Meet Actor Len Cariou: A Glimpse into the Life and 65-Year Career of Blue Bloods Patriarch Henry ‘Pop’ Reagan

Every Friday night, Blue Bloods fans tune in to see Len Cariou at the head of the Reagan family dinner table. As Henry “Pop” Reagan, he’s the wise and witty patriarch whose warmth and humor bring the Reagan clan – and millions of viewers – together. But Cariou’s remarkable career stretches far beyond the CBS hit, spanning more than six decades across stage, film, and television.

From Broadway to Hollywood, the Canadian-born actor has proven time and again that he’s a true performer’s performer.

Early Days and Stage Beginnings

Born Leonard Joseph Cariou on September 30, 1939, in Saint Boniface, Manitoba, he began acting in the 1960s in Canadian stage productions like The Threepenny Opera, Mister Roberts, The Comedy of Errors, and The Country Wife.

His Broadway breakthrough came in 1970 when he starred opposite Lauren Bacall in Applause – though landing the part wasn’t easy. “I auditioned four different times,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘What is the matter with these people?’” Of course, he got the role – and it made him a Broadway star.

A Tony-Winning Stage Legend

Cariou quickly followed with another hit: A Little Night Music in 1973, which he later reprised on screen. But his crowning theatrical moment came in 1979 when he originated the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, performing alongside Angela Lansbury.

“It seemed to me that it was brilliant stuff,” he once said. “Whether the audience would get it or not was another matter, but I knew it was a masterpiece.” His unforgettable performance earned him a Tony Award and cemented his place in Broadway history.

From Film to Blue Bloods Fame

Cariou’s film career began with One Man in 1977 and included roles in Drying Up the Streets (1978), The Mad Trapper (1978), and Bumblebee (2018), among others. But to TV audiences, he’s best known as Henry Reagan on Blue Bloods – the wise, retired NYPD Commissioner and father to Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan.

Surprisingly, Cariou is only five years older than Selleck, though his dignified presence makes him perfect for the role. And while Blue Bloods has kept him in the spotlight, its filming schedule allows him to keep his first love – theater – close at hand. “We’re on an eight-day schedule, and I work maybe two out of the eight,” he explained. “That gives me time to do theatre again.”

Cherishing the Reagan Family Dinners

For Cariou, the heart of Blue Bloods lies in its family moments. “The dinners themselves [are the best part],” he said. “It’s great fun – we’re all sitting around and we all joke and carry on.”

Those iconic scenes mirror the genuine camaraderie among the cast – and showcase the warmth that Cariou brings both on and off screen.

Words of Wisdom from a True Pro

After 65 years in show business, Cariou knows what it takes to endure. His advice for aspiring performers is simple but profound: “Just make sure that you really want it bad, because you’re going to get rejections for the rest of your life,” he said. “You’re going to be out of work more than you’re in work. I’ve been very, very lucky.”

Lucky, perhaps – but also endlessly talented. Whether on stage, on screen, or at the head of the Reagan table, Len Cariou continues to prove that true artistry stands the test of time.