hulk
Character: Harris
Released: November 4, 1977
Type: TV
During an experiment gone bad, radiation turns a scientist into a raging green behemoth whenever he becomes agitated. Unable to control his transformations, David Banner searches for a cure as he crosses the country, fugitive-style, with a dogged tabloid reporter on his trail.
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Title: The Incredible Hulk
Character: Charlie
Released: November 4, 1977
Type: TV
During an experiment gone bad, radiation turns a scientist into a raging green behemoth whenever he becomes agitated. Unable to control his transformations, David Banner searches for a cure as he crosses the country, fugitive-style, with a dogged tabloid reporter on his trail.
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Title: Charlie's Angels
Character: Frank Slater
Released: September 22, 1976
Type: TV
Beautiful, intelligent, and ultra-sophisticated, Charlie's Angels are everything a man could dream of... and way more than they could ever handle! Receiving their orders via speaker phone from their never seen boss, Charlie, the Angels employ their incomparable sleuthing and combat skills, as well as their lethal feminine charm, to crack even the most seemingly insurmountable of cases.
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Title: Starsky & Hutch
Character: Nicky Cairo
Released: September 10, 1975
Type: TV
Streetwise Detective David Starsky partners up with a more intellectual partner, Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson, to protect citizens and patrol the streets of Bay City.
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Title: Barbary Coast
Character: Drunken Sailor
Released: September 8, 1975
Type: TV
Barbary Coast is an American television series that aired on ABC. The pilot movie first aired on May 4, 1975 and the series itself premiered September 8, 1975; the last episode aired January 9, 1976. Barbary Coast was inspired by a similar 19th-century spy series, The Wild Wild West, and like the earlier program, Barbary Coast mixed the genres of Western and secret agent drama.
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Title: Barbary Coast
Character: Seaman
Released: September 8, 1975
Type: TV
Barbary Coast is an American television series that aired on ABC. The pilot movie first aired on May 4, 1975 and the series itself premiered September 8, 1975; the last episode aired January 9, 1976. Barbary Coast was inspired by a similar 19th-century spy series, The Wild Wild West, and like the earlier program, Barbary Coast mixed the genres of Western and secret agent drama.
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Matt Helm
Title: Matt Helm
Character: Champion
Released: May 7, 1975
Type: Movie
In this pilot film for the later series, a former secret agent, now a private investigator, is hired to protect a beautiful film star and gets involved with black marketeers and gun runners.
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Earthquake
Title: Earthquake
Character: Pool Player (uncredited)
Released: November 15, 1974
Type: Movie
Various interconnected people struggle to survive when an earthquake of unimaginable magnitude hits Los Angeles, California.
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Title: Chopper One
Character: Henchman (uncredited)
Released: January 17, 1974
Type: TV
Chopper One was a short-lived ABC drama/adventure television series in early 1974 depicting the activities of a California police helicopter team. The program aired in a half-hour time slot on Thursdays at 8 p.m. Eastern. It aired adjacent to Firehouse, an action-drama series about a Los Angeles fire station. Chopper One was cancelled after six months and Firehouse ended in the following month.
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The Don Is Dead
Title: The Don Is Dead
Character: Furman (uncredited)
Released: November 14, 1973
Type: Movie
After his mistress is murdered, a Mafia leader goes after the killer with a bloody vengeance. Soon after the hunt begins, a gang war ensues.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Dennis
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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Title: Kojak
Character: Cabbie (uncredited)
Released: October 24, 1973
Type: TV
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in New York City.
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Title: The Magician
Character: Melton (as Charles Picerni)
Released: October 2, 1973
Type: TV
The Magician is an American television series that ran during the 1973–1974 season. It starred Bill Bixby as stage illusionist Anthony "Tony" Blake, a playboy philanthropist who used his skills to solve difficult crimes as needed. In the series pilot, the character was instead named Anthony Dorian. The name change was due to a conflict with the name of a real life stage magician.
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Title: The Magician
Character: Johnny Kroll (as Charles Picerni)
Released: October 2, 1973
Type: TV
The Magician is an American television series that ran during the 1973–1974 season. It starred Bill Bixby as stage illusionist Anthony "Tony" Blake, a playboy philanthropist who used his skills to solve difficult crimes as needed. In the series pilot, the character was instead named Anthony Dorian. The name change was due to a conflict with the name of a real life stage magician.
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Westworld
Title: Westworld
Character: Saloon Brawler (uncredited)
Released: August 15, 1973
Type: Movie
Delos is a futuristic amusement park that features themed worlds—ancient Rome, Medieval times and the Old West—populated by human-like androids. After two patrons have a run-in with a menacing gunslinger in West World, the androids at Delos all begin to malfunction, causing havoc throughout the park.
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The Mad Bomber
Title: The Mad Bomber
Character: Rapist
Released: April 1, 1973
Type: Movie
Los Angeles detectives Minelli and Blake must track down a serial rapist who may know the identity of a mentally disturbed bomber.
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The Letters
Title: The Letters
Character: First Man
Released: March 3, 1973
Type: Movie
Story of people whose lives were changed because of a year-long delay in the delivery of some letters.
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Shamus
Title: Shamus
Character: Thug 2
Released: January 31, 1973
Type: Movie
New York private eye Shamus McCoy likes girls, drink and gambling, but by the look of his flat business can't be too hot. So an offer of $10,000 to finds some diamonds stolen in a daring raid with a flame-thrower is too good to miss. His investigations soon get pretty complicated and rather too dangerous. At least along the way he does get to meet Alexis.
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Fuzz
Title: Fuzz
Character: Chauffeur
Released: July 14, 1972
Type: Movie
Police in Boston search for a mad bomber trying to extort money from the city.
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Hot Summer Week
Title: Hot Summer Week
Character: Pool Player #1
Released: June 21, 1972
Type: Movie
Two girls pick up a crazed hitchhiker who may or may not be the serial killer murdering hippies in the area.
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Evil Roy Slade
Title: Evil Roy Slade
Character: Gang Member (uncredited)
Released: February 18, 1972
Type: Movie
Orphaned and left in the desert as an infant, Evil Roy Slade (John Astin) grew up alone—save for his teddy bear—and mean. As an adult, he is notorious for being the "meanest villain in the West"—so he's thrown for quite a loop when he falls for sweet schoolteacher Betsy Potter (Pamela Austin). There's also Nelson L. Stool (Mickey Rooney), a railroad tycoon, who, along with his dimwitted nephew Clifford (Henry Gibson), is trying to get revenge on Evil Roy Slade for robbing him.
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Title: Emergency!
Character: Worker (uncredited)
Released: January 22, 1972
Type: TV
The crew of Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51, particularly the paramedic team, and Rampart Hospital respond to emergencies in their operating area.
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Star Spangled Girl
Title: Star Spangled Girl
Character: Policeman (uncredited)
Released: December 22, 1971
Type: Movie
A pair of 60's hippies fall in love with the girl next door, who is exactly the kind of square that they are fighting against.
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Cannon
Title: Cannon
Character: Brawler
Released: March 26, 1971
Type: Movie
In this pilot film to the TV series, Cannon investigates the murder of a war buddy to clear the man's wife of suspicion in his death.
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Tora! Tora! Tora!
Title: Tora! Tora! Tora!
Character: Burning Sailor (uncredited)
Released: January 26, 1970
Type: Movie
In the summer of 1941, the United States and Japan seem on the brink of war after constant embargos and failed diplomacy come to no end. "Tora! Tora! Tora!", named after the code words use by the lead Japanese pilot to indicate they had surprised the Americans, covers the days leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, which plunged America into the Second World War.
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Title: The Name of the Game
Character: Parker
Released: September 20, 1968
Type: TV
The Name of the Game is an American television series starring Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack that ran from 1968 to 1971 on NBC, totaling 76 episodes of 90 minutes. It was a pioneering wheel series, setting the stage for The Bold Ones and the NBC Mystery Movie in the 1970s. The show had an extremely large budget for a television series.
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Title: It Takes a Thief
Character: Guard (uncredited)
Released: January 9, 1968
Type: TV
Convicted cat burglar Alexander Mundy gets an offer he can't refuse from the United States government: If he puts his formidable thieving skills to work for them, he'll be released from prison. Alexander's dad, Alister, sometimes comes out of retirement as a thief to help his son on special jobs.
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Title: Mannix
Character: Larry Gates
Released: September 16, 1967
Type: TV
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors. Mannix was the last series produced by Desilu Productions.
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Title: Mannix
Character: Danny Constantine
Released: September 16, 1967
Type: TV
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors. Mannix was the last series produced by Desilu Productions.
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Title: Mission: Impossible
Character: Keller
Released: September 17, 1966
Type: TV
Mission: Impossible is an American television series that was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicles the missions of a team of secret government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force. In the first season, the team is led by Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill; Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, takes charge for the remaining seasons. A hallmark of the series shows Briggs or Phelps receiving his instructions on a recording that then self-destructs, followed by the theme music composed by Lalo Schifrin. The series aired on the CBS network from September 1966 to March 1973, then returned to television for two seasons on ABC, from 1988 to 1990, retaining only Graves in the cast. It later inspired a popular series of theatrical motion pictures starring Tom Cruise, beginning in 1996.
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Title: Mission: Impossible
Character: Juan Delgado
Released: September 17, 1966
Type: TV
Mission: Impossible is an American television series that was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicles the missions of a team of secret government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force. In the first season, the team is led by Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill; Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, takes charge for the remaining seasons. A hallmark of the series shows Briggs or Phelps receiving his instructions on a recording that then self-destructs, followed by the theme music composed by Lalo Schifrin. The series aired on the CBS network from September 1966 to March 1973, then returned to television for two seasons on ABC, from 1988 to 1990, retaining only Graves in the cast. It later inspired a popular series of theatrical motion pictures starring Tom Cruise, beginning in 1996.
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Title: Mission: Impossible
Character: Border Guard
Released: September 17, 1966
Type: TV
Mission: Impossible is an American television series that was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicles the missions of a team of secret government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force. In the first season, the team is led by Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill; Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, takes charge for the remaining seasons. A hallmark of the series shows Briggs or Phelps receiving his instructions on a recording that then self-destructs, followed by the theme music composed by Lalo Schifrin. The series aired on the CBS network from September 1966 to March 1973, then returned to television for two seasons on ABC, from 1988 to 1990, retaining only Graves in the cast. It later inspired a popular series of theatrical motion pictures starring Tom Cruise, beginning in 1996.
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Batman
Title: Batman
Character: Guinea Pig #5 (uncredited)
Released: July 30, 1966
Type: Movie
The Dynamic Duo faces four super-villains who plan to hold the world for ransom with the help of a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people.
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Title: The Wild Wild West
Character: Robber (uncredited)
Released: September 17, 1965
Type: TV
The Wild Wild West is an American television series Developed at a time when the television western was losing ground to the spy genre, this show was conceived by its creator, Michael Garrison, as "James Bond on horseback." Set during the administration of President Ulysses Grant, the series followed Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon as they solved crimes, protected the President, and foiled the plans of megalomaniacal villains to take over all or part of the United States. The show also featured a number of fantasy elements, such as the technologically advanced devices used by the agents and their adversaries. The combination of the Victorian era time-frame and the use of Verne-esque style technology have inspired some to give the show credit for the origins of the steam punk subculture.
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Title: The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self
Released: December 11, 1961
Type: TV
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Hospital Door Guard (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Police Officer (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Passerby (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Colescou Henchman (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Racetrack Patron (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Club Patron (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Reporter (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Prisoner (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Hood (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.
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Title: The Untouchables
Character: Nitti Associate (uncredited)
Released: October 15, 1959
Type: TV
Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents battle organized crime in 1930s Chicago.