Dennis Tracy

Tracy was born in Mattoon, a small farming town in Central Ill. Although living on a working farm, his parents saw to it that he and his brother were introduced to all of the performing arts. While in 7th grade at Humboldt (IL) Jr. High, he won his first big part, that of Able Bodied Seaman, Ralph Rackstraw, in "The H.M.S. Pinafore". Transferring to Western Military Academy for his Junior and Senior years of High School, he was one of the founding members of that school's first Theatre Club. His favorite Cadet-produced show at the Academy was the one act, "If Men Played Cards Like Women Do." Going directly from High School into the U.S.Air Force, he was again a founder, this time it was the Sheppard A.F.B. Little Theatre in Wichita Falls, TX. where he performed in "The Night of Jan. 16th", "Born Yesterday" and others. Enrolling in drama/acting classes at the nearby Southwestern University, he played Michael O'Neill in "The Moon Is Blue" and Paris in "Tiger at the Gates". Being discharged from the Air Force in Sept.,'61, Tracy headed to the coast and enrolled in the Calif. State College of Theatre Arts at the Pasadena Playhouse in '62. There, he was in several student productions. He was Rafi in "Hassan", Witch Boy John in "Dark of the Moon", a Policeman in "The Rope Dancers", the Piano Player in "By Hex" and Ned Darrell in 5 acts out of Eugene O'Neil's 9 act masterpiece, "Strange Interlude." Upon leaving the Playhouse, he played keyboards in several bands over the next few years, returning to theatre again, in '73, as President of the South Gate Theatre Guild. There, he was seen in various roles including Mortimer Brewster in "Arsenic and Old Lace," Simon Mostyn in "Murder on the Nile" and Ugly Sister Flo in an English Pantomime version of "Cinderella". Moving to Orange County in '77, he was back in "Arsenic and Old Lace", at the Harlequin Dinner Theater, this time as Mr. Witherspoon. He was also seen as Watson Frye in Nancy Ebsen's production of Elizabeth Digg's "Close Ties" at the Newport Harbor Actors Theatre. In 1980 he joined the Nancy Mott Casting Agency, casting Background Players in features ("Dreamscape", "Fear City", "Mass Appeal", "Breakin'2: Electric Bugaloo", "Body Rock" and "Surf Nazis Must Die", among others), television ("Harry and the Hendersons" and "The New Adventures of Lassie")and the latest thing, Rock Videos (Glenn Fry, Sammy Hagar, White Snake, Donna Summers). He then went on to the Atmosphere Agency and, finally, to Reatha Grey's agency, Grey Images. He had just finished casting 2 M.O.W.'s for her when the call came from Central Casting that they wanted him to audition to be Patrick Stewart's stand-in on "Star Trek:The Next Generation". Tracy won the audition and was with the series for the final four seasons. There was a chance to again return to theatre in '93 when, as a member of the Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates, he helped to mount an all-alumni production of Wm. Saroyan's "Time of Your Life" on the mainstage. He played Blick. When Star Trek was canceled, he continued as Mr. Stewart's stand-in through the independent thriller, "Safe House" and the 3 Trek features,"Generations", "First Contact" and "Insurrection". Having moved to Oregon to assist his brother with their aging parents, he was unable to join the cast and crew for "Star Trek: Nemesis". Shortly after arriving in Portland, he was recruited to be the pianoman for singer/ guitarist/song writer, Peter duBois. Assuming his musical alter-ego, Recycleman, duBois sang his original tunes as a way of teaching about the environment. At this time he was forming a back-up band. So Tracy (as Bruce Reduce) joined bassist, Chris Palmedo (Chris P. Compost) and drummer, Todd Aschoff (Mervin Conservin), to become his rock'n'roll ensemble, The Dumpster Divers. From '01 through '10, Recycleman and the Dumpster Divers played for more than 235,000 people, mostly children, through school assemblies, county fairs and Earth Day events. In addition playing duBois'"Eco-tainment" shows, Tracy took time to play Deputy Ben in the Seattle-based independent horror film, "Cthulhu", as well as to work with Portland State University Professor, Charles Deemer, on several of his "small-screen" projects. Tracy returned to So. Cal. in '11 and is currently continuing the pursuit of a theatrical/screen career.