Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

'Chip Zien' (born 'Jerome Herbert Zien' in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 20, 1947) is an American actor. He is probably best known for playing the lead role of the Baker in the original Broadway production of Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim. Most recently, he played the role of Buzz Richards in Applause at City Center Encores!, and of Thénardier in the Broadway production of Les Misérables. Zien graduated from Whitefish Bay High School and later from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the President of Mask & Wig, the nation's oldest all-male collegiate musical comedy troupe. Since then he has appeared in numerous stage, screen and TV roles. His first major role was Marvin in William Finn's first musical, In Trousers. In its sequels, March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, this role was played by Michael Rupert, while Zien played Mendel, a role he reprised when these two one-act musicals were joined together and played Broadway as Falsettos. Several years later, Zien was featured in another Finn musical when he played a bizarre children's show host called Mr. Bungee in A New Brain. He also starred on Broadway in Grand Hotel (as Otto Kringelein), The Boys from Syracuse (as Dromio of Ephesus), The Suicide (as Victor Victorovich), and Ride the Winds (as Inari). He provided the voice of the title character in Howard the Duck. From 1999 to 2000, Zien had a recurring guest role on Now and Again as Gerald Misenbach. He has also had a recurring role on Law & Order as Attorney Cromwell. In 2005, Zien played the part of Goran in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Broadway. In 2006 he appeared in the critically acclaimed movie United 93 as Mark Rothenberg. He can be seen playing Dr. Marsh in the vampire comedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead.