Chazz Palminteri

Chazz Palminteri

Palminteri in New York, April 2011
Born Calogero Lorenzo Palmenteri[1]
(1952-05-15) May 15, 1952
The Bronx, New York City, United States
Occupation Actor, screenwriter, film producer
Years active 1984–present
Spouse(s) Gianna Ranaudo (m. 1992)
Children Dante Lorenzo and Gabriella Rose
Website www.chazzpalminteri.net

Calogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri (born May 15, 1952[1]) is an American actor, screenwriter and producer, best known for his Academy Award-nominated role for Best Supporting Actor in Bullets over Broadway and the 1993 film A Bronx Tale, which he wrote, based off his own play.

Early life

Palminteri was born on May 15, 1952, in the Bronx, the son of Rose, a homemaker, and Lorenzo Palminteri, a bus driver.[2] He was raised in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx.[3] Palminteri's surname is of Sicilian origin and his family is originally from Menfi in the province of Agrigento, Sicily. His grandparents, Calogero Palminteri and Rosa Bonfante, married in 1908 and moved to the United States in 1910.

He struggled to become a star, splitting his time between acting in off-Broadway plays and moonlighting as a bouncer, alongside Dolph Lundgren. His big break came in 1988 with the premiere of his autobiographical one-man show, A Bronx Tale, which he wrote after being fired from a club for refusing entry to super agent Swifty Lazar;[4] Robert De Niro later developed and directed a film version (1993).

Career

Film career

Palminteri has had acclaimed dramatic performances in films such as The Perez Family, Jade, and Diabolique, as well as comedic roles in films such as Oscar, Analyze This, and Down to Earth.

During its run, he did many advertisements for Vanilla Coke, in which he portrayed a mob boss who would threaten celebrities if they did not praise the taste of the product in question, and then let them walk away with the Vanilla Coke to "reward their curiosity", touching on its slogan at the time. Palminteri has voiced characters in various animated films, the most notable being 2006's Hoodwinked.

He made his directorial debut with Women vs. Men. He has also directed Noel.

Palminteri's recent acting efforts include A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Running Scared, and Arthur and the Minimoys.

In 2004, he received the "Indie Hero Award" from the Method Fest Independent Film Festival for his artistic achievements in film.

Theater

Palminteri starred on Broadway in A Bronx Tale, the semiautobiographical one-man show he first performed (as 'A Bronx Play') at Theatre West in Los Angeles in 1989.[5] The Broadway production, directed by Jerry Zaks and with music by John Gromada, began previews October 4, 2008, at the Walter Kerr Theatre and opened on October 25, running for 18 weeks. Palminteri plays 18 roles in A Bronx Tale, which depicts a rough childhood on the streets of the Bronx. The play ran for two months at Playhouse 91 in 1989. Robert De Niro saw this show there and made his directorial debut with the big-screen version, co-starring with Palminteri.[6]

Palminteri with his wife Gianna Ranaudo in New York City, 2010.

Palminteri starred opposite Kenny D'Aquila in D'Aquila's play, "Unorganized Crime." [7] [8] Palminteri always appreciated the shot that Robert De Niro gave him, so he in turn agreed to star in D'Aquila's mafia-themed drama.[9]

Television

On January 20, 2010, Palminteri guested on Modern Family and played the same character on the November 2, 2011, episode.[10] Palminteri has reprised the role twice more in season 5. In June 2010, Palminteri began guest-starring on the TNT crime drama Rizzoli & Isles as Frank Rizzoli, Sr.

Palminteri will portray deceased mobster Paul Castellano in the upcoming John Gotti biopic Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father.

Other work

In 2011, Palminteri opened a restaurant, Chazz: A Bronx Original, in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood; their main foods are coal-fired pizza and Italian food. However, the restaurant closed in 2015. [11] Palminteri opened an Italian restaurant, Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano, in New York City on Second Avenue. Also, Palminteri did the voice acting for the Call of Duty: Black Ops II character Sal De Luca in the zombies map Mob of the Dead, and his likeness was used for the character as well.

Personal life

Palminteri lives in Bedford, New York. He describes himself as a "very spiritual", devout Roman Catholic.[12] He has two children: Dante Lorenzo (born October 11, 1995) and Gabriella Rose (born December 25, 2001).

He is a self-avowed New York Yankees fan, and is often heard as caller "Chazz from Bedford" on WFAN-AM, a sports radio station.[13] Palminteri has been known to have frequent disagreements about the Yankees with WFAN host Mike Francesa.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes/Awards
1984 Home Free All Truck Hijacker
1985 The Last Dragon Hood No. 2
1991 Oscar Connie
1992 Innocent Blood Tony
There Goes the Neighborhood Lyle Corrente
1993 A Bronx Tale Sonny LoSpecchio Also writer
Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actor Also Bullets Over Broadway and The Usual Suspects
1994 Bullets over Broadway Cheech Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actor Also A Bronx Tale and The Usual Suspects
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
1995 The Usual Suspects David "Dave" Kujan, Special Agent, U.S. Customs Service National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actor Also A Bronx Tale and Bullets Over Broadway
The Perez Family Lt. John Pirelli
The Last Word Ricky
Jade Matt Gavin
1996 Diabolique Guy Baran
Faithful Tony Also writer
Dante and the Debutante Also producer and writer
Mulholland Falls Elleroy Coolidge
1998 Scar City Lieutenant Laine Devon
Hurlyburly Phil
A Night at the Roxbury Benny Zadir Uncredited
1999 Analyze This Primo Sidone
Stuart Little Smokey Voice
2001 Down to Earth King
Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure Buster Voice
One Eyed King Eddie Dugan
2002 Poolhall Junkies Joe
2003 One Last Ride Tweat
Just Like Mona
2004 Noel Arizona Also director
2005 Hoodwinked! Woolworth Voice
Animal Kassada
Bullets Over Hollywood[14] Himself Encore documentary
In the Mix Frank
2006 Running Scared Detective Rydell
Push Vince
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Monty Sundance Film Festival – Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Performance
Arthur and the Minimoys Travel Agent
Little Man Walken
2007 Body Armour Maxwell
The Dukes George Also co-producer
2008 Yonkers Joe Yonkers Joe Also executive producer
Jolene Sal
2009 Once More with Feeling Frank Gregorio
Hollywood & Wine Geno Scarpaci
2011 The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure Marvin Milkshake
Mighty Fine Joe Fine
Safe Eddie Also producer
2012 The Stone Pony Angelo Casella
2014 Henry & Me Babe Ruth Voice
2015 Legend Angelo Bruno
Underdogs Stinky Voice

Television

Year Title Role Notes/Awards
1986 Hill Street Blues Sonny Cappelito Episode: "Bald Ambition"
1987 Glory Years Drummond TV movie
Matlock MP Sgt. Marcy Episodes: "The Court-Martial: Part 1",
"The Court-Martial: Part 2"
1989 Dallas Frank Episode: "He-e-ere's Papa!"
Peter Gunn Soldier TV movie
Valerie Leslie Episode: "Viva Las Vegas"
Wiseguy Peter Alatorre / Sal Rosselli Episodes: "Sins of the Father",
"Heir to the Throne",
"How Will They Remember Me?"
1990 Sydney Tony Episode: "Love Ya, Babe"
1999 Excellent Cadavers Giovanni Falcone TV movie
Dilbert Leonardo da Vinci Voice
Episode: "Art"
2001 Boss of Bosses Paul Castellano TV movie
2004 Dr. Vegas Duke Walcott Episode: "Lust for Life"
2005 Kojak Captain Frank McNeil
2010 Rizzoli & Isles Frank Rizzoli Sr.
2010–2014 Modern Family Shorty Episodes: "Fifteen Percent", "Treehouse"
"Bringing Up Baby", "Three Dinners"
2012–2013 Blue Bloods Angelo Gallo Episodes: "Secrets and Lies",[15]
"Justice Served"[16]
2014 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Perry Cannavaro Episode: "Jersey Breakdown"
2015 The Making of the Mob: New York Himself

Video games

Year Game Role Notes
2013 Call of Duty: Black Ops II Salvatore "Sal" DeLuca The "Uprising" DLC, featured on the Zombies map "Mob of the Dead"

Theatre work

Broadway

Off-broadway

References

  1. 1 2 Chazz Palminteri bio. Chazzpalminteri.net. Retrieved on 2013-11-19.
  2. ↑ Duggan, Dennis (December 24, 1989). "DENNIS DUGGAN'S NEW YORK A Playwright (And an Actor) Grows in the Bronx". Newsday.
  3. ↑ Allis, Sam (March 22, 2009). "All that Chazz". Boston.com. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Broadway Names with Julie James", On Broadway, SiriusXM Radio, October 11, 2012
  5. ↑ The Villager, Volume 77, Number 23 | November. 07-13 2007
  6. ↑ Cheri, Based on Colette's Classic Novella, Begins Performances Off-Broadway. Broadway.com. November 19, 2013 .
  7. ↑ "Kenny D'Aquila".
  8. ↑ Times, Los Angeles. "'Unorganized Crime' a quirky mob-family melodrama".
  9. ↑ "Chazz Palminteri Talks New Play 'Unorganized Crime,' Getting His Start from Robert DeNiro (Q&A)".
  10. ↑ Natalie Abrams (October 26, 2009). "Elizabeth Banks and Chazz Palminteri to Guest-Star on Modern Family". TVGuide.com.
  11. ↑ "Chazz: A Bronx Original Closes". Baltimore magazine. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  12. ↑ Rypka, Marsala (December 2009) With Chazz Palminteri at the Wayback Machine (archived November 25, 2010). luxurylv.com
  13. ↑ "Sports - Yankees, Mets, Jets, Giants, Knicks, Nets, Devils, Rangers and more. « CBS New York". Wfan.com. 1987-07-01. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  14. ↑ "Bullets Over Hollywood (2005)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  15. ↑ "Blue Bloods: Season 3, Episode 9 Secrets and Lies". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  16. ↑ "Blue Bloods: Season 4, Episode 8 ; Justice Served". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
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