Pepe Serna
Acting • Born 1944-07-23
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."
Filmography
136 credits
Scarface
Movie • 1983
Angel
Fandango
Movie • 1985
Gas Station Mechanic
The Day of the Locust
Movie • 1975
Miguel
A Force of One
Movie • 1979
Orlando
The Jerk
Movie • 1979
Punk #1
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Movie • 1984
Reno Nevada
The Forgotten
Movie • 1989
Sgt. Pepe Gutierrez
The Brave
Movie • 1997
Alessandro
The Black Dahlia
Movie • 2006
Tomas Dos Santos
Exposed
Movie • 2003
Raoul
The Killer Inside Me
Movie • 1976
Johnny Lopez
Car Wash
Movie • 1976
Chuco
Vice Squad
Movie • 1982
Pete Mendez
Caddyshack II
Movie • 1988
Carlos
Big Dreams Little Tokyo
Movie • 2006
Mr. Gonzalez
Latin Dragon
Movie • 2004
Hector Sanchez
Only You
Movie • 1992
Dock Official
The Deadly Tower
Movie • 1975
Mano
Walk Proud
Movie • 1979
Cesar
Bad Jim
Movie • 1990
Virgilio Segura
Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone
Movie • 2022
Rancher
Moe
Movie • 2023
Jonny's Golden Quest
Movie • 1993
Agent Menendez
Bread and Roses
Movie • 2000
Restaurateur
The Desperate Miles
Movie • 1975
Ruiz
Shoot Out
Movie • 1971
Pepe
Postcards from the Edge
Movie • 1990
Raoul
Along for the Ride
Movie • 2001
Dr. Sanchez
The Streets of L.A.
Movie • 1979
Sgt. Castro
Man from Reno
Movie • 2014
Paul Del Moral
The New Centurions
Movie • 1972
Young Mexican Man
The Gun
Movie • 1974
Natcho
Road to Juarez
Movie • 2015
Fortunato
Seguin
Movie • 1982
Manuel Flores
Miracle on 34th Street
Movie • 1973
Y Leader
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo
Movie • 1981
Migrant Worker (uncredited)
Daybreak
Movie • 2000
Herman Ortiz
Out of Bounds
Movie • 1986
Murano
Picking Up the Pieces
Movie • 2000
Florencio
Joe Dancer II: The Monkey Mission
Movie • 1981
Vito
Flamin' Hot
Movie • 2023
Abuelito
Deal of the Century
Movie • 1983
Vardis
Lowriders
Movie • 2017
Pepe
Kill or Be Killed
Movie • 2016
Rudy Goebel
Group Marriage
Movie • 1973
Ramon
In the Flesh
Movie • 1995
Harlan Ramirez
Superpowerless
Movie • 2016
Dr. George Holst
Conagher
Movie • 1991
Downsizing
Movie • 2017
Señor Cárdenas
Red Dawn
Movie • 1984
Aardvark's Father
Roots of Blood
Movie • 1979
Juan
Cake
Movie • 2014
Nuncio
The Princess and the Barrio Boy
Movie • 2000
Bum
Deadly Swarm
Movie • 2003
Commandante Alvarez
Inside Moves
Movie • 1980
Herrada
Swashbuckler
Movie • 1976
Street Entertainer
Best Kept Secrets
Movie • 1984
Jim Ramos
The Rookie
Movie • 1990
Lt. Ray Garcia
Honeysuckle Rose
Movie • 1980
Rooster
City in Fear
Movie • 1980
Raymond Zavala
Break of Dawn
Movie • 1988
Hector
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Movie • 1983
Romaldo Cortez
300 Miles for Stephanie
Movie • 1981
Bobby Hernandez
Under Water: Dive Deep
Movie • 2016
Lil' Big Me
Flavor of Life
Movie • 2019
The Planters
Movie • 2019
Jesús
Human Error
Movie • 1988
Restored Me
Movie • 2016
Manny
American Me
Movie • 1992
Mundo
Monday Nights at Seven
Movie • 2016
Paul
The Margarita Man
Movie • 2019
Jose Martinez
The Student Nurses
Movie • 1970
Luis
The Three Kings
Movie • 1987
Alex Sweetwood
White Water Rebels
Movie • 1983
Harry Cutter
Streets of Justice
Movie • 1985
Det. Almos
A Million to Juan
Movie • 1994
Mr. Ortiz
From the Dead
Movie • 2019
Rodrigo
The Last Angry Man
Movie • 1974
Charlie Parelli
Say a Little Prayer
Movie • 2024
Three Years Gone
Movie
Ana Maria in Novela Land
Movie • 2015
Father Miguel
Land of Milk & Honey
Movie • 1995
Danny
Heartbreaker
Movie • 1983
Loco
Luminarias
Movie • 2000
White on Rice
Movie • 2009
Professor Berk
Johnny Got His Gun
Movie • 1971
Jose (uncredited)
The Virgin of Juarez
Movie • 2006
Eduardo Morales
Aguruphobia
Movie
Nanak
Lou Grant
TV • 1977
CHiPs
TV • 1977
The Rookies
TV • 1972
T. J. Hooker
TV • 1982
Frank Fierro
Kung Fu
TV • 1972
Los Vidrios
The A-Team
TV • 1983
Tómas Jefferson
Sliders
TV • 1995
Roberto
Miami Vice
TV • 1984
Oswaldo Guzman
The Greatest American Hero
TV • 1981
Simon & Simon
TV • 1981
Knight Rider
TV • 1982
Lupo
Baretta
TV • 1975
Hill Street Blues
TV • 1981
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
TV • 1983
Mannix
TV • 1967
Quantum Leap
TV • 1989
Manuel Vega
Kojak
TV • 1973
Enorio Patias
Criminal Minds
TV • 2005
Ruben Garcia
Cagney & Lacey
TV • 1982
The Zeta Project
TV • 2001
Jesse
TV • 1998
Pappa Vasquez
Cannon
TV • 1971
Kingpin
TV • 2003
Hunter
TV • 1984
Roberto Sanchez
The PJs
TV • 1999
Sanchez (voice)
Diagnosis: Murder
TV • 1993
Capt. Collins
Hotel Malibu
TV • 1994
Second Chances
TV • 1993
Salvador Lopez
Police Story
TV • 1973
The Paper Chase
TV • 1978
DEA
TV • 1990
Rafferty
TV • 1977
Bronk
TV • 1975
Justice League
TV • 2001
Shifflet (voice)
With Love
TV • 2021
Luis Delgado
Adam-12
TV • 1968
Roger
Kojak
TV • 1973
Rudy Diaz
Dudley
TV • 1993
Santana
A Year in the Life
TV • 1987
Carlos
The Rockford Files
TV • 1974
Ray Ochoa
The Fortunate Pilgrim
TV • 1988
John Colucci
Barney Miller
TV • 1975
Julio Rodriguez
Hell Town
TV • 1985
Enrique
Miami Vice
TV • 1984
Zabado
Dimension 404
TV • 2017
Wally Nash
McNaughton's Daughter
TV • 1976
Ruiz
Hill Street Blues
TV • 1981
Raymond Cassiano
Matlock
TV • 1986
Walter Padilla