James A. Luisi (November 2, 1928 â€" June 7, 2002) was an American
professional basketball player and actor. Luisi is perhaps best known
for his role as Lt. Doug Chapman, the apoplectic foil to detective Jim
Rockford, in a total of 23 episodes during Seasons 3 through 6 of the
television series The Rockford Files.Born in East Harlem, New York
City, Luisi attended St. Francis College on a basketball scholarship
before being drafted by the Boston Celtics in the sixth round of the
1951 N.B.A. draft. After serving in the US Army during the Korean War,
he played with the Baltimore Bullets for one year in the 1953-54
season. At 6'2" (1.88 m) and 180 lb (82 kg), he played guard for 31
games and averaged 3 points a game.Luisi then attended the American
Academy of Dramatic Arts, and appeared on Broadway in productions of
Alfie and Do I Hear a Waltz? as well as the original 1966 production
of Sweet Charity.From 1961 to the mid-1970s Luisi appeared on such
television shows as Naked City, The Rifleman, The Doctors (5
episodes), Bonanza (2 episodes), The F.B.I. (2 different roles in 2
episodes), Adam-12, Kojak (2 roles in a total of 3 episodes), Cannon,
Police Story (2 roles in a total of 3 episodes), The Rookies (2 roles
in 2 episodes), Mannix (2 roles in 2 episodes), Ironside, Barnaby
Jones (5 roles in 5 episodes), The Streets of San Francisco, Gunsmoke
(2 episodes), Chopper One and S.W.A.T.
professional basketball player and actor. Luisi is perhaps best known
for his role as Lt. Doug Chapman, the apoplectic foil to detective Jim
Rockford, in a total of 23 episodes during Seasons 3 through 6 of the
television series The Rockford Files.Born in East Harlem, New York
City, Luisi attended St. Francis College on a basketball scholarship
before being drafted by the Boston Celtics in the sixth round of the
1951 N.B.A. draft. After serving in the US Army during the Korean War,
he played with the Baltimore Bullets for one year in the 1953-54
season. At 6'2" (1.88 m) and 180 lb (82 kg), he played guard for 31
games and averaged 3 points a game.Luisi then attended the American
Academy of Dramatic Arts, and appeared on Broadway in productions of
Alfie and Do I Hear a Waltz? as well as the original 1966 production
of Sweet Charity.From 1961 to the mid-1970s Luisi appeared on such
television shows as Naked City, The Rifleman, The Doctors (5
episodes), Bonanza (2 episodes), The F.B.I. (2 different roles in 2
episodes), Adam-12, Kojak (2 roles in a total of 3 episodes), Cannon,
Police Story (2 roles in a total of 3 episodes), The Rookies (2 roles
in 2 episodes), Mannix (2 roles in 2 episodes), Ironside, Barnaby
Jones (5 roles in 5 episodes), The Streets of San Francisco, Gunsmoke
(2 episodes), Chopper One and S.W.A.T.
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