Don Amendolia

Don Amendolia is an American actor born in 1944 in Woodbury, New Jersey, who was raised in Glassboro, New Jersey. His introduction to performance came through a minor role in a school play at Camden Catholic High School, and he continued pursuing acting as a student at Glassboro State College, now known as Rowan University.

Amendolia built an extensive television career across several decades. He portrayed Big Al Kennedy on the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach and held recurring roles on Twin Peaks, Night Court, and It's Garry Shandling's Show. His guest appearances spanned a wide range of series, including Cheers, Newhart, Family Ties, Life Goes On, Valerie, Perfect Strangers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Ellen, Seinfeld, and Law & Order. He also directed one episode of Growing Pains and two episodes of Harry and the Hendersons.

On the film side, Amendolia appeared in Wayne's World (1992), Fearless (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Boogie Nights (1997), and Bounce (2000). He also provided acting instruction and assigned physical workouts to the cast of Purple Rain.

Amendolia's Broadway career spans from 1983 to 2009 and includes productions of My One and Only, Stepping Out, and 33 Variations. His connection to Wicked took two distinct forms: he directed the rotating cast of an Off-Broadway production of the show, and he played the Wizard on the second national tour of the musical, with his first performance in that role on December 9, 2009, replacing Tom McGowan.