Born in 1956, Joe Penny got his start playing rednecks, cops, Scott Jacoby's buddy in a high school sports drama, and a werewolf's buddy in a horror movie.
But it was his role as a closeted gay cop on
Lou Grant (1979) that brought him notoriety -- and a long career in gay-subtext buddy-bonding roles.
Nick Ryder in
Riptide (1984-86) was a throwback to the Swinging Detective Adventurers of the 1960s who worked out of glamorous locales and came in pairs. His partner, Cody Allen, was played by Perry King (the one with the muscles), whose resume has a long list of gay and nearly-gay characters.
Jake on
Jake and the Fatman (1987-92), a Swinging Detective Adventure in Hawaii, partnered with Fatman William Conrad.
Frank Darnell, head of the Central Security Agency who employs soccer mom Cathy Davis and hangs out with her husband, Jack (William R. Moses) in a series of
Jane Doe movies (2005-2008).
Never married, he has often been the subject of gay rumors; and, when he was ill during the 1980s, the rumor that he had AIDS. Both are untrue, he states; he just hasn't found the right woman yet.
He's only 59 years old. He's got plenty of time, right?
See also:
Don Stroud
Joe Penny was hot- and I did not realized how much the Lou Grant episode in which he plays the closeted cop had affected me. I was a teen when it first aired and the memories of entire scenes were stuck in my head. I saw it again and it still very good. I love the way they present the gay cop as butch- he lift weights, shoots guns and even coaches a kid's sport team- you see he is regular guy. Penny gives a very good performance specially later when he talks about sacrificing his love life- it's hard to believe a guy who looks like Joe Penny then would be single for long
ReplyDeleteJoe Penny is married to a lady named Cindy since 2004. No children probably due to their ages. Hope they are very happy. They are rumored to have dated for a long time before marrying.
DeleteOf course
DeleteThe rumor he is married may be just that: a rumor.
ReplyDeleteRight.
DeleteA pupil to my partner got his autograph in the 80's. He was just a child then. Around 17-18 and Joe wanted him to follow to his hotel room and it was not for conversation if you know what I mean.
ReplyDelete