G.W. Bailey
Born: Aug. 27, 1944 in Port Arthur, Texas
G.W. Bailey attended Thomas Jefferson High School before going on to Lamar University in Beaumont and Texas Tech University in Lubbock where he received his B.A. Bailey spent three years at the Lubbock Theatre Center as Artistic Director of the high school workshop program. His wife, June, suggested that he travel to Chicago to audition for TCG, an organization representing repertory companies across the nation. The audition won him an assignment to the well-known Actor's Theatre of Louisville where Bailey spent three seasons honing his craft in a wide range of productions including Next, MacBeth, The Pirates of Penzance, and That Championship Season.
Later, the challenge of films and television brought Bailey to California, where he soon found himself actively involved as a director. During three seasons at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego's National Shakespeare Festival, he appeared as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Ajax in Troilus and Cressida, Frederick in As You Like It, and Kent in King Lear.
It was while appearing in a production of “As You Like It” that Bailey auditioned for what turned out to be a recurring role as Staff Sergeant Luther Rizzo in M*A*S*H (TV-Series 1979-83).
He has gone on to entertain millions worldwide in television and feature films, including a recurring role (Captain Thaddeus Harris) in the Police Academy movies (1984-1994). He currently has a recurring role on the television show “Major Crimes”, reprising his character Detective Lieutenant Louie Provenza from “The Closer” (2005 - 2012).
Since 2001 he has also served as the Executive Director of the Sunshine Kids Foundation, which provides trips and activities for hundreds of young cancer patients annually.
