Peter Riegert is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his roles as Donald "Boone" Schoenstein in Animal House, oil company executive "Mac" MacIntyre in Local Hero, pickle store owner Sam Posner in Crossing Delancey, Lt. Mitch Kellaway in The Mask, and glove manufacturer Lou Levov in American Pastoral. He directed the short film By Courier, for which he was nominated along with producer Ericka Frederick for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. On television, Riegert had a recurring role as crooked Newark Assemblyman and later State SenatorRonald Zellman in seasons three and four of the HBO series The Sopranos, appeared as George Moore in the first season of the FX series Damages, and portrayed Seth Green's father in the comedy series Dads. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance in the HBO film Barbarians at the Gate in 1993.
Early life
Riegert was born in the Bronx, the son of Lucille, a piano teacher, and Milton Riegert, a food wholesaler. Riegert grew up in Hartsdale, New York, and was raised in a non-observant Jewish household. He graduated from Ardsley High School in 1964 and later from the University at Buffalo. He worked at a number of jobs, including teaching, waiting tables, and as a social worker before settling on acting as a career.
Career
Stage
Riegert made his Broadway debut in the musicalDance with Me. Other Broadway credits include The Old Neighborhood, An American Daughter, The Nerd, and Censored Scenes From King Kong. Off-Broadway he has appeared in Road to Nirvana, The Birthday Party, Isn't It Romantic, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, and A Rosen by Any Other Name.
Film
Television
Riegert made his television debut in two episodes of M*A*S*H. He has also portrayed Newark Assemblyman and later New Jersey State Senator Ronald Zellman in The Sopranos and defense attorney Chauncey Zeirko in multiple episodes of . He starred opposite former girlfriend Bette Midler in the television adaptation of Gypsy and was featured in the HBO drama Barbarians at the Gate, then he starred as composer Jake Rubin in the miniseries Ellis Island, the final episode of Seinfeld as the president of NBC and the television movieBack When We Were Grownups, and he voiced the character of Max Weinstein in the controversial episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" of Family Guy. Riegert guest-starred in a Season 2 episode of Leverage as corrupt lawyer Peter Blanchard. In 2011, Riegert began a multi-episode arc on One Tree Hill as August Kellerman, Nathan's unforgiving college professor. Riegert appeared as the character George Moore in Season 1 of Damages. He also appears in a recurring role as Judge Harvey Winter in CBS' The Good Wife. He appeared in Dads as David Sachs, the father of Eli Sachs, played by Seth Green. Riegert also appeared in Seasons 3 and 4 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He made a multi-episode guest appearance in the second half of the Netflix original comedy series Disjointed.
Riegert narrated the audiobook of Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union, which was nominated for a 2008 Audie Award in literary fiction. He also narrated the audiobook of The Voyage of the Narwhal, a mid-19th century romance with the Arctic, and also read the stories of Raymond Carver. He was also the narrator for The First Basket, a documentary film on professional basketball's influence on Jewish culture.
