Character on Jericho: Thomas Valente

Born: January 20, 1950 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA USA

Biography:
Benzali was born in Rio de Janeiro, to Brazilian Jewish parents. He is the oldest of three , all boys. His father was an actor in the Brazilian Theatre and his mother was a homemaker. The family moved to Brooklyn, and Daniel devoted his childhood and teens to sports and singing. However, viewing a community theatre stage production, his first exposure to theatre, proved a turning point in his life. He had been too young to see his father in performance, but now his heritage was awakened. He recalls having an "I can do that" experience, and acting became his prime dedication. Before he turned to acting, Benzali sang in a few different bands in New York during the "Punk Rock" era and is now returning to his musical roots with a new project, "Benzali", a self named CD that features jazzy covers of classic tunes by Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart, Stephen Sondheim and Irving Berlin.


Career Bio:
Daniel Benzali's extensive stage, television, and film career has traversed two continents and 3 decades. He began his career in American Theatre appearing in everything from musicals to Shakespeare. He then moved to England in the 1970s and continued his stage career, first in fringe theater, later as an invited member of the respected Royal Shakespeare Company (one of the few American Actors ever invited to join). Also while in England, early in his career, he sang the role Juan Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber's London production of "Evita."

Film:

• Believers (2007) The Teacher
• DNA: Guilty or Innocent? (2003) (TV Docu-Drama) Host
• Saving Jason (2003) (TV Movie)
• Dead Heat (2002) Frank Finnegan
• The Grey Zone (2001) Schlermer
• Boss of Bosses (2001) (TV Movie) Bruce Mouw
• Vegas, City of Dreams (2001) Dr. Sigmund Stein
  
• Screwed (2000) Det. Tom Dewey
• Her Married Lover(1999) Det. Joe Lansin
• Suckers (1999/I) Reggie
• All the Little Animals (1998) Bernard 'The Fat' De Winter
• Heist (1998) Big Fats
• The End of Violence (1997) Brice Phelps
• Murder at 1600 (1997) Agent Nick Spikings
• The Rockford Files: I Still Love L.A. (1994) (TV Movie) Dr. Ezo
• A Child's Cry for Help (1994) (TV Movie) Dr. Everett Morris
• The Distinguished Gentleman (1992) 'Skeeter' Warburton
• Dag i oktober, En (1992) Solomon Kublitz aka A Day in October
• Citizen Cohn (1992) (TV Movie) Cardinal Spellman
• Afterburn (1992) (TV Movie) Col. John Patterson
• The Last of His Tribe (1992) (TV Movie) Mr. Whitney
• Roe vs. Wade (1989) (TV Movie)
• Vietnam War Story: The Last Days (1989) Adams (segment "Dirty Work")
• Messenger of Death (1988) Chief Barney Doyle
• By Dawn's Early Light (1990) (TV Movie) FEMA Director Bascombe
• The Murder of Mary Phagan (1988) (TV) Coroner
• Pack of Lies (1987) (TV) Peter Schaefer
• The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1987) (TV) Ross
• The Last Days of Patton (1986) (TV Movie) Col. Glen Spurling
• Strong Medicine (1986) (TV Movie) Seth
• Whoops Apocalypse (1986) William Kubert (US Defense Secretary)
• White Nights (1985) Dr. Asher
• Insignificance (1985) First Theatrical Agent
• A View to a Kill (1985) WG Howe
• Home Free All (1984) Therapist

Television:

• "Jericho" (3episodes, 2007) Valente
• "Law & Order" (2episodes, 1990-2006) Judge Wade Bookman
• "NYPD Blue"(13episodes, 1993-2003) James Sinclair Esq.
• "The Agency" (9episodes, 2001-2003) Robert Quinn
• "The District" (1episode, 2002) Robert Quinn
• "UC: Undercover" (1episode, 2002) Aristos Patriaka
• "Remember WENN" (1episode, 1998) Rex Noble
• "The Outer Limits" (1episode, 1997) Graham Highfield
• "Murder One"(23episodes, 1995-1996) Ted Hoffman
• "The X Files" (1episode, 1995) Colonel Wharton
• "One West Waikiki"(1episode, 1994)Delacourt
• "L.A. Law"(7episodes, 1988-1993) Judge Donald
• "Matlock" (1episode, 1991) Henry Mayfield
• “Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1episode, 1989) Surgeon
• "Falcon Crest" (2episodes, 1989) Judge Robbins
• "Beauty and the Beast" (1episode, 1989) Edward, Brian's Father
• "Star Cops" (1episode, 1987) Commander Griffin

Where we've seen him:
Episode 1.17 One Man's Terrorist
Episode 1.18 A.K.A.
Episode 1.22 Why We Fight

Awards:
1996 Nominated for The Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Drama for: "Murder One" (1995 Season)

Family:
Father: Carlo Benzali. (acted in productions in Brazil)
Mother: Lee Benzali.

Trivia:
Ranked #2 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100]

He proposed to "Sex and the City's" Kim Cattrall by leaving a written proposal stuck to the refrigerator of the apartment they shared. They are no longer together as of 1998


Quotes:
“I left Rio, but Rio never left me,”

“The home of my soul is Rio, but the road back passes through the heart of Broadway.”