11 Facts About Don Calfa

Donald George Calfa was an American film and television character actor whose credits spanned over 40 years, playing both comedic and dramatic roles.

Don Calfa was born on December 3,1939, in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Ozone Park, Queens and later West Hempstead, Long Island.

Don Calfa promptly dropped out of high school to join a theater workshop, eventually joining both the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.

Don Calfa worked steadily in both film and television for over 40 years, and worked alongside such high-profile actors and directors as Warren Beatty, Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.

Don Calfa was perhaps best known for his major role in the 1985 cult horror-comedy The Return of the Living Dead, in which he played the eccentric, gun-toting, and bleached-blonde mortician Ernie Kaltenbrunner.

In 1993, Don Calfa was set to play the character Colonel Peck in Return of the Living Dead III, but had to pull out of production for personal reasons.

Don Calfa remained good friends with the rest of the Living Dead cast and crew, and made appearances alongside them at horror conventions and screenings of the film across the United States.

Don Calfa played 7 different characters on 7 episodes of Barney Miller.

Don Calfa was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Don Calfa was married to Trixie Flynn ; the union ended in divorce.

Don Calfa died on December 1,2016, at his home in Yucca Valley, California, two days before his 77th birthday.