Don Amendolia

Don Amendolia (born 1944) is an American actor.

Born in 1944 in Woodbury, New Jersey, Amendolia was raised in Glassboro, New Jersey. He had a minor part in a school play at Camden Catholic High School and started acting as a student at Glassboro State College (since renamed as Rowan University).

He played Big Al Kennedy in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach and had recurring roles on Twin Peaks, Night Court, and It's Garry Shandling's Show. He also guest-starred on Cheers, Newhart, Family Ties, Life Goes On, Valerie, Perfect Strangers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Ellen, Seinfeld, and Law & Order.

He appeared in movies like Wayne's World (1992), Fearless (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Boogie Nights (1997), and Bounce (2000).

Amendolia directed one episode of Growing Pains and two episodes of Harry and the Hendersons. He has appeared on Broadway in 33 Variations, Stepping Out, and My One and Only. He directed the rotating cast of the Off-Broadway show, Wicked. He also played the Wizard on the second national tour of the musical Wicked. He played his first performance on December 9, 2009, replacing Tom McGowan.

Amendolia gave acting lessons and assigned workouts to the cast of the film Purple Rain.