Joe Mantegna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Mantegna
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Mantegna in 2014
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| Born |
Joseph Anthony Mantegna
November 13, 1947 |
| Education | Morton College Art Institute of Chicago |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Arlene Vrhel
(m. 1975) |
| Children | 2, including Gia Mantegna |
Joseph Anthony Mantegna (born November 13, 1947) is an American actor. He is famous for his role as FBI agent David Rossi on the CBS television show Criminal Minds. He has also been the voice of the mob boss Fat Tony on the cartoon series The Simpsons since 1991.
Mantegna started his acting career on stage in 1969. He was in the musical Hair. He won a Tony Award, which is a major award for theater acting, for his role in the play Glengarry Glen Ross. This was one of many times he worked with the famous writer David Mamet.
Besides his TV work, Mantegna has been in many popular movies. These include Three Amigos (1986), The Godfather Part III (1990), and Up Close and Personal (1996). He has also been nominated for Emmy Awards for his roles in TV miniseries like The Rat Pack (1998).
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Early Life
Joe Mantegna was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 13, 1947. His parents were both Italian American. His mother, Mary Ann, was a shipping clerk, and his father, Joseph Henry, was an insurance salesman.
Mantegna grew up in Cicero, Illinois, and went to J. Sterling Morton High School East. After high school, he studied acting at the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago.
When he was young, he played bass guitar in a band called The Apocryphals. They played with another local band, The Missing Links, whose members later formed the band Chicago. Mantegna is still good friends with the original members of the band Chicago.
Acting Career
Stage and Early Films
Mantegna's first professional acting job was in a Chicago production of the musical Hair in 1969. He later moved to Broadway, appearing in the musical Working in 1978. He also helped write an award-winning play called Bleacher Bums.
He won a Tony Award for playing Richard Roma in the play Glengarry Glen Ross. This began a long friendship with the playwright, David Mamet. Mantegna appeared in many of Mamet's plays and movies, including House of Games (1987), Things Change (1988), and Homicide (1991).
Famous Roles
Mantegna has played many different types of characters. He was a funny radio DJ in the movie Airheads and a kidnapper in Baby's Day Out. He also played serious roles, like the mobster Joey Zasa in The Godfather Part III. For his role as the singer Dean Martin in the TV movie The Rat Pack, he was nominated for an Emmy Award.
The Voice of Fat Tony
One of Mantegna's most famous roles is voicing the character Fat Tony on The Simpsons. He has played the character since 1991. He loves the role so much that he insists on voicing Fat Tony every time the character appears, even for a single line. He once said, "If Fat Tony sneezes, I want to be there."
Criminal Minds
On August 11, 2007, Mantegna joined the cast of the popular CBS show Criminal Minds. He plays Senior Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi, a key member of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. He has also directed several episodes of the show. Mantegna is very close with his co-stars, especially Shemar Moore, and is seen as a father figure to him.
Honors and Legacy
On April 29, 2011, Joe Mantegna received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to acting. His hometown of Cicero, Illinois, also honored him by naming a street "Joe Mantegna Boulevard."
In 2014, he received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Canada. The city of Chicago also dedicated "Joe Mantegna Way," a street where he lived when he was starting his acting career.
Mantegna is also a strong supporter of the U.S. military. Since 2006, he has co-hosted the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C., with actor Gary Sinise.
Personal Life
Mantegna married Arlene Vrhel on October 3, 1975. They have two daughters, Mia and Gia. His daughter Mia was born with autism and now works as a makeup artist. His other daughter, Gia Mantegna, is also an actress.
Mantegna is a big fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. His character on Criminal Minds, David Rossi, is also a Cubs fan, and his office on the show is decorated with Cubs memorabilia.
In 1988, Mantegna was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a condition that can cause temporary weakness in the muscles of the face. Although it was temporary, some effects of the condition on his face are still noticeable.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Mantegna para niños
