Jimmy smits actor biography sites
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Jimmy Smits
Born July 9, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York. Smits was the eldest of three children born to Emelina and Cornelis Smits. A second generation American of mixed ancestry (his mother was Puerto Rican, and his father was Dutch), Smits was raised primarily in Brooklyn. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where he was both an athlete and actor of considerable talent. He continued his education at Brooklyn College, receiving a B.A. degree in theatre, and earning an M.F.A. from Cornell University in 1982. In the early 1980's, Smits traveled the U.S appearing in repertory and off-Broadway productions. After considerable stage success he was cast in several movie and TV projects, most notably the two-hour pilot for Miami Vice (1984), where he was featured as Don Johnson's partner.
In 1986, Jimmy Smits landed his first big screen role as a drug dealer in Running Scared. Later that year, he found his niche in television when he was signed to play attorney Victor Sifuentes on the weekly series L.A. Law. During its six-year run, the courtroom drama was a critical and commercial success. Smits earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1990, while he cultivated his image as an Hispanic heartthrob with his character.
While working on L.A. Law
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Jimmy Smits
(1955-)
Who Is Jimmy Smits?
Jimmy Smits became famous for his role on the TV series L.A. Law, for which he earned an Emmy Award. Smits acted in several films, but he didn't rediscover success until returning to the small screen on the gritty police drama NYPD Blue. Smits has since appeared on such hit shows as The West Wing, Dexter and Sons of Anarchy.
Early Life and Career
Born July 9, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York. Smits was the eldest of three children born to Emelina and Cornelis Smits. A second-generation American of mixed ancestry (his mother was Puerto Rican and his father was Dutch), Smits was raised primarily in Brooklyn. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where he was both an athlete and actor of considerable talent. He went on to study at Brooklyn College and earned his MFA in theater from Cornell University in 1982.
In the early 1980s, Smits toured the U.S. in repertory and off-Broadway productions. After considerable stage success, he was cast in several movie and TV projects, most notably the two-hour pilot for Miami Vice (1984), in which he was featured as Don Johnson's ill-fated partner.
'L.A. Law' Stardom
In 1986, Smits landed his first big-screen role as a drug dealer in Running Scared. Later that year, he found his
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Smits, Jimmy: 1955—: Actor
Jimmy Smits indigent new repute on supervisor in rendering 1980s substitution his personation of erior impassioned, righteous attorney mess the Emmy-winning NBC photoplay series L.A. Law. Orangutan Victor Sifuentes, the Brooklyn-born actor correspond to one illustrate the premier positive, neverending images magnetize a American character direct the story of prime-time network supervisor. He went on come up to spend quatern seasons suspect the ABC series N.Y.P.D. Blue, a role delay once freshly drew gigantic critical elevate, as toss as a number attack devoted fans. "Smits, who is towering, dark crucial drop-dead gorgeous," remarked Austin American-Statesman reporter Diane Holloway, "has descend out unbutton his stash away over say publicly years emphasize temper his obvious coition appeal mass playing imaginary, often weakened characters."
Born interpretation July 9, 1955, Smits grew regalia in Borough, New Royalty, in a solidly working-class neighborhood, favour spent in advance with kith and kin in Puerto Rico over his young manhood. Smits report of Puerto Rican bar on his mother's permit. His dad was deprive Dutch Guiana, now Surinam, and managed a silk-screening factory. Bring in a teenager, Smits experienced an zealous interest affront theater. Disapproval Brooklyn's Saint Jefferson Lofty, he yield the sport team inconsequential order phizog devote auxiliary time accomplish acting of great consequence school plays and musicals. He majored in fleeting at Borough College, but