Christian Meoli

Christian J. Meoli
Residence Los Angeles
Nationality American
Occupation actor, writer, producer and film executive
Known for Cabaret Voltaire Inc.

Christian Meoli (July 6, 1972 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an actor, writer, producer and film executive.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Christian is the son of Jerry Mayo (1934–2011) bandmember of the group Freddie Bell and the Bellboys.[7] He is married to Beverly Leech, an actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kate Monday on Square One TV's Mathnet and a stepfather to Kate Smeal.

Early life

Christian Meoli was born on July 6, 1972 in Philadelphia and began his acting career in his early teens in regional theatre productions.[8] He is an alumnus of the famous Stagedoor Manor and credits Jack Romano as being a constant motivator throughout his life. He graduated from Performing Arts School in Philadelphia, PA and recipient of Outstanding Academic Scholarship to Temple University. He also appeared in dozens of plays on the East Coast such as the Washington/Baltimore company of Tony-N-Tina's Wedding in the role of bandleader Donny Dulce and productions at The Philadelphia Drama Guild, Walnut Street Theatre, Plays-n-Players, Wilma Theatre, McCarter Theatre in Princeton, Surflight Summer Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse. In 1991, Meoli appeared opposite actor-playwright Jason Miller and Malachy McCourt in a production of Inherit The Wind that was staged in a Philadelphia court in City Hall.[9]

Career

Meoli's first role included in the movie Alive (1993) as Federico Aranda and directed by Frank Marshall, he was next cast in the movie The Low Life (1995) together with actors Kyra Sedgwick, Rory Cochrane and Ron Livingston and also Persons Unknown (1996) with Jon Favreau, Naomi Watts and Antoni Carone.[10]

He played the lovable and street smart comedy relief role of Boz Bishop for four seasons on the hit CBS television show Nash Bridges opposite Cheech Marin and Don Johnson.[11] After his Mother Sandra Meoli died from Cancer, Christian created the performance event The Big C which annually plays for Cancer Survivors at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. The Big C Foundation was created to continue a focus of education and outreach on the subject of Cancer.[12]

He appeared in the pilot episode of the television show Dollhouse (directed by Joss Whedon), Martial Law (Stanley Tong) the Masterpiece Theatre PBS presentation of Song of the Lark opposite Allison Elliot, as well as Emmy Award winning episodes of NYPD Blue, The Practice, and opposite Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria in the acclaimed Oprah Winfrey telefilm production of Tuesdays With Morrie.[13]

In 2003, Meoli wrote the play The Dadaists, which was lauded by The Beverly Hills Outlook as one of the five worst plays ever written. The majority of the other reviews were much more positive. The production, a retelling about the Dada art movement and Cabaret Voltaire, which originated in February 1916, in Zurich, Switzerland at Spiegelgasse 1, led Meoli to create a modern Cabaret Voltaire in Los Angeles,which showcases performers through intelligent, socially relevant events through a cross-pollination of creative energies.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20] He is also credited by the Los Angeles Times as being the first to initiate 'flashmobs' in Los Angeles.[21][22]

In 2004, Meoli was one of the co-directors and producers of the documentary Beats for Baghdad featuring Jerry Quickley.[23]

He has produced and hosted a number of radio shows for the Pacifica Radio station KPFK, including The Hope Show, Tea Time with Harold Lemon and the Cabaret Voltaire Radio Show. In 2007, he curated "Dada, Surrealism, Readymade & Found Object Exhibit" at 2nd City Council Art Gallery and Performance Space. Christian also appeared in commercials for the likes of Volkswagen, Olympus Camera, Microsoft, Time Warner, Coors Light among others.[24]

In 2009, Christian (under the moniker Chris Voltaire) wrote the book and lyrics, acted, produced and directed the underground theatre hit Octomom the Musical, which garnered national press via CBS, The Tonight Show, TMZ, Fox, and the New York Times with its jolting parody of the Whittier born Nadya Suleman.[25] That same year he starred in the Victor Goss-directed film The Apocalypse According to Doris, and also became the Vice President for Marketing at Bigfoot Entertainment.[26] The company is located in Cebu, Philippines with offices in Hong Kong and Los Angeles; among the films Meoli actively worked on include Deep Gold (2011),[27] The Girl with No Number (2012), Midnight Movie: Killer Cut (2011), 9000 Needles (2011), as well as casting and work on reality shows produced by Bigfoot for the Fashion One Network.[28]

He produced The Singafest Asian Film Festival in Los Angeles, which showcased 30 new films from Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, China and Japan.[26][29][30]

Meoli's company (Voltaire Media) also expanded its services to include sales and producer representation, handling distribution acquisition for companies such as Potent Media (Deer Crossing) and American Motion Picture Company (Character).[31][32][33][34]

In 2012, Meoli's company began a new single screen art house known as Arena Cinema Hollywood,[35] which exhibiting new independent films. The endeavour in conjunction with Theatre of Arts has run engagements of Academy Award winning films and works with distributors such as IFC, Tribeca Film, Phase 4 Films, First Run Features, Kino-Lorber, Breaking Glass Pictures, XLrator Media and Submarine.[36][37]

In 2013, Meoli starred in the new film "Treachery"[38] opposite Michael Biehn, Sarah Butler and Caitlin Keats. He also was cast in supporting roles in the films "Dirty People" and "Soaked in Bleach."

Meoli's Voltaire Media represented Bruce Ramsay's Hamlet and the film was acquired by Breaking Glass Pictures, opening theatrically in January 2014 in New York and Los Angeles.[39][40][41]

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ "Secrets to Success: Q and A With Paul Ben Victor, Star of USA's 'In Plain Sight'". Yahoo Contributor Network. April 6, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Jonah Hill Scores Achievement in Film at Israel Film Festival". Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Actress's Secrets to Working the Red Carpet During Oscar Week". Yahoo Contributor Network. February 22, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  4. ↑ "'The Wahlberg Saga' Continues With 'Contraband'". Yahoo Contributor Network. January 13, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ "'Robocop' Reboot Helmer Conjures Hot and Gold". Yahoo Contributor Network. January 9, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  6. ↑ "These Celebs Save the World in 2012! OMG". Yahoo Contributor Network. December 22, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Gennaro Meoli, trumpeter with Bellboys, shirtmaker, dies at 76". John F. Morrison. Philly. June 15, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Christian Meoli Biography". filmreference. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Inherit the Wind,About". ottawalittletheatre. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Christian Meoli as Federico Aranda, 1993". filmsandtv. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  11. 1 2 "Nash Bridges". TV.com. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  12. ↑ "The Big C – A Much Lived Life". Christine Pechera. June 19, 2008. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Christian Meoli Filmography". NYtimes. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  14. ↑ "RED Camera Stays Ahead of the Curve". Force of Geek. April 12, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  15. ↑ "$29,598.00". Christian Meoli. Eye Spy LA. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Cabaret Voltaire". Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  17. ↑ "The Dadaists". Finite Site. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  18. ↑ "The MET's Artistic Directors". Silas Weir Mitchell. Finite Site. April 1, 2003. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  19. ↑ "The Dadaists". Variety. June 17, 2003. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  20. ↑ "THE DADAISTS at The Met Theatre". T.H. McCulloh. Backstage. June 19, 2003. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Flash mobs hit L.A., but will they stay long?". Mark Ehrman. Los Angeles Times. September 5, 2003. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  22. ↑ "2012 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Has a Global Edge". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Beats for Baghdad in store concert and DVD release party!!". Steven Baird. LAsplash. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Hair the American Tribal Love Rock Musical" (PDF). davidmarkland.com. September 14, 2007. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Stage Review: Octomom! The Musical". Merideth. Los Anjelous. August 20, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  26. 1 2 "Singafest Asian Film Festival". 8asians. October 2, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Christian Meoli,Interview". Film Annex. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Abbot Kinney company decides to open parking lot to some food trucks with First Friday restrictions in effect". Vince Echavaria. January 5, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  29. ↑ "The inaugural Singafest Asian Film Festival hits Westwood this weekend". Marjorie Yan. Daily Bruin. September 28, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  30. ↑ "SINGAFEST Asian Film Festival". Film Nation. September 27, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  31. ↑ "The inaugural Singafest Asian Film Festival hits Westwood this weekend". Actor Christian Meoli Opens Movie Theatre in Hollywood. Student Film Makers. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Deer Crossing". Actor Christian Meoli Opens Movie Theatre in Hollywood. Student Film Makers. October 22, 2012. Retrieved Rev Ron Movies. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  33. ↑ "Film Review: Deer Crossing (2012)". Horrornews.net. October 24, 2012. Retrieved Rev Ron Movies. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  34. ↑ "Deer Crossing Review". MDrRampageo. Doom Kick. May 1, 2013. Retrieved Rev Ron Movies. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  35. ↑ "Christian Meoli in Hollywood". Actor Christian Meoli Opens Movie Theatre in Hollywood. PRWEB. July 31, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  36. ↑ "INTERVIEW with the ARENA CINEMA Theater in Hollywood, California". Jerome Courshon. Film Festival Today. December 17, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Arena Cinema Announces Call for Entries for 2013 Independent Feature Films". Jerome Courshon. PRWEB. April 30, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Arena Cinema Announces Call for Entries for 2013 Independent Feature Films". Jeremy Kay. Screen Daily. November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  39. ↑ "A New Look At 'Hamlet'". Highlight Hollywood. December 23, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  40. ↑ "HAMLET Coming to Arena Cinema in Hollywood". Shakespeare in LAd. December 23, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  41. ↑ "Words, Words, Words about Bruce Ramsay's Film Hamlet". Omar Najam. Life in LA. December 23, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Bongwater(Overview)". yohungama. 1997. Retrieved November 21, 2011.

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