Walter Olkewicz

American actor (1948–2021)

Walter Olkewicz (May 14, 1948 – April 6, 2021) was an American character actor. He played Marko in the short lived TV series Wizards and Warriors and Coach Wordman in the feature film Making the Grade.

Olkewicz was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, He continued his education at Saint Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, Kansas and at Colorado State University. Early in his career, Olkewicz acted with improv and other groups. He co founded the improvisational group Saturday Bath, which had a national tour that lasted more than a year. after a long illness on April 6, 2021, at age 72. His son, Zac Olkewicz, is a screenwriter. During the time of his illness, he crafted a series of YouTube videos reaching out to all of his friends from his years of work, hoping that someone he knew would help him. The video messages were posted as being meant for Whoopi Goldberg, Sam Elliott, Chuck Lorre, Tommy Lee Jones, and John Larroquette, among many others. He spoke of his illness and struggling to get back into work, the pain that he was in, and his substantial number of knee surgeries (19 at that point as he states), as well as his resulting insurance related financial losses. In his message to John Larroquette, he said he'd been out of work approximately 12 years because he was too sick to go on, with the exception of two episodes of Twin Peaks where he appeared in 2017. His final video was posted as "Message to Sam Elliott."

Year Title Role Notes 1976 FutureworldChief Technician 1977 The GreatestReporter 1977 Can I Do It 'Til I Need Glasses? Himself 1979 1941 Private Hinshaw 1981 Circle of Power Buddy Gordon 1982 Jimmy the Kid Kelp 1984 Making the Grade Coach Wordman 1984 Heartbreakers Marvin 1989 The Big Picture Babe Ruth 1992 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Jacques Renault 1994 The Client Jerome 'Romey' Clifford 1995 The Surgeon Dr. Meade 1995 Stuart Saves His Family Larry Skoog 1996 Big Packages Richie 1996 Raven Bernie DeFrewd 1997 In Dark Places Vendor 1998 How to Make the Cruelest Month Professor 1998 Milo Jack Wyatt 1998 Suicide, the Comedy 1999 You Know My Name Mr. Killian 1999 You're Killing Me Embalmer 2000 Meeting Daddy 'Dink' Branson 2001 Last Days Warden Phillips 2002 Par 6 Walt Hegelman

Year Title Role Notes 1978 The Rockford Files Mac Amodeus Episode: "The Jersey Bounce" 1979 Hart to HartLongshoreman #2Episode: "Hit Jennifer Hart" 1979–1980 The Last Resort Zach Comstock 15 episodes 1980 Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb Sergeant 'Shug' Crawford Television film 1980, 1983 Taxi Tom Caldwell 2 episodes 1981 Alice Sonny Santini Episode: "Vera Goes Out on a Limb" 1981–1982 Barney Miller William Krebs / Walter Cushing 2 episodes 1982 It's a Living Dan Episode: "Falling in Love Again" 1982 The Executioner's Song Pete Galovan Television film 1982 The Blue and the Gray Private Grundy Episode: "Part 2" 1983 Wizards and Warriors Marko 8 episodes 1983 Travis McGeeWright FletcherTelevision film 1983 Cheers Wally Bodell Episode: "They Called Me Mayday" 1983 The Love Boat Leonard Gluck Episode: "Dee Dee's Dilemma/Julie's Blind Date/The Prize Winner" 1984–1987 Family Ties Various 3 episodes 1984 Calamity Jane Will Lull Television film 1984 The Duck Factory Bumps Carmichael Episode: "The Children's Half Hour" 1984 Partners in Crime Harmon Shain 12 episodes 1985 Newhart Mr. Thurman Episode: "My Fair Larry" 1985 Trapper John, M. D. Dr. Harry DenmoreEpisode: "Go for Broker" 1985 I Had Three WivesJohnny ShoreEpisode: "You and I Know" 1985 Hollywood BeatHarvey MinickEpisode: "The Long Weekend" 1985–1986 Tall Tales & Legends Van Epps / Zeke 2 episodes 1985 The A Team Joe Skrylow Episode: "There Goes the Neighbourhood" 1985 RiptideRobin Loxley / Robin DuncanEpisode: "Robin and Marian" 1985 227EddieEpisode: "The Big Piano Play Off" 1986 Hardcastle and McCormick Conyo Episode: "In the Eye of the Beholder" 1986 Many Happy Returns Darryl Webb Television film 1986 ThrobPerry MasonEpisode: "Our Song" 1986 Designing Women Mason Dodd Episode: "A Big Affair" 1986 Falcon CrestDancer3 episodes 1986–1992 Night Court Various 5 episodes 1987 Shell Game Norman van Delken Episode: "Norman's Parking Ticket" 1987 Stillwatch Sid Sherman Television film 1987 Married with Children Violinist Episode: "Sixteen Years and What Do You Get" 1987–1992 Who's the Boss? Tiny McGee 4 episodes 1987 MoonlightingLeon SummersEpisode: "Tale in Two Cities" 1987 The Charmings Henry Giant Episode: "The Charmings and the Beanstalk" 1987–1989 Mr. Belvedere Alan 2 episodes 1987–1988 Dolly Bubba 10 episodes 1988 L. A. Law Mr. Hartvig Episode: "Full Marital Jacket" 1988 We Got It Made Orville Episode: "Mickey Times Two" 1988 Baja Oklahoma Private Eye Television film 1989 Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal Lenny Coles Television film 1989 Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure Police Officer Andy Glasscock Television film 1989 Wiseguy Jacobson Episode: "Sins of the Father" 1989 Horsin Around (TV series)|Horsin' Around Security Guard Episode: "Starstruck Sabrina" 1989 Open HouseStanEpisode: "In Vegas with Showgirls! : Part 1" 1989 Murder, She Wrote Howard Episode: "When the Fat Lady Sings" 1990 Twin Peaks Jacques Renault 3 episodes 1990 Matlock Bartender Episode: "No Where To Turn" 1990 Bagdad Cafe Bobby Episode: "City On A Hill" 1990 The FlashCallahanEpisode: "Shroud of Death" 1991 Life Goes On Nathan Episode: "Arthur" 1991 Brooklyn BridgeHappy FeltonEpisode: "Boys of Summer" 1992 Love & WarClaude RenaisEpisode: "Monday, Monday" 1993 Batman: The Animated Series Carmine Falcone (voice) 2 episodes 1993 Route 66George WiltonEpisode: "Everybody's a Hero" 1993–1996 Grace Under Fire Dougie Boudreau 48 episodes 1995 The Good Old Boys 'Fat' Gervin Television film 1996 Seinfeld Nick Episode: "The Cadillac" 1997 Profiler Sanitorum Director Episode: "Shattered Silence" 1997 Pronto Jimmy 'The Cap' Capotorto Television film 1998 Michael Hayes Albert Parker Episode: "Mob Mentality" 1998 The VisitorOzzie FaulknerEpisode: "The Chain" 1998 The Wonderful World of Disney Mr. Bloom Episode: "Tourist Trap" 1998 Sliders The Boss Episode: "World Killer" 1998 Chicago Hope Harry Zakovitch Episode: "Austin, We Have a Problem" 1999 The Wayans Bros. Ernie Episode: "Saving Private Marlon" 1999 Beyond Belief: Fact or FictionOtto Schenkel2 episodes 1999 Dharma & Greg Howie Episode: "Bed, Bath, And Beyond" 1999 G vs E Gus Wine Episode: "To Be or Not to be Evil" 2000 Arliss Episode: "The Sum of the Parts" 2001 ER Georgia's Man Episode: "Surrender" 2002 Everwood Mike O'Connell Episode: "Turf Wars" 2017 Twin Peaks Jean Michel Renault 2 episodes