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Chazz Palminteri
Chazz Palminteri 2011 Shankbone.JPG
Palminteri in 2011
Born
Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri

(1952-05-15) May 15, 1952 (age 72)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation Actor, filmmaker, playwright
Years active 1983–present
Spouse(s)
Gianna Ranaudo
(m. 1992)
Children 2

Calogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri (born May 15, 1952) is an American actor. He is best known for his film roles in A Bronx Tale (1993), based on his play of the same name, Bullets Over Broadway (1994) for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and The Usual Suspects (1995), as well as his recurring role as Shorty in Modern Family (2010–2019).

His other notable film include Hurlyburly (1998), Analyze This (1999), Down to Earth (2001), Running Scared (2006), and Legend (2015). He is also known for his recurring roles in Wiseguy (1989), Kojak (2005), Rizzoli & Isles (2010–2014) and Godfather of Harlem (2019–2021).

Early life

Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri was born on May 15, 1952, in the Bronx borough of New York City, the son of Rose, a homemaker, and Lorenzo Palminteri, a bus driver. He was raised in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. Palminteri is of Sicilian origin; his grandparents, Calogero Palminteri and Rosa Bonfante, married in 1908, and immigrated to the United States in 1910 from Menfi in the province of Agrigento, Sicily.

He struggled to become an actor, splitting his time between acting in off-Broadway plays and moonlighting as a bouncer, alongside Dolph Lundgren. In 1988, Palminteri was working at a New York nightclub where a party was being thrown for Hollywood talent agent and dealmaker Irving Paul "Swifty" Lazar. When Lazar tried to enter, Palminteri stopped him as he did not know who he was. Lazar got him fired which led to the broke (and unemployed) Palminteri writing A Bronx Tale for himself to star in since he was not being offered any work.

Career

Theater

Palminteri starred on Broadway in A Bronx Tale, the autobiographical one-man show based on his childhood that he first performed at Theatre West in Los Angeles in 1989. Palminteri states that he began writing the play after being fired from a club when, as a doorman, he refused entry to super agent Swifty Lazar. The Broadway production, directed by Jerry Zaks and with music by John Gromada, began previews October 4, 1988, 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.

Palminteri starred opposite Kenny D'Aquila in D'Aquila's play, Unorganized Crime. 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.

Palminteri performed in the Broadway musical version of A Bronx Tale in 2018.

Film career

Robert De Niro saw Palminteri's Broadway show of A Bronx Tale in 1990, and the two partnered together to adapt the play into a film. Palminteri created the screenplay and starred as Sonny, the gangster Calogero meets, while De Niro directed the film, making his directorial debut, and co-starring as Lorenzo, Calogero's father. The film was a commercial and critical success. In 1994, Chazz Palminteri played mob henchman Cheech in the black comedy film Bullets Over Broadway, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Palminteri also had performances in films such as The Usual Suspects, 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 appeared in 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 Smokey in Stuart Little and Woolworth in Hoodwinked.

He made his directorial debut with an episode of Oz, then the television film Women vs. Men and the 2004 feature film 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.

Television

On January 20, 2010, Palminteri guested on Modern Family and played the same character on the November 2, 2011, episode. 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. He guest starred twice on the CBS drama Blue Bloods as Angelo Gallo, a mob lawyer and childhood friend of main character Frank Reagan.

Palminteri portrayed deceased mobster Paul Castellano in the 2001 TV film Boss of Bosses.

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. 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.

On February 8, 2021, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a video posted to YouTube featuring Palminteri delivering a public service announcement as a prequel to the debut of The Chazz Palminteri Show, an hour-long live-streamed weekly infotainment installation hosted by the veteran actor and playwright. True to word, on February 15, 2021, the first episode of The Chazz Palminteri Show, titled "It's All You" kicked off the series. Live-streamed and posted each Monday at 11 o'clock Eastern Standard Time on Palminteri's YouTube channel, The Chazz Palminteri Show is an hour-long show delivered in classic talk show format that conveys content centrally grounded in moral ethics, essential life lessons and traditional "old school" loving family values. Producers of The Chazz Palminteri Show are Dante Lorenzo Palminteri and podcaster / producer Michael Lavin. Guests features who have been featured on the show include actor William Baldwin, Episode 3 and, Kathrine Narducci, Episode 86 and Phil Stutz (co-author, "The Tools"), Episode 53.

Personal life

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

Palminteri lives in Westchester County, New York, in the town of Bedford. He describes himself as a "very spiritual", devout Roman Catholic. He married Gianna Ranaudo in 1992, and together they have two children.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Home Free All Truck Hijacker
1985 The Last Dragon Hood No. 2
1987 Glory Years Drummond Television film
1989 Peter Gunn Soldier Television film
1991 Oscar Connie
1992 Innocent Blood Tony Silva
There Goes the Neighborhood Lyle Corrente
1993 A Bronx Tale Sonny LoSpecchio
1994 Bullets over Broadway Cheech
1995 The Usual Suspects Dave Kujan
The Perez Family Lt. John Pirelli
The Last Word Ricky
Jade Matt Gavin
1996 Diabolique Guy Baran
Faithful Tony
Mulholland Falls Elleroy Coolidge
1998 Scar City Lieutenant Laine Devon
Hurlyburly Phil
A Night at the Roxbury Benny Zadir
1999 Analyze This Primo Sidone
The Book That Wrote Itself Mr. Palminteri
Excellent Cadavers Giovanni Falcone Television film
Stuart Little Smokey (voice)
2001 Down to Earth King
Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure Buster (voice) Video
Boss of Bosses Paul Castellano Television film
One Eyed King Eddie Dugan
2002 Poolhall Junkies Joe
2004 One Last Ride Tweat
Noel Arizona
2005 Animal Kassada Video
In the Mix Frank
Hoodwinked! Woolworth (voice)
2006 Running Scared Detective Rydell
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Monty
Push Vince
Little Man Walken
Arthur and the Minimoys Travel Agent (voice)
2007 The Bodyguard Lee Maxwell
The Dukes George
2008 Yonkers Joe Yonkers Joe
Jolene Sal
2009 Once More with Feeling Frank Gregorio Video
2010 Hollywood & Wine Geno Scarpaci Video
2012 Mighty Fine Joe Fine
The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure Marvin Milkshake (voice)
2013 Once Upon a Time in Queens Ben Rose
Underdogs Stinky (voice)
Final Recourse Dr. Tomman
2014 Henry & Me Babe Ruth (voice)
2015 Legend Angelo Bruno
2019 Vault Raymond Patriarca Sr.
2020 Clover Tony

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Hill Street Blues Sonny Cappelito Episode: "Bald Ambition"
1987 Matlock MP Sgt. Marcy Episode: "The Court-Martial: Part 2"
1989 Dallas Frank Episode: "He-e-ere's Papa!"
Valerie Leslie Episode: "Viva Las Vegas"
1st & Ten: The Championship Al Episode: "Duty Call"
Wiseguy Peter Alatorre/Sal Rosselli Recurring Cast: Season 3
1990 Sydney Tony Episode: "Love Ya, Babe"
1997 The Directors Himself Episode: "The Films of William Friedkin"
1999 Dilbert Leonardo da Vinci (voice) Episode: "Art"
2001 An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson Himself/Host Main Host
Bravo Profiles Himself Episode: "Rod Steiger"
2003 AFI Life Achievement Award Himself Episode: "A Tribute to Robert De Niro"
Biography Himself Episode: "Humphrey Bogart"
2004 Dr. Vegas Duke Walcott Episode: "Lust for Life"
2005 Kojak Captain Frank McNeil Recurring Cast
2010 Celebrity Ghost Stories Himself Episode: "Episode #2.4"
2010–14 Rizzoli & Isles Frank Rizzoli Sr. Recurring cast: season 1, guest: seasons 3-4
2010–19 Modern Family Shorty Guest cast: seasons 1, 3-5, and 9-10
2011 Rocco's Dinner Party Himself Episode: "Ultimate Summer Party"
2012 The Haunting of... Himself Episode: "Chazz Palminteri"
2012–13 Blue Bloods Angelo Gallo 2 episodes
2014 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Perry Cannavaro Episode: "Jersey Breakdown"
2017 Kevin Can Wait Vincent Episode: "Plus One Is the Loneliest Number"
2017–18 Voltron: Legendary Defender Burr (voice) 2 episodes
2019–21 Godfather of Harlem Joe Bonanno Recurring role (seasons 1-2)
2021 Law & Order: Organized Crime Manfredi Sinatra Episode: "What Happens in Puglia"
Gravesend Cesar Tremaldo Recurring role (season 2)
2023 Bubble Guppies Tiny the Slug (voice) Episode: "A Slow Day in Zippy City!"

Video games

Year Game Role Notes
2012 Call of Duty: Black Ops II Salvatore "Sal" DeLuca Featured on 2013's "Uprising" downloadable content.

Documentary

Year Title Notes
1996 Little Italy
1997 Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's
1998 Italians in America
2005 Bullets Over Hollywood
2008 Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & the Movies
2014 Journey to Sundance
2016 Davi's Way

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
1994 Sant Jordi Awards Best Foreign Actor A Bronx Tale Won
1995 Sant Jordi Awards Best Foreign Actor Bullets Over Broadway Won
Independent Spirit Awards Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male Won
Academy Awards Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
1996 Sant Jordi Awards Best Foreign Actor The Usual Suspects Won
National Board of Review Awards National Board of Review Award for Best Cast Won
2006 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Performance A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Won

Theatre work

Broadway

  • 2007 – A Bronx Tale – performer
  • 2013 – Human – performer and writer
  • 2016 – A Bronx Tale – writer and performer

Off-Broadway

  • 1989 – A Bronx Tale – writer and performer
  • 2002 – The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – Ernesto Roma

See also

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