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Dennis was known for playing Leo "Craterface" Balmudo, the Scorpions' gang leader in Grease (1978), and reprised the role in Grease 2 (1982). He also appeared as a dancer in Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band , highly visible in the Maxwell's Silver Hammer scene with Steve Martin .
Grease (1978) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
- Overview
- Grease
- Grease 2
- Apocryphal
Leo Balmudo, also called Crater-Face, is the leader of the Scorpions, a gang of bullies and the greaser rivals of the T-Birds and the new leader of the Cycle Lords in GREASE 2, another gang of bullies and greaser rivals of the T-Birds. Though not a Rydell student - it's more likely he's a drop-out - and possibly from St. Bernadette. Although he is ...
Leo is often seen by others as cruel and a jackass. When he and his girlfriend Cha-Cha visited the local make-out area, he backed his car, Hell's Chariot, into Kenickie's 1946 Ford, interrupting Kenickie and Rizzo's make-out session. When Kenickie called him "crater-face", Leo backed his car into Kenickie's again, knocking off the fender. When Kenickie yelled at Leo for pushing the fender off, Leo responded evilly, remarking that the car was worth only 75 cents, including Rizzo.
Later, Leo and the Scorpions were seen nearly running some students over near the Frosty Palace.
Prior to the National Dance-Off, when Rizzo and Marty Maraschino were bemoaning their lack of dates, Leo drove by and offered them a ride, and becoming Rizzo's date to the event.
At the dance-off, Leo became enraged at Kenickie for choosing his girlfriend, Cha-Cha as his date, and during the song Born to Hand Jive, Leo and Kenickie get into a fight.
At Thunder Road, where Kenickie was planning to race his souped-up Greased Lightning (Car), Leo challenged him to "Race For Pinks," which were "pink slips" ownership papers with the loser handing over his car.
When Kenickie was accidentally knocked out when Putzie opened the door and hit him in the head, Danny Zuko took over as Greased Lightning's driver. Leo cheated by pulling a few damaging tricks, gouging Greased Lightning's door and knocking off a hubcap with his car's bladed hubcap. Despite that, Danny jumped Greased Lightning over a hurdle, and won the race. Leo's car was stalled in a puddle, and he felt humiliated.
Two years later after the events of Grease, Leo Balmudo is still the main antagonist, an enemy of not only the T-Birds but also of the newcomer, Lone Rider.
Though having a pockmarked, craggy complexion, Leo wasn't necessarily ugly, but he was mean-looking, and lived up to that.
He first confronted the new T-Birds on the Rydell Track. It wasn't a violent moment, but could have escalated, especially after Louis DiMucci talked tough: "We should take care of them tonight." After Johnny avoided a brawl by stating that they were bowling that night, Davey Jaworski goaded: "Hey, you're lucky, we're bowling tonight!" causing Leo to admire Davey's brashness: "I like that."
A few months later, back at the Bowl-A-Rama, Leo showed up alone, and was bravely insulted by Dolores Rebchuck as she skated by. Thinking he was alone, the T-Birds rushed to confront him... and were met by the entire gang, who'd showed up a mere minute before the T-Birds. Balmudo made a snake-hissing sound, and scared off the T-Birds. Davey, however, was still inside, unaware until Dolores told him, and he rushed to assist. Davey barged out, demanding to know where was that "Rat-faced Balmu...?!" Leo grabbed him, was about to tear Davey apart, and was swiftly kicked aside by the mysterious biker, Lone Rider. Leo and the Cycle Lords were soundly stomped, and they retreated when they heard the approaching police sirens.
Although Leo pretty mean to his rivals – and at times, people crossing the street, as seen in Grease - he wasn’t mean to everyone. He generally was decent to the manager of Pfeil's Cycle Salvage, G.E. Salva, who usually got him used motorcycle parts at a substantial mark-down.
‘Craterface’ was the opponent of the character played by renowned actor John Travolta. Stewart reprised the role in the sequel, Grease 2. Being a good dancer helped Stewart get roles that required dance skills. He performed in a cameo role of a dancer in the musical comedy Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Jun 15, 2018 · Jamie Donnelly as Jan. Left, Photofest; Right, Tara Ziemba/Getty Images. One of the ladies sporting pink, Jamie Donnelly brought experience to her portrayal of Jan. Donnelly originally played the ...
- Lou Vanhecke
Apr 16, 2021 · Dennis Stewart played Leo, or Crater Face, a boy from a rival gang called the Scorpions in Grease. He took Rizzo to the school dance, and he and Danny ended up in the tense car race at Thunder Road at the end of the movie. While the character was meant to be a high schooler, Stewart was roughly 30 at the time the movie was made (via Neatorama).
Dec 21, 2023 · Supporting male characters, such as the reckless Kenickie, brought to existence by Jeff Conaway, and Dennis Cleveland Stewart as Leo "Crater-Face" Balmudo, helped shape the movie’s unique charm.
