Anecdotes

Was a brawler up until the end of his career, provoking almost all of the younger actors he worked with on Reservoir Dogs (1992) and actually having nearly come to blows with director Quentin Tarantino.

When he guest-starred on the Seinfeld (1989) episode The Jacket (1991) as Elaine's father, he scared the cast so badly that they never had him back on. He stole a butcher knife from Jerry Seinfeld's TV kitchen and hid it under his jacket. When Seinfeld undauntedly confronted him about it (much to the dismay of the entire cast), Tierney pretended that he was going to use the knife as a gag in reference to the movie Psychose (1960) during the episode and quickly returned it.

After writer/director Rick McKay published a magazine article entitled "Lawrence Tierney: Crack-Up--The True Story of a Hollywood Tough Guy", Tierney called and asked him to collaborate on an autobiography of the screen legend. After a tumultuous, chaotic week in Los Angeles with Tierney, McKay bowed out, exhausted. The book was never written and Tierney passed away in February of 2002.

Off-screen, his arrests for drunken brawls at bars and Hollywood parties took a heavy toll on his once-promising career in the 1950s. Booze was always at the root of his misbehavior, which included tearing a public phone off the wall, hitting a waiter in the face with a sugar bowl, breaking a college student's jaw and attempting to choke a cab driver.

Arrested in July of 1961 in Beverly Hills for attempting to crash a party thrown by Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher. Tierney was extremely drunk at the time and spent the next few days in jail awaiting a hearing regarding his arrest.

Has the very last line in the TV series Capitaine Furillo (1981): It Ain't Over Till It's Over (1987), as a sergeant answering the phone in a burned-out police station.

Larry is mentioned in Shelley Winters autobiography where she tells the story of their brief affair in the mid 40s on the same day that World War II ended. When they ran into each other again in the 90s at Silver Spoon diner in West Hollywood, Shelley said, "You never called me!" before laughing hysterically.

[July 1991] After being fired and then re-hired from the movie Reservoir Dogs by Director Quentin Tarantino, Tierney spent the weekend in jail after firing a .357 in his Hollywood apartment later that evening. He was bailed out by his agent on Monday morning and then went back to work.

[July 1991] Quentin Tarantino fired Tierney after the first week of shooting Reservoir Dogs (1992) due to his extremely difficult manner and after having almost come to blows with the actor. Later that afternoon Tierney was re-hired after things cooled down and phone calls were made between producers, mutual friends, and agents.

He was one of a handful of classic Hollywood stars to make a Guest Star appearance on Star Trek, playing the role of Dixon Hill's holodeck adversary Cyrus Redblock in The Big Goodbye (1988). He later made an appearance on the Star Trek spin-off series Deep Space Nine in the episode Business as Usual (1997).

His Father (Lawrence H. Tierney) was the Chief of New York City's Aqueduct Police force from the early 1930's to the early 1950's.

Was considered for the role of Perry White in Superman (1978).

Was offered the role of Charlie "The Gent" Malloy, the mob lawyer, in Elia Kazan's classic Sur les quais... (1954). Tierney lost out on the part when he demanded more money than was offered. Subsequently, Rod Steiger played Charlie, and won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Accepting the part likely would have revitalized Tierney's career, at least in the short-term. [Note: Although this story is rumored it includes no attribution and has never been corroborated.].

Brother of actors Scott Brady (AKA Gerard Tierney) and Edward Tierney.

Never married but has a daughter named Elizabeth born in 1961.

Lawrence became a silent producer and financier of the feature film Evicted (1999) by contributing many Reservoir Dogs residual checks to the movie's post production budget.

Was considered for the role of Gillespie in Dans la chaleur de la nuit (1967).

Irish-American.

No relation to the actress Gene Tierney.

Uncle of actors Terence Tierney and Michael Tierney.

Was considered for the title role in Joe (1970).

1996 Cauliflower Alley Club Reel Member Inductee.

Throughout the 1950's he played more villains on episodic television than the big screen.

Born at 6:15 pm EST.