Dan Ziskie, a prolific TV character actor with a career spanning over four decades, died on July 21 in New York due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He was 80.
Ziskie’s family described him as “a man of remarkable talent and a keen observer of life.” Born on August 13, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, he pursued both athletics and the arts at the University of Michigan before joining Chicago’s Second City comedy club.
The Second City training helped Ziskie land his Broadway debut in 1980 as an understudy in “Morning’s at Seven” and subsequent roles in “I’m Not Rappaport” and “After The Fall.” He appeared in numerous TV shows, including “American Playhouse,” “Murphy Brown,” “L.A. Law,” and “ER.”
Ziskie’s notable TV appearances include a three-season arc on HBO’s “Treme” as C.J. Liquori and recurring roles on Netflix’s “House of Cards” as Vice President Jim Mathews. He also appeared in films like “Adventures in Babysitting” and “Troop Beverly Hills.”
In addition to his acting career, Ziskie was a dedicated photographer, with his first monograph published in 2017.
Ziskie is survived by his brother David, sister-in-law Cynthia, nephews Jesse, Brett, and Austin, and other extended family.
Source: https://deadline.com/2025/08/dan-ziskie-dead-1236489619