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'Chazz Palminteri' (b. May 15, 1952) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor and writer, best known for his performances in ''The Usual Suspects'', ''A Bronx Tale'' and ''Mulholland Falls''.

Contents

Life

Early life and film career

Personal life

Selected Filmography

Episodic Television

Notes

External links

Life

Early life and film career

Palminteri, a Sicilian/Italian American[1] was born 'Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri' in the Bronx, New York, an area which has had considerable influence on his work, particularly ''A Bronx Tale'', a play which he wrote and adapted into a 1993 film which starred himself and Robert De Niro. The film was acclaimed and opened doors to Palminteri as an actor, and supporting roles in Hollywood films such as ''The Usual Suspects'' and Woody Allen's ''Bullets Over Broadway'' followed, the latter earning Palminteri an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination.
Palminteri has had acclamied dramatic performances in films such as ''The Perez Family'', ''Jade'' and ''Diabolique'', as well as comedic roles in films such as ''Analyze This'' and ''Down to Earth''.
During its run, Palminteri did many advertisements for Vanilla Coke, in which he portrayed a violent mob boss who would threaten celebrities if they didn't praise the product in question's taste. Palminteri has voiced characters in various animated films, the most notable being 2006's ''Hoodwinked''.
He made his directorial debut with the 2002 television film, "Women vs. Men". He has also directed the 2004 film ''Noel'' which starred Alan Arkin and Susan Sarandon, as well as many Broadway productions.
Palminteri's recent efforts include ''A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints'', ''Running Scared'' and ''Arthur and the Minimoys''.
Chazz Palminteri will be coming to Broadway in A Bronx Tale in October 2007 in a limited run.
A Bronx Tale, the semi-autobiographical one-man show he first performed off-Broadway in 1989 and reprised in a 1993 feature film. The production, to be directed by Jerry Zaks, will begin previews October 4 at the Walter Kerr Theatre and open 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 for two months at Playhouse 91 in 1989. Robert De Niro saw ths show there and made his directorial debut with the big-screen version, co-starring with Palminteri.
Source : http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=551402

Personal life

He lives in Bedford, New York.[2] Costaregni, Susie, "The Dish" column, "Christmas concert to help children in Rwanda", ''The Advocate'' of Stamford, Connecticut, December 3, 2006, accessed December 23, 2006
Palminteri is married to actress Gianna Ranaudo, with whom he has two children.

Selected Filmography

★ ''Home Free All'' (1984), Truck Highjacker

★ ''The Last Dragon'' (1985), Hood #2

★ ''Hill Street Blues'' (1986),Sonny Cappelito -television

★ ''Glory Years'' (1987), Drummond -television

★ ''Matlock'' (1987), Army Officer -television

★ ''Dallas'' (1989), Frank -television

★ ''Valerie'' (1989), Leslie -television

★ ''Peter Gunn'' (1989), Soldier -television

★ ''Wiseguy'' (1989), Peter Alatorre -television

★ ''Oscar'' (1991), Connie

★ ''Innocent Blood'' (1992), Tony

★ ''There Goes the Neighborhood'' (1992), Lyle Corrente

★ ''A Bronx Tale'' (1993), Sonny LoSpecchio -also screenwriter

★ ''Bullets Over Broadway'' (1994), Cheech

★ ''The Usual Suspects'' (1995), Dave Kujan, US Customs

★ ''The Perez Family'' (1995), Lt. John Pirelli

★ ''The Last Word'' (1995), Ricky

★ ''Jade'' (1995), Matt Gavin

★ ''Diabolique'' (1996), Guy Baran

★ ''Faithful'' (1996), Tony -also writer

★ ''Dante and the Debutante'' (1996) -writer and producer

★ ''Mulholland Falls'' (1996), Elleroy Coolidge

★ ''Scar City'' (1998), Lieutenant Laine Devon

★ ''Hurlyburly'' (1998), Phil

★ ''A Night at the Roxbury'' (1998), Benny Zadir -uncredited

★ ''Analyze This'' (1999), Primo Sidone

★ ''Excellent Cadavers'' (1999), Giovanni Falcone

★ ''Oz'' (1999) -''HBO'' directed episode, "Unnatural Disasters"

★ ''Dilbert'' (1999), Leonardo da Vinci -TV Episode (voice)

★ ''Stuart Little'' (1999), Smokey, the Chief Alley-Cat -voice

★ ''Down to Earth'' (2001), King

★ '' (2001), Buster -Video (voice)

★ ''Boss of Bosses'' (2001), Paul Castellano -television

★ ''One Eyed King'' (2001), Eddie Dugan

★ ''Poolhall Junkies'' (2002), Joe

★ ''One Last Ride'' (2003), Tweat

★ ''Just Like Mona'' (2003)

★ ''Noel'' (2004), Arizona -also directed

★ ''Hoodwinked'' (2005), Woolworth -voice

★ ''Kojak'' (2005), Captain Frank McNeil -television

★ ''Animal'' (2005), Kassada -video

★ ''In the Mix'' (2005), Frank

★ ''Running Scared'' (2006), Detective Rydell

★ ''Push'' (2006), Vince

★ ''A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints'' (2006), Monty

★ ''Body Armour'' (2006), Maxwell

★ ''The Dukes'' (2006), George -also co-produced

★ ''The Good Shepherd'' (2006)

Episodic Television

Notes

External links

★ Chazz Palminteri | The Official Website

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