Pepe Serna

Durable MexicanAmerican actor Pepe Serna has appeared in more than 100 feature films and 300 television shows but is most recognized for his gritty support performances in a variety of motion pictures including Scarface 1983 as Al Pacinos illfated cocaine partner as well as the western Silverado 1985 with Kevin Costner the crime yarn The Rookie 1990 starring Clint Eastwood and Charlie Sheen and the drama American Me 1992 starring Edward James Olmos In a career surpassing five decades Pepes characters have played on both sides of the law from drug peddlers to sheriffs He was born and raised in Corpus Christi Texas on July 23 1944 the son of a naval base interpreter for Latin American pilots and a hairdresser His desires to become an actor happened early in life moving to Hollywood in 1969 to finally pursue his dreams He didnt have to wait long to find steady Latino work on film and TV Making an inauspicious debut in the exploitation film The Student Nurses 1970 Pepe found more A quality work after being discovered by producer Hal B Wallis for the comingofage film Tim Belcher starring Richard Thomas and Catherine Burns and the western Shoot Out 1971 starring Gregory Peck Specializing in urban streetwise roles he went on to mix a number of popular films The New Centurions 1972 The Day of the Locust 1975 Car Wash 1976 A Force of One 1979 Walk Proud 1979 Honeysuckle Rose 1980 Inside Moves 1980 Deal of the Century 1983 Red Dawn 1984 Caddyshack II 1988 with a slew of popular TV crime dramas such as Mannix Police Story Adam12 The Rookies The Rockford Files Baretta Kojak CHiPs Barney Miller Scarecrow Mrs King TJ Hooker Simon Simon Hill Street Blues Miami Vice Cagney Lacey and Diagnosis Murder Long married to wife Diane Pepe is a noted keynote teacher and motivational speaker who tours colleges and universities His strong sideline as a painter has been met with critical success having been commissioned quite frequently His vibrant paintings and oneman stage shows reflect a serious return to his Mexican roots and was the subject of the 2015 short documentary Life Is Art