Nick Sandow (born August 3, 1966) is an American character actor,[2] writer, producer and director, best known for his role as Joe Caputo in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019).

Nick Sandow
Born (1966-08-03) August 3, 1966 (age 58)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
  • producer
  • director
Years active1991–present
Children2[1]

Early life

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Of Italian descent,[1][3] Sandow grew up in the Italian neighborhood of Van Nest in the Bronx.[4][5] He moved to Manhattan around age 19 to study acting under William Esper Studio in the Two-Year Professional Actor Training Program and work in theater.[6][5][1]

Career

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Sandow made his debut appearing in an episode of television series Law & Order in 1992 and worked as a bartender while taking small acting jobs in New York City.[1] He appeared in a number of films, such as Grind (1997), A Brooklyn State of Mind (1998), Return to Paradise (1998) and On the Run (1999). Sandow performed in the 1999 off-Broadway production of Halfway Home.[7] He played mobster Henry Hill in the 2001 made-for-television crime drama film, The Big Heist. Sandow guest-starred on New York Undercover, Third Watch, NYPD Blue, Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, How to Make It in America and Blue Bloods.[6] He began his directing career in theater on Off-Off-Broadway directing Dark Yellow, Chicken and From Riverdale to Riverhead.[8] In 2011 he directed the immigrant drama film, Ponies based on play with the same name.[9]

In 2013, Sandow was cast in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black, as prison administrator Joe Caputo, was originally supposed to have been for a handful of episodes for the show's first season. Instead, his role was expanded during the second season, and Sandow was made a series regular with the start of the third season.[6][10] He received three Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with the cast.[2] In 2015 he wrote, directed and acted in The Wannabe. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later got a wider release.[6] In 2017 he received News and Documentary Emmy Awards nomination for producing the documentary series, Time: The Kalief Browder Story.[11] In 2021 he was regular cast member in the short-lived CBS crime drama series, Clarice.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 Hand Gun Earl's Man Max
1996 The Mouse Shamster #1
No Exit Lenny Bentini
1997 Arresting Gena Paul
Grind Lenny
One Night Stand Mugger
1998 A Brooklyn State of Mind Vincent Stanco
No Looking Back Goldie
Come To Johnny Short film
Return to Paradise Ravitch
Living Out Loud Santi's Man
1999 On the Run Jack
Uninvited Ed
2000 The Day the Ponies Come Back Joey
2001 The Big Heist Henry Hill TV film
Plan B Tommy
Dust White Trash
New Port South Armstrong
2002 Swimfan Detective John Zabel
2004 Connie and Carla Al
2005 The Collection Several characters
2007 Resurrecting the Champ Marciano
The Lovebirds Lenny
Mitch Albom's For One More Day Sales Manager TV film
2008 The Accidental Husband Larry
Good Old Days Dave Short film
2009 The Hungry Ghosts Gus
Frame of Mind Jimmy
2011 The Sitter Officer Frank
2012 The Fitzgerald Family Christmas Corey
Two People He Never Saw Eddie Short film
2013 The Cold Lands Foreman
Promised Land Greg Short film
Dead Travis In Travis Short film
All Roads Lead Samuel Carter
2014 Zarra's Law Sal
2015 Houses Also producer
Meadowland Garza
The Wannabe Anthony Also director and writer
2016 Full Stop to an Infernal Planet Lt. McCauley
2017 Patti Cake$ Ray
2018 Cabaret Maxime Dominic
Stella's Last Weekend Ron
2023 The Unheard Hank

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 Law & Order Officer Nelson Episode: "Blood Is Thicker..."
1995–1996 New York Undercover Henry / White UNI 2 episodes
1996 Law & Order Pete Pogosian Episode: "Deadbeat"
Due South Barry Pappas Episode: "Body Language"
1999 Law & Order Andy Grenada Episode: "Hunters"
2000–2002 Third Watch Joe Lombardo 12 episodes
2003 NYPD Blue Ray Wilentz Episode: "Frickin' Fracker"
The Jury Mr. Krause Episode: "Three Boys and a Gun"
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Det. Albert Kirkoff Episode: "Unchained"
2006 Six Degrees Louie Episode: "Pilot"
2008 New Amsterdam Frank Episode: "Keep the Change"
2010 Mercy Scott's Dad Episode: "I Did Kill You, Didn't I?"
How to Make It in America Father Dan 3 episodes
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent ADA Roydell Getty Episode: "The Mobster Will See You Now"
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Doug Kersten Episode: "Class"
2010–2011 Blue Bloods Lt. Alex Bello 4 episodes
2011 Nurse Jackie Anthony Donovan Episode: "Have You Met Mrs Jones?"
CSI: Miami Larry Gramercy Episode: "Crowned"
2011–2012 Boardwalk Empire Waxey Gordon 3 episodes
2012 Unforgettable William "Bud" Spence Episode: "Butterfly Effect"
2013–2019 Orange Is The New Black Joe Caputo 80 episodes
Directed 5 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015–17)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Det. Ted McCormack Episode: "Perverted Justice"
2021 Clarice Murray Clarke Main role

Theatre

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  • Halfway Home, Theatre at St. Clements, New York, 1999
  • Baptism By Fire, Studio Dante, New York City, 2004
  • Henry Flamethrow, Studio Dante, New York City, 2005 (Director)[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Nick Sandow". TVGuide.com.
  2. ^ a b "Nick Sandow | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  3. ^ Moore, Camille (2021-01-15). "10 Things You Didn't Know about Nick Sandow". TVOvermind. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  4. ^ Mars, Alexandre (1 May 2017). "#DoingWellByDoingGood: An Interview with Nick Sandow, Joe Caputo from Orange Is the New Black, on…". Medium. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b Shaw, Dan (4 December 2015). "Nick Sandow, of 'Orange Is the New Black,' at Home". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d Hegedus, Eric (7 July 2015). "Meet the warden who rules the roost on 'OITNB'". New York Post. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Halfway Home". www.iobdb.com.
  8. ^ Moore, Frazier. "On 'Orange,' Nick Sandow excels by more than a whisker". nwitimes.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  9. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (July 12, 2012). "The Seedy Betting Parlor Where Dreams Go to Die" – via NYTimes.com.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (6 May 2014). "Nick Sandow & Selenis Leyva Upped To Regulars On 'Orange Is The New Black'; Damon Wayans Jr. On 'New Girl'". Deadline. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  11. ^ https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019-40th-news-doc-emmy-awards-nominations-final-wm-cropped.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  12. ^ "Nick Sandow". About the Artists.
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