Pepe Serna
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 23, 1944 (age 82)
- Birthplace
- Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Biography
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."
Known For
Filmography
Cuento de Navidad
Movie · as Sr. Ebenezer Scrooge
Three Years Gone
Movie
Disco Beats
Movie · as Lou
Say a Little Prayer
Movie
Moe
Movie
Flamin' Hot
Movie · as Abuelito
Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone
Movie · as Rancher
With Love
TV · as Luis Delgado · 8 eps
Flavor of Life
Movie
The Planters
Movie · as Jesús
The Margarita Man
Movie · as Jose Martinez
From the Dead
Movie · as Rodrigo
Lowriders
Movie · as Pepe
Downsizing
Movie · as Señor Cárdenas
Dimension 404
TV · as Wally Nash · 1 ep
Kill or Be Killed
Movie · as Rudy Goebel
Superpowerless
Movie · as Dr. George Holst
Under Water: Dive Deep
Movie · as Lil' Big Me
Restored Me
Movie · as Manny
Monday Nights at Seven
Movie · as Paul
Road to Juarez
Movie · as Fortunato
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Movie · as Father Miguel
Aguruphobia
Movie · as Nanak
Man from Reno
Movie · as Paul Del Moral
Cake
Movie · as Nuncio
White on Rice
Movie · as Professor Berk
The Black Dahlia
Movie · as Dos Santos
Big Dreams Little Tokyo
Movie · as Mr. Gonzalez
The Virgin of Juarez
Movie · as Eduardo Morales
Criminal Minds
TV · as Ruben Garcia · 1 ep
Latin Dragon
Movie · as Hector Sanchez
Exposed
Movie · as Raoul
Deadly Swarm
Movie · as Commandante Alvarez
Kingpin
TV · 2 eps
Along for the Ride
Movie · as Dr. Sanchez
The Zeta Project
TV · 1 ep
Justice League
TV · as Shifflet (voice) · 2 eps
Bread and Roses
Movie · as Restaurateur
Daybreak
Movie · as Herman Ortiz
Picking Up the Pieces
Movie · as Florencio
The Princess and the Barrio Boy
Movie · as Bum
Luminarias
Movie
The PJs
TV · as Sanchez (voice) · 43 eps
Jesse
TV · as Pappa Vasquez · 1 ep
The Brave
Movie · as Alessandro
In the Flesh
Movie · as Harlan Ramirez
Land of Milk & Honey
Movie · as Danny
Sliders
TV · as Roberto · 1 ep
A Million to Juan
Movie · as Mr. Ortiz
Hotel Malibu
TV · 6 eps
Jonny's Golden Quest
Movie · as Agent Menendez (voice)
Diagnosis: Murder
TV · as Capt. Collins · 1 ep
Second Chances
TV · as Salvador Lopez · 10 eps
Dudley
TV · as Santana · 1 ep
Only You
Movie · as Dock Official
American Me
Movie · as Mundo
Conagher
Movie
Bad Jim
Movie · as Virgilio Segura
Postcards from the Edge
Movie · as Raoul
The Rookie
Movie · as Lt. Ray Garcia
DEA
TV · 13 eps
The Forgotten
Movie · as Sgt. Pepe Gutierrez
Quantum Leap
TV · as Manuel Vega · 1 ep
Caddyshack II
Movie · as Carlos
Break of Dawn
Movie · as Hector
Human Error
Movie
The Fortunate Pilgrim
TV · as John Colucci · 2 eps
The Three Kings
Movie · as Alex Sweetwood
A Year in the Life
TV · as Carlos · 1 ep
Out of Bounds
Movie · as Murano
Matlock
TV · as Walter Padilla · 2 eps
Fandango
Movie · as Gas Station Mechanic
Streets of Justice
Movie · as Det. Almos
Hell Town
TV · as Enrique · 1 ep
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Movie · as Reno Nevada
Red Dawn
Movie · as Aardvark's Father
Best Kept Secrets
Movie · as Jim Ramos
Miami Vice
TV · as Oswaldo Guzman, Zabado · 2 eps
Hunter
TV · as Roberto Sanchez · 1 ep
Scarface
Movie · as Angel
Deal of the Century
Movie · as Vardis
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Movie · as Romaldo Cortez
White Water Rebels
Movie · as Harry Cutter
Heartbreaker
Movie · as Loco
The A-Team
TV · as Tómas Jefferson · 1 ep
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
TV · 1 ep
Vice Squad
Movie · as Pete Mendez
Seguin
Movie · as Manuel Flores
T. J. Hooker
TV · as Frank Fierro · 1 ep
Knight Rider
TV · as Lupo · 1 ep
Cagney & Lacey
TV · 1 ep
American Playhouse
TV · as Manuel Flores, Romaldo Cortez, Hector, Marpo · 1 ep
Joe Dancer II: The Monkey Mission
Movie · as Vito
300 Miles for Stephanie
Movie · as Bobby Hernandez
The Greatest American Hero
TV · 1 ep
Simon & Simon
TV · 1 ep
Hill Street Blues
TV · as Raymond Cassiano · 1 ep
Inside Moves
Movie · as Herrada
Honeysuckle Rose
Movie · as Rooster
City in Fear
Movie · as Raymond Zavala
A Force of One
Movie · as Orlando
The Jerk
Movie · as Punk #1
Walk Proud
Movie · as Cesar
The Streets of L.A.
Movie · as Sgt. Castro
Roots of Blood
Movie · as Juan
The Paper Chase
TV · 1 ep
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
Movie · as Migrant Worker (uncredited)
Lou Grant
TV · 1 ep
CHiPs
TV · 1 ep
Rafferty
TV · 1 ep
The Killer Inside Me
Movie · as Johnny Lopez
Car Wash
Movie · as Chuco
Swashbuckler
Movie · as Street Entertainer
McNaughton's Daughter
TV · as Ruiz · 3 eps
The Day of the Locust
Movie · as Miguel
The Deadly Tower
Movie · as Mano
The Desperate Miles
Movie · as Ruiz
Baretta
TV · 2 eps
Bronk
TV · 1 ep
Barney Miller
TV · as Julio Rodriguez · 1 ep
The Gun
Movie · as Natcho
The Last Angry Man
Movie · as Charlie Parelli
The Rockford Files
TV · as Ray Ochoa · 1 ep
Miracle on 34th Street
Movie · as Y Leader
Group Marriage
Movie · as Ramon
Kojak
TV · as Enorio Patias, Rudy Diaz · 1 ep
Police Story
TV · 1 ep
The New Centurions
Movie · as Young Mexican Man
The Rookies
TV · 1 ep
Kung Fu
TV · as Los Vidrios · 1 ep
Shoot Out
Movie · as Pepe
Johnny Got His Gun
Movie · as Jose (uncredited)
Cannon
TV · 2 eps
The Student Nurses
Movie · as Luis
Adam-12
TV · as Roger · 1 ep
Mannix
TV · 1 ep