Michael Constantine
Biography
Michael Constantine was an American actor born as Gus Efstratiou on May 22, 1927, in Reading, Pennsylvania, and he passed away on August 31, 2021, at the age of 94. He was widely recognized for portraying Kostas Gus Portokalos, the Greek father of Toula Portokalos played by Nia Vardalos, in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Earlier in his career, he earned acclaim and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1970 for his television work as high school principal Seymour Kaufman on the ABC comedy-drama Room 222. He received further recognition from the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards the following year. During his career, he accumulated 150 known acting credits.
Career overview
Michael Constantine was an American actor born as Gus Efstratiou on May 22, 1927, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Throughout his career, he accumulated 150 known acting credits in movies and television shows. He passed away on August 31, 2021, at the age of 94.
He is most widely recognized for his film role as Kostas Gus Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos, played by Nia Vardalos, in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Earlier in his career, he earned acclaim for his television work, particularly for portraying the long-suffering high school principal Seymour Kaufman on the ABC comedy-drama Room 222. For his performance on the series, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1970, and he received further recognition from both the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards the following year.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
169 titles- My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023) In Memory Of
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) as Kostas "Gus" Portokalos
- Cold Case (2003) as Archie Randall (2007)
- My Big Fat Greek Life (2003) as Gus Portokalos
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) as Kostas "Gus" Portokalos
- WW3 (2001) as Yuri Zenkovsky
- Judging Amy (1999) as Elias Kelikidis
- Thinner (1996) as Tadzu Lempke
- The Juror (1996) as Judge Weitzel
- New York News (1995)
- Because Mommy Works (1994) as Elliot
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) as Jim Scinta
- My Life (1993) as Bill Ivanovich
- Deadfall (1993) as Frank
- By a Thread (1992) as Anthony Gallucci
- Law & Order (1990) as Dan Barnett
- Law & Order (1990) as Joshua Berger
- Snoops (1989) as Captain Bauer
- Mancuso, F.B.I. (1989) as Angelo De Paulo
- Free Spirit (1989) as Mr. Goodwinn
- Prancer (1989) as Mr. Stewart / Santa
- Question of Faith (1988) as Doctor Rudolph
- Probe (1988) as Truman
- Friday the 13th: The Series (1987) as Ray Dallion
- In the Mood (1987) as Mr. Wisecarver
- Blacke's Magic (1986) as Victor Kroeger
- Daniel and the Lion's Den (1986) as (voice)
- MacGyver (1985) as Hungarian Inspector Jan Messic
- MacGyver (1985) as Sam Leland
- The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible (1985) as (voice)
- Pray for Death (1985) as Mr. Newman
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Laszlo Dolby
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Ben Gibbons
- Hunter (1984) as Harvey Falk
- Airwolf (1984) as President Marios Guzman
- Airwolf (1984) as Dr. Vladimir Bronski
- Highway to Heaven (1984) as Dr. Dan Hickey
- Finder of Lost Loves (1984) as Mr. Harding
- Crazy like a Fox (1984) as Police Inspector
- Mama's Family (1983) as Judge Willard E. Packard
- Masquerade (1983) as Vasily Petrov
- Remington Steele (1982) as George Edward Mulch
- American Playhouse (1982) as Yianni
- Hotel (1982) as Mr. Tomasino
- Matt Houston (1982) as Police Chief
- It Takes Two (1982) as Judge Beilin
- Forty Days of Musa Dagh (1982) as Talaat Pasha
- Silent Rebellion (1982) as Yianni
- Simon & Simon (1981) as Robert Corman
- Simon & Simon (1981) as Dr. John Longstrand
- Simon & Simon (1981) as Ernie Petrolik
- Darkroom (1981) as Monsieur De Paris
- Evita Peron (1981) as Jaime Yankelevich
- Magnum, P.I. (1980) as Judge Kearns
- Palmerstown, U.S.A. (1980) as Bennett
- The Love Tapes (1980) as Frank Yost
- Trapper John, M.D. (1979) as Max Wyatt
- Roots: The Next Generations (1979) as Dr. Vansina
- The North Avenue Irregulars (1979) as Marv
- Crisis in Mid-Air (1979) as Frank Piovano
- Vega$ (1978) as Arnie Moss
- The Pirate (1978) as Yashir
- Summer of My German Soldier (1978) as Harry Bergen
- The Love Boat (1977) as Charlie Haskins
- Lou Grant (1977) as Sidney Kovac
- Lou Grant (1977) as Joe Lombardi
- The Pirate (1977) as Yashir
- 79 Park Avenue (1977) as Ben Savitch
- Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid (1977) as Dr. Silver
- Quincy, M.E. (1976) as Brock Campbell
- Quincy, M.E. (1976) as Dr. George Pendleton
- Quincy, M.E. (1976) as Dr. Arthur Ciotti
- Voyage of the Damned (1976) as Luis Clasing
- Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (1976) as The Sorcerer
- Sirota's Court (1976) as Judge Matthew Sirota
- Wanted: The Sundance Woman (1976) as Dave Riley
- Twin Detectives (1976) as Ben Sampson
- Ellery Queen (1975) as Leo Robert Campbell
- The Night That Panicked America (1975) as Jess Wingate
- Conspiracy of Terror (1975)
- Peeper (1975) as Anglich
- The Secret Night Caller (1975) as Dr, Mayhill
- Police Woman (1974) as Ralph
- The Manhunter (1974) as Warden Lewis
- Death Cruise (1974) as Dr. Burke
- Big Rose (1974) as Gunther
- Kojak (1973) as Don 'Cheech' Frank Scalesi
- The Bait (1973) as Captain Gus Maryk
- The Streets of San Francisco (1972) as Al Davies
- Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole (1972) as Dr. Sweeney
- Deadly Harvest (1972) as Stefan Groza
- McMillan & Wife (1971) as Dr. Eisner
- The Impatient Heart (1971) as Murray Kane
- Suddenly Single (1971) as Frankie Ventura
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) as Mike Cooper
- Night Gallery (1970) as Wellman (segment "The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes")
- The Odd Couple (1970) as Bill Green
- Love, American Style (1969) as Fred
- Room 222 (1969) as Seymour Kaufman
- The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969) as Charles Milaney
- The Reivers (1969) as Mr. Binford
- If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969) as Jack Harmon
- Justine (1969) as Memlik Pasha
- Don't Drink the Water (1969) as Krojack
- The Name of the Game (1968) as Jay Johnson
- The Good Guys (1968) as Larry Tomack
- Skidoo (1968) as Leech
- In Enemy Country (1968) as Ladislov
- Ironside (1967) as Harry Brancusi
- The Invaders (1967) as Dr. Martin Willard
- The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) as Self - Commentor (uncredited)
- The Flying Nun (1967) as Juan
- The Danny Thomas Hour (1967) as Demetrios
- Dundee and the Culhane (1967) as Jonathan Putnam
- Ghostbreakers (1967) as Oscar Jensen
- Mission: Impossible (1966) as Janos
- T.H.E. Cat (1966) as Silvio
- Hey Landlord! (1966) as John 'Jack' Ellenhorn
- Hawaii (1966) as Mason
- Beau Geste (1966) as Rostov
- Hogan's Heroes (1965) as Captain Heinrich
- Run for Your Life (1965) as Colonel Shoner
- Quick, Before It Melts (1965) as Mikhail Drozhensky
- 12 O'Clock High (1964) as Gen. Nikolai Vorodenko
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) as Dr. Brand
- Profiles in Courage (1964) as Watson
- The Fugitive (1963) as Ernie Svoboda
- The Fugitive (1963) as Lt. Ben Wyckoff
- The Fugitive (1963) as Arthur 'Art' Howe
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Niri
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Steve Jenkins
- The Outer Limits (1963) as Joe Dix
- My Favorite Martian (1963) as Collins
- My Favorite Martian (1963) as Leonardo da Vinci
- Arrest and Trial (1963) as Dr. Graham
- Arrest and Trial (1963) as Dr. Fowler
- The Great Adventure (1963) as Colonel Streight
- The Greatest Show on Earth (1963) as Verducci
- Channing (1963) as Nick
- The Dakotas (1963) as John Marshak
- Island of Love (1963) as Andy
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Virginian (1962) as Stavros Karas
- The Virginian (1962) as Private Essex Kanin
- The Virginian (1962) as John Halstead
- Combat! (1962) as Jacques Patron
- The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962) as Aristos
- The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962) as Hata - Town Elder
- Sam Benedict (1962) as Judge Sherman Tower
- The Beachcomber (1962) as Maurice Martone
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) as Leslie Merkle
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Dr. Ernest Miller
- Ben Casey (1961) as Engineer Andersen
- Cain's Hundred (1961) as Herbert Lorgan
- The New Breed (1961) as Oscar Holloway
- Target: The Corruptors! (1961) as Chief Swenson
- The Hustler (1961) as Big John
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Charlie Koch
- The Untouchables (1959) as Edmund Wald
- The Detectives (1959) as Salvatore Tropolis
- The Last Mile (1959) as Ed Werner
- Naked City (1958) as Vito Calageras
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Sylvio Fiore
- Perry Mason (1957) as Dillard
- Perry Mason (1957) as Pappy Ryan
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Baca
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Noah Meek
- Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950) as Committee Chairman
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Michael Constantine best known for?
Michael Constantine is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016), Wet Hot American Summer (2001), The Jayhawkers! (1959).
When and where was Michael Constantine born?
Michael Constantine was born on May 22, 1927 in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA. They passed away on August 31, 2021.
How many credits does Michael Constantine have?
Michael Constantine has accumulated over 169 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1944 to 2023.
What is Michael Constantine's background in cinema and television?
Michael Constantine was an American actor born as Gus Efstratiou on May 22, 1927, in Reading, Pennsylvania, and he passed away on August 31, 2021, at the age of 94. He was widely recognized for portraying Kostas Gus Portokalos, the Greek father of Toula Portokalos played by Nia Vardalos, in the 2002 film My Big Fat Gre...
Michael Constantine by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Charlie Koch — aged about 32
- Arrest and Trial (1963) as Dr. Graham — aged about 36
- Arrest and Trial (1963) as Dr. Fowler — aged about 36
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) as Jim Scinta — aged about 66
- The Untouchables (1959) as Edmund Wald — aged about 32
- Cold Case (2003) as Archie Randall (2007) — aged about 76
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