Pepe Serna
Durable Mexican-American 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 Pacino's ill-fated 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, Pepe's 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 didn't 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 coming-of-age 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," "Adam-12," "The Rookies," "The Rockford Files," "Baretta," "Kojak," "CHiPs," "Barney Miller," "Scarecrow & Mrs. King," "T.J. 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 one-man stage shows reflect a serious return to his Mexican roots and was the subject of the 2015 short documentary "Life Is Art."
Born: 23 July 1944
Played In
Disco Beats
Lou
Say a Little Prayer
Moe
Flamin' Hot
Abuelito
Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone
Rancher
With Love
Luis Delgado
The Planters
Jesús
The Margarita Man
Jose Martinez
From the Dead
Rodrigo
Flavor of Life
Downsizing
Señor Cárdenas
Lowriders
Pepe
Dimension 404
Wally Nash
Monday Nights at Seven
Paul
Under Water: Dive Deep
Lil' Big Me
Restored Me
Manny
Superpowerless
Dr. George Holst
Kill or Be Killed
Rudy Goebel
Road to Juarez
Fortunato
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Father Miguel
Cake
Nuncio
Man from Reno
Paul Del Moral
White on Rice
Professor Berk
The Black Dahlia
Tomas Dos Santos
The Virgin of Juarez
Eduardo Morales
Big Dreams Little Tokyo
Mr. Gonzalez
Criminal Minds
Ruben Garcia
Latin Dragon
Hector Sanchez
Exposed
Raoul
Deadly Swarm
Commandante Alvarez
Kingpin
Justice League
Shifflet (voice)
Along for the Ride
Dr. Sanchez
The Zeta Project
Daybreak
Herman Ortiz
The Princess and the Barrio Boy
Bum
Bread and Roses
Restaurateur
Picking Up the Pieces
Florencio
Luminarias
The PJs
Sanchez (voice)
Jesse
Pappa Vasquez
The Brave
Alessandro
Land of Milk & Honey
Danny
Sliders
Roberto
In the Flesh
Harlan Ramirez
Hotel Malibu
A Million to Juan
Mr. Ortiz
Second Chances
Salvador Lopez
Diagnosis: Murder
Capt. Collins
Dudley
Santana
Jonny's Golden Quest
Agent Menendez
Only You
Dock Official
American Me
Mundo
Conagher
The Rookie
Lt. Ray Garcia
Postcards from the Edge
Raoul
DEA
Bad Jim
Virgilio Segura
The Forgotten
Sgt. Pepe Gutierrez
Quantum Leap
Manuel Vega
Break of Dawn
Hector
Caddyshack II
Carlos
The Fortunate Pilgrim
John Colucci
Human Error
The Three Kings
Alex Sweetwood
A Year in the Life
Carlos
Out of Bounds
Murano
Matlock
Walter Padilla
Streets of Justice
Det. Almos
Hell Town
Enrique
Fandango
Gas Station Mechanic
Hunter
Roberto Sanchez
Miami Vice
Oswaldo Guzman
Miami Vice
Zabado
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Reno Nevada
Red Dawn
Aardvark's Father
Best Kept Secrets
Jim Ramos
Scarface
Angel
Deal of the Century
Vardis
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Romaldo Cortez
Heartbreaker
Loco
The A-Team
Tómas Jefferson
White Water Rebels
Harry Cutter
Knight Rider
Lupo
Cagney & Lacey
T. J. Hooker
Frank Fierro
Seguin
Manuel Flores
Vice Squad
Pete Mendez
Simon & Simon
Joe Dancer II: The Monkey Mission
Vito
The Greatest American Hero
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Raymond Cassiano
300 Miles for Stephanie
Bobby Hernandez
Inside Moves
Herrada
Honeysuckle Rose
Rooster
City in Fear
Raymond Zavala
The Jerk
Punk #1
The Streets of L.A.
Sgt. Castro
Walk Proud
Cesar
A Force of One
Orlando
Roots of Blood
Juan
The Paper Chase
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
Migrant Worker (uncredited)
Lou Grant
CHiPs
Rafferty
Car Wash
Chuco
The Killer Inside Me
Johnny Lopez
Swashbuckler
Street Entertainer
McNaughton's Daughter
Ruiz
The Deadly Tower
Mano
The Day of the Locust
Miguel
Bronk
The Desperate Miles
Ruiz
Barney Miller
Julio Rodriguez
Baretta
The Gun
Natcho
The Rockford Files
Ray Ochoa
The Last Angry Man
Charlie Parelli
Miracle on 34th Street
Y Leader
Kojak
Enorio Patias
Kojak
Rudy Diaz
Police Story
Group Marriage
Ramon
Kung Fu
Los Vidrios
The Rookies
The New Centurions
Young Mexican Man
Cannon
Johnny Got His Gun
Jose (uncredited)
Shoot Out
Pepe
The Student Nurses
Luis
Adam-12
Roger
Mannix
Three Years Gone
Aguruphobia
Nanak