Richard Grieco

Richard Grieco's longish black hair is combed up and back and falls loosely over his face. He is dark with dark eyes and a wide mouth that curls up into a half-smile. He's Italian on his father's side and Irish on his mother's side. He's bigger than he appears on screen. He's 6 feet tall, muscular, but down to 165 pounds compared to the 220 he weighed when he played college football. He collects vintage motorcycles.
Grieco grew up in Watertown, N.Y.. just south of the Canadian border, where he played hockey, lacrosse and football. His father also collects motorcycles, including a 1941 Indian Scout and a 1939 three-wheeler. Grieco has a 1954 Harley-Davidson that he keeps in Watertown.
He went to Central Connecticut State on a football scholarship and majored in political science. At first, he thought he was going to become a lawyer but started acting in college. Grieco left school after three semesters and four knee operations due to football injuries.
In New York he was a model but soon began to study acting. He joined the soap opera "One Life To Live" as Rick Gardner, a character he jokingly referred to as "a rebel ski bum." While he was on the show he got more mail than anyone else. "I remember my first day on the set," he says. "I'd been on stage but never in front of a camera before. I was so nervous I couldn't speak The producer kept calling the sound booth and saying. 'He s not breathing'."
In 1987 he moved to Los Angeles and landed roles on "Rags to Riches" "Who's the Boss" and "The Bronx Zoo."
He auditioned for "21 Jump Street" with about 100 other actors. He was called back five times before he got the role of Booker. Then he had little time before he had to fly to Vancouver, British Columbia.