Nick Sandow (born August 3, 1966) is an American character actor,[2] writer, producer and director, best known for his role as Joe Caputo in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019).
Nick Sandow
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| Born | (1966-08-03) August 3, 1966 (age 57)
The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
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| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
| Children | 2[1] |
OfItalian descent,[1][3] Sandow grew up in the Italian neighborhood of Van Nestinthe Bronx.[4][5] He moved to Manhattan around age 19 to study acting under William Esper Studio in the Two-Year Professional Actor Training Program and work in theater.[6][5][1]
Sandow made his debut appearing in an episode of television series Law & Order in 1992 and worked as a bartender while taking small acting jobs in New York City.[1] He appeared in a number of films, such as Grind (1997), A Brooklyn State of Mind (1998), Return to Paradise (1998) and On the Run (1999). Sandow performed in the 1999 off-Broadway production of Halfway Home.[7] He played mobster Henry Hill in the 2001 made-for-television crime drama film, The Big Heist. Sandow guest-starred on New York Undercover, Third Watch, NYPD Blue, Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, How to Make It in America and Blue Bloods.[6] He began his directing career in theater on Off-Off-Broadway directing Dark Yellow, Chicken and From Riverdale to Riverhead.[8] In 2011 he directed the immigrant drama film, Ponies based on play with the same name.[9]
In 2013, Sandow was cast in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black, as prison administrator Joe Caputo, was originally supposed to have been for a handful of episodes for the show's first season. Instead, his role was expanded during the second season, and Sandow was made a series regular with the start of the third season.[6][10] He received three Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with the cast.[2] In 2015 he wrote, directed and acted in The Wannabe. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later got a wider release.[6] In 2017 he received News and Documentary Emmy Awards nomination for producing the documentary series, Time: The Kalief Browder Story.[11] In 2021 he was regular cast member in the short-lived CBS crime drama series, Clarice.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hand Gun | Earl's Man Max | |
| 1996 | The Mouse | Shamster #1 | |
| No Exit | Lenny Bentini | ||
| 1997 | Arresting Gena | Paul | |
| Grind | Lenny | ||
| One Night Stand | Mugger | ||
| 1998 | A Brooklyn State of Mind | Vincent Stanco | |
| No Looking Back | Goldie | ||
| Come To | Johnny | Short film | |
| Return to Paradise | Ravitch | ||
| Living Out Loud | Santi's Man | ||
| 1999 | On the Run | Jack | |
| Uninvited | Ed | ||
| 2000 | The Day the Ponies Come Back | Joey | |
| 2001 | The Big Heist | Henry Hill | TV film |
| Plan B | Tommy | ||
| Dust | White Trash | ||
| New Port South | Armstrong | ||
| 2002 | Swimfan | Detective John Zabel | |
| 2004 | Connie and Carla | Al | |
| 2005 | The Collection | Several characters | |
| 2007 | Resurrecting the Champ | Marciano | |
| The Lovebirds | Lenny | ||
| Mitch Albom's For One More Day | Sales Manager | TV film | |
| 2008 | The Accidental Husband | Larry | |
| Good Old Days | Dave | Short film | |
| 2009 | The Hungry Ghosts | Gus | |
| Frame of Mind | Jimmy | ||
| 2011 | The Sitter | Officer Frank | |
| 2012 | The Fitzgerald Family Christmas | Corey | |
| Two People He Never Saw | Eddie | Short film | |
| 2013 | The Cold Lands | Foreman | |
| Promised Land | Greg | Short film | |
| Dead Travis In | Travis | Short film | |
| All Roads Lead | Samuel Carter | ||
| 2014 | Zarra's Law | Sal | |
| 2015 | Houses | Also producer | |
| Meadowland | Garza | ||
| The Wannabe | Anthony | Also director and writer | |
| 2016 | Full Stop to an Infernal Planet | Lt. McCauley | |
| 2017 | Patti Cake$ | Ray | |
| 2018 | Cabaret Maxime | Dominic | |
| Stella's Last Weekend | Ron | ||
| 2023 | The Unheard | Hank |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Law & Order | Officer Nelson | Episode: "Blood Is Thicker..." |
| 1995–1996 | New York Undercover | Henry / White UNI | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Law & Order | Pete Pogosian | Episode: "Deadbeat" |
| Due South | Barry Pappas | Episode: "Body Language" | |
| 1999 | Law & Order | Andy Grenada | Episode: "Hunters" |
| 2000–2002 | Third Watch | Joe Lombardo | 12 episodes |
| 2003 | NYPD Blue | Ray Wilentz | Episode: "Frickin' Fracker" |
| The Jury | Mr. Krause | Episode: "Three Boys and a Gun" | |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Det. Albert Kirkoff | Episode: "Unchained" |
| 2006 | Six Degrees | Louie | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2008 | New Amsterdam | Frank | Episode: "Keep the Change" |
| 2010 | Mercy | Scott's Dad | Episode: "I Did Kill You, Didn't I?" |
| How to Make It in America | Father Dan | 3 episodes | |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | ADA Roydell Getty | Episode: "The Mobster Will See You Now" |
| 2006 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Doug Kersten | Episode: "Class" |
| 2010–2011 | Blue Bloods | Lt. Alex Bello | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | Nurse Jackie | Anthony Donovan | Episode: "Have You Met Mrs Jones?" |
| CSI: Miami | Larry Gramercy | Episode: "Crowned" | |
| 2011–2012 | Boardwalk Empire | Waxey Gordon | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | Unforgettable | William "Bud" Spence | Episode: "Butterfly Effect" |
| 2013–2019 | Orange Is The New Black | Joe Caputo | 80 episodes Directed 5 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015–17) Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series |
| 2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Det. Ted McCormack | Episode: "Perverted Justice" |
| 2021 | Clarice | Murray Clarke | Main role |