Ernie Sabella

Infobox actor
name = Ernie Sabella


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caption = Ernie Sabella as Sancho Panza on "Quantum Leap"
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birthdate = birth date and age|1949|9|19
birthplace = Westchester, New York
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Ernie Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor.

Biography and career

Born in Westchester, New York, Sabella graduated from Westlake High School in Thornwood, New York. Sabella then went on to graduate from the University of Miami, where he studied at the Department of Theatre Arts and performed at the university's highly-regarded Jerry Herman Ring Theatre.

His stage credits include "The Robber Bridegroom" (1978), "Little Johnny Jones" (1982), "Guys and Dolls" (1992), "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" (1996), "Chicago" (1996), "Man of La Mancha" (2002, as Sancho Panza) and "Sweet Charity" (2005). Film credits include "Quiz Show" (1994) as the car salesman, "In & Out" (1997) as Aldo Hooper, Disney's "The Lion King" (1994) and multiple sequels and spin-offs as Pumbaa. He also has worked with Nathan Lane, who had voiced Timon, in "Guys and Dolls", "Mousehunt" and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". In the latter production, Sabella portrayed Marcus Lycus while Lane played Pseudolus.

On television, Sabella played store owner Donald Twinkacetti on "Perfect Strangers" (1986-1987). He also played Leo in the short-lived Nathan Lane situation comedy "Encore! Encore!" (1998-1999). Sabella also had a five-episode stint on "Saved by the Bell" as Leon Carosi, an uptight resort manager who employed the main cast's characters. Leah Remini was featured as his daughter. His other recurring roles include the lazy teacher Mr. Petrachelli on "That's So Raven", and characters on "Hill Street Blues" and "Newhart". In the "Quantum Leap" episode "Catch a Falling Star", he played the dual role of Manny, a stage actor, and Sancho Panza, Manny's character in a touring production of "Man of La Mancha". Sabella had a brief but memorable appearance as a naked man on a subway train in a 1992 episode of "Seinfeld" entitled, appropriately, "The Subway". He also starred in a series of television commercials for NyQuil cold medicine in 1994, and was recently seen in a Mastercard commercial (2007).

Sabella is currently co-starring as Sidney Bernstein in the Broadway musical comedy "Curtains", which opened officially on March 22, 2007. [cite news
last = Bacalzo
first = Dan
coauthors =
title = Full Cast Set for Broadway's Curtains: Ernie Sabella Joins Musical
work = TM Theater News
pages =
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publisher = TheaterMania Inc.
date = 2007-01-04
url = http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/9799
accessdate = 2007-01-12 ]

References

External links

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* [http://www.nndb.com/people/030/000132631/ Ernie Sabella at Notable Names Database]