Celebrity Nooz: Adrian Zmed

Adrian Zmed (Actor) - T.J. Hooker

Updated: 10/23/19

Name: Adrian Zmed

Birth Name: Adrian George Zmed

Born: March 14, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois, USA

Claim To Fame: Adrian Zmed is an American actor, singer and television personality, noted for the roles of Johnny Nogerelli in Grease 2 and Officer Vince Romano in the prime-time police drama T.J. Hooker.

Family Life: Zmed married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Fitzner, in 1976; they divorced. Together they have two sons, Zachary and Dylan. Zmed then married Broadway actress/singer Susan Wood in 1995; that marriage also ended in divorce. Zmed married Lyssa Lynne Baker on October 5, 2012. The two are together today.

Info: He's bilingual; speaks Romanian as well as English.

His parents, Preoteasa Persida (Golub) and George Zmed, were born in Romania, with roots in Comlosu Mare, Timisoara. His father was a Romanian Orthodox archpriest.

Graduated from Lane Tech High School in Chicago.

He began playing football as halfback for the school's team until, when playing in 1968, he broke a leg bone which in turn punctured a major artery. He quit sports and began acting, appearing in his high school's production of Guys and Dolls.

Zmed transferred to the Goodman School of Drama and began studying voice at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Goodman School of Drama.

Trivia: First major acting gig was the role of the male lead, Danny Zuko, in the national touring company production of Grease. He later appeared in the Broadway stage musical three times, twice in the role of Zuko. At 40, Zmed revived the role of Zuko in the 1995 Broadway revival.

He left T.J. Hooker in 1985 when the show moved to CBS, choosing instead to replace Deney Terrio as host of Dance Fever for its final two seasons.

Remains friends with his T.J. Hooker co-star and childhood television hero, William Shatner.

Where Are They Now: Zmed's latest project, yet to be released, is the comedy Spring Break '83. Along with other stars from the '80s, Zmed plays up his celebrity status during the decade.

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