Larry Ludwig(I)
- Actor
One of modern TV and moviedom's most sturdy and reliable character
actors, Larry Ludwig dreamed of being an actor from early childhood.
Although he came from a traditional middle-class family that urged him
to get a real job and settle down, Ludwig felt more at home with the
world of entertainment. At 14, with self taught guitar playing skills
he began writing and recording songs, sending them to publishers.
Living on a farm in Pennsylvania thwarted his thespian aspirations
until the family moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia in his sophomore
high school year. At graduation friends and fellow classmates convinced
him that California was the place to be. Against his parents wishes
young Ludwig hitch-hiked his way thru the south to eventually, (after a
short stint working with "Gooding's Million Dollar Midways" as a
roustabout), end up in Los Angeles. Working pretty much non stop as a
movie extra proved to be the luck that placed him in front of Director
John Hughes in a scene actor John Candy asked Larry to help improvise.
This scene in "Planes Trains and Automobiles" and a "Taft Hartley" to
Union Actor status was enough to get the attention of commercial Agent
Peggy Pintauro who's guidance led to several high profile national
commercials for Mercedes Benz.(The Man who invented Safety science),
next a television series "St. Elsewhere" helped Ludwig hone his acting
skills when a one time appearance as anesthesiologist Dr. Applebaum
turned into a regular spot on the final season. This highly
under-noticed character actor has been steadily adding Film and TV
credits to his resume for the last twenty five years or so and shows no
sign of slowing down.