Robert Hegyes
Known for: Acting
Robert Hegyes was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to an Hungarian-American father, Stephen, and an Italian-American mother, Marie Dominica (Cocozza). He is the eldest of their children. The others are: Mark Hegyes, MD - Billings, Montana, Ms. Stephanie Hegyes - Princeton, New Jersey, and Ms. Elizabeth Cocozza - Los Angeles, California. Robert began studying acting in earnest at Metuchen High School under the direction of Dr. Barton Shepard, Ph.D, in the mid-1960s. He was accepted into the Theater Program at Rown University of New Jersey (formerly Glassboro State College) and, in the early 1970s, graduated with a BA in Theater & Secondary Education. Hegyes then ventured into New York City to practice his trade, immediately taking up with the "Greenwich Village Children's Repertory Companies", "Theater in a Trunk", and "The NYC Children's Puppet Ensemble". In short order Robert hooked up with his third Greenwhich Village troupe, "Jack LaRumpa's Flying Drum & Kazoo Band", performing improvisational anti-war comedy in Washington Square and the Provincetown Playhouse. Within a year of graduating from Rowan, Hegyes was cast to co-star in the Manhattan Theater Club Emsmble's highly-acclaimed drama, "Naomi Court", which starred another young actor, Brad Davis (of Midnight Express (1978)). After completing that successful engagement Robert was tapped to co-star for Tony Award-winning actor/director Len Cariou, A Little Night Music (1977) & Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982), in the Broadway drama, "Don't Call Back", starring Arlene Francis at the Helen Hayes Theater. It was during the run of that Broadway drama that he was cast by producer James Komack to star in the award-winning comedy series, Welcome Back, Kotter (1975) and, at the age of twenty-five, became one of the show's directors. Robert has guest-starred in over thirty episodic series, including Saturday Night Live (1975) with host Quentin Tarantino, Diagnosis Murder (1993) with Dick Van Dyke and The Drew Carey Show (1995). He has starred in the award-nominated "Passat" commercial, "The Chase", for director Kinka Usher and in the feature films, Honeymoon Hotel (2004) opposite Jane Kaczmarek, Underground Aces (1981) with Melanie Griffith, Bob Roberts (1992) for director Tim Robbins, Purpose (2002) starring Mia Farrow, and Bar Hopping (2000) alongside Kevin Nealon. Hegyes made his Los Angeles stage debut to rave notices as Chico Marx in Arthur Marx's play, "An Evening with Groucho", and was shortly thereafter cast as a series regular starring in the award-winning drama, Cagney & Lacey (1981). Robert has been awarded a lifetime artist-in-residence status at his alma mater and has taught there and continues to guest lecture regularly. He is also a California Certified Secondary Education Teacher and teaches for the Los Angeles Unified School District at Venice High School. As a long-time resident of Venice, California, Robert and partner Craig Titley, (Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)) developed the original Internet series, "The Venice Walk".
Filmography
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self (uncredited)
1975
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Guest
1961
Series
Diagnosis: Murder
Mr. Wolf
1993
Series
The Love Boat
Danny
1977
Series
The Drew Carey Show
Robert Hegyes
1995
Series
Cagney & Lacey
Manny Esposito
1982
Series
NewsRadio
Al
1995
Series
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
Series
CHiPs
1977
Series
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self
1972
Series
Battle of the Network Stars
1976
Series
Donny & Marie
Self
1976
Series
L.A. Heat
1999
Series
Welcome Back, Kotter
Juan Epstein
1975
$weepstake$
1979
Series
So Little Time
Vice Principal Connor
2001
Series
The Brady Bunch Hour
1977
Film
Bob Roberts
Ernesto Galleano
1992
Living in TV Land
2004
Film
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration
Self
2003
Film
Kill Crazy
Harry Durosa
1990
Film
Bar Hopping
Unseen Customer
2000
Lewis & Clark
1981
Film
Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers
Reader
1991
Cos
1976
Film
Law and Order
Angelo
1976
Film
The Pandora Project
Enrique Gutierrez
1998
Film
Underground Aces
Tico
1981
Film
Cagney & Lacey: The Return
Esposito
1994
Just Tell Me You Love Me
Ricky
1978
A Cry for Love
Pizza Counterman
1980
E. Nick: A Legend in His Own Mind
Raoul
1984
Film
For Lovers Only
Frankie Spoleto
1982