Ted Beniades obit

Ted Beniades, an Undercover Cop in ‘Scarface,’ Dies at 91

The actor also appeared in 'Serpico' and on the 1960s ABC series 'N.Y.P.D.' 

He was not on the list.

Ted Beniades, a veteran actor who as an old-school undercover cop busts Al Pacino’s Tony Montana for tax evasion in Scarface, has died. He was 91.

Beniades, who earlier starred as a detective on the gritty 1967-69 ABC series N.Y.P.D., died peacefully Oct. 24 at his home in Brookville, Pa., his family announced.

Beniades also appeared with Pacino in Serpico (1973) and was in The Next Man (1976), starring Sean Connery.

Born in the Bronx to Greek immigrants, Beniades served in World War II and studied acting at the Dramatic Workshop in New York with fellow students Marlon Brando, Walter Matthau, Tony Curtis, Rod Steiger and Bea Arthur.

He made his Broadway debut in the early 1950s in Mister Roberts with Henry Fonda and in 1953 had a role in the musical comedy Wonderful Town, where he met his eventual wife, actress Marion Lauer. They were married for 55 years until her death in 2009.

Beniades also appeared on TV’s The Jackie Gleason Show, Naked City, Dark Shadows and The Equalizer.

He was married to Marion Lauer, formerly of Fryburg, PA, also an accomplished actress and singer. They met on Broadway in "Wonderful Town" in 1953 and were married for 55 years. Together they made a powerful pair, performing together in other musicals such as "Fiorello" and "Pajama Game" and toured the country.

After serving in World War II, he studied acting at the prestigious Dramatic Workshop in New York with fellow students Marlon Brando, Walter Matthau, Tony Curtis, Rod Steiger and Bea Arthur.

Ted made his Broadway debut at age 29 in "Mister Roberts" with Henry Fonda. He performed in ten Broadway shows during the golden age of American musical theater, when Rodgers and Hammerstein reigned with shows such as "South Pacific," "The King and I", "Carousel" and "Oklahoma."

He is the veteran of twelve features films. He busted Al Pacino in the movie "Scarface", got blown up in "The Next Man" with Sean Connery and served Jack Lemmon a cocktail in "The Odd Couple."

Ted also acted in countless TV commercials and was a character actor in several TV series such as the "Jackie Gleason Show", "Kojak", "Eischied", "The Andros Targets" and the original "N.Y.P.D."

In recent years, he shared his talent by doing a voiceover for the Clarion Community Theater's production of Agatha Christie's play "And Then There Were None" at the Sawmill Theater in Cook Forest.

Ted had two sisters, Mary and Ann, a younger brother Danny and a son, Danny.

 

Actor

Edward Woodward in The Equalizer (1985)

The Equalizer

7.8

TV Series

Police Officer

1987

2 episodes

 

Susan Lucci, Debbi Morgan, Rebecca Budig, Cameron Mathison, and Darnell Williams in All My Children (1970)

All My Children

6.8

TV Series

Mr. Baker (credit only)

1983

1 episode

 

Al Pacino in Scarface (1983)

Scarface

8.3

Seidelbaum

1983

 

Sharon Gabet and Larkin Malloy in The Edge of Night (1956)

The Edge of Night

7.8

TV Series

Mr. Mortimer

1982

2 episodes

 

Joe Don Baker in Eischied (1979)

Eischied

7.6

TV Series

Ben Quantro

1979

1 episode

 

Hollow Image (1979)

Hollow Image

6.2

TV Movie

Brooks

1979

 

The Andros Targets (1977)

The Andros Targets

6.9

TV Series

Wayne Hillman

1977

5 episodes

 

Kojak (1973)

Kojak

7.1

TV Series

Florentino

1977

1 episode

 

Sean Connery and Cornelia Sharpe in The Next Man (1976)

The Next Man

4.9

Frank Dedario

1976

 

Nicky's World (1974)

Nicky's World

7.1

TV Movie

Mr. Sullivan

1974

 

Serpico (1973)

Serpico

7.7

Al Sarno

1973

 

Robert De Niro, Jerry Orbach, Joe Santos, Irving Selbst, Leigh Taylor-Young, and Jo Van Fleet in The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971)

The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight

4.9

A Black Suit

1971

 

George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward in They Might Be Giants (1971)

They Might Be Giants

6.8

Taxi Driver

1971

 

Barbara Hershey and Michael Sarrazin in The Pursuit of Happiness (1971)

The Pursuit of Happiness

6.2

Traffic Cop

1971

 

N.Y.P.D. (1967)

N.Y.P.D.

7.4

TV Series

Det. Richie

Detective Richie

Detective Ritchie ...

1967–1969

22 episodes

 

Frank Sinatra, Jacqueline Bisset, and Lee Remick in The Detective (1968)

The Detective

6.5

Reporter (uncredited)

1968

 

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in The Odd Couple (1968)

The Odd Couple

7.6

Bartender (uncredited)

1968

 

Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Jane Kean, and Sheila MacRae in The Jackie Gleason Show (1966)

The Jackie Gleason Show

8.0

TV Series

Bettor

Big Sam's Henchman

Herb Miller ...

1966–1967

5 episodes

 

Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor in Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967)

Reflections in a Golden Eye

6.7

Sergeant (uncredited)

1967

 

Dark Shadows (1966)

Dark Shadows

8.1

TV Series

Policeman (uncredited)

1967

2 episodes

 

Burt Reynolds in Hawk (1966)

Hawk

6.9

TV Series

Detective

1966

1 episode

 

Sammy Davis Jr. in A Man Called Adam (1966)

A Man Called Adam

6.6

Minor Role

1966

 

Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine (1962)

Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine

8.5

TV Series

1964

1 episode

 

Naked City (1958)

Naked City

8.2

TV Series

Emery Fohlinger

1962

1 episode

 

John Fraser, Louis Hayward, and Susan Oliver in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1961)

Golden Showcase

6.7

TV Series

1962

1 episode

 

The Witness

6.5

TV Series

Happy Malone

1960

1 episode

 

Wonderful Town

8.9

TV Movie

'Speedy' Valenti

1958