Biography

Imposing American character actor whose typical screen personae tended to be gruff westerners, irate cops, corrupt bureaucrats, and hard-boiled gangsters. A decorated Korean War veteran, Bieri appeared on stage from 1954, both on ('Death of a Salesman', 1975) and off-Broadway. He latterly acted with the ensemble of San Diego's Old Globe Theatre (notably, as the tough captain in 'Mr. Roberts', 1995).

On screen from 1962 as a bit part player, he went on to have a prolific career as guest star of 1970s and 1980s TV shows. He was in good form as your average cantankerous police chief in both Cannon (1971) and in Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974), and further distinguished himself in weightier roles, including that of local banker Elija Crow in Bret Maverick (1981), General Philip Sheridan in How the West Was Won (1976) and as Mafia chieftain Guido Quintana in The Sicilian (1987).

However, a little of the large heavyset actor, whose screen persona was more malevolent than merry, went a long way, thus when he starred in his own (albeit non-eponymous) NBC sitcom, Joe's World (1979), as a Detroit house painter with five kids and assorted problems, it was fairly short-lived.

In private life, he was said to have been a keen fisherman and sailor.

Bieri died on May 27, 2001 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, from cancer at age 71.

- IMDb mini biography by: I.S.Mowis