Chazz PalminteriBirth Place: New York, New York, USA Date of Birth: May 15, 1952 Heritage: American Contact Chazz Palminteri | 
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A Bronx Tale Background: “I speak as much as I can about the working man in the Italian-American community. It's the working man who makes up the heart of the community. The Italian-Americans I play are mobsters who have a heart or a positive element.” Chazz Palminteri American actor and writer Chazz Palminteri rose to prominence as the writer and performer of the successful autobiographical one man show “A Bronx Tale” (1988). The show was adapted into a feature film in 1993 with Palminteri making his screenwriting debut, in addition to playing the role of Sonny LoSpecchio. The film also marked the directing debut of Academy Award winning actor Robert De Niro. The former nightclub singer continued to gain attention with his Academy Award nominating scene stealing turn as Cheech on Woody Allen's “Bullets Over Broadway” (1994), where Palminteri also netted an Independent Spirit Award, a Chicago Film Critics Association nomination and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for the role, and for playing Dave Kujan on Bryan Singer's “The Usual Suspects” (1995), for which he jointly received a National Board of Review Award. He also won a Sant Jordi Award for his performance in the three films. In a more recent time, Palminteri shared a Sundance Film Festival Award for his performance in “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” (2006). Palminteri also wrote the screenplay for “Dante and the Debutante” (1996) and “Faithful” (1996) and made his film directing debut with “Noel” (2004). Palminteri currently resides in Bedford, New York with his wife, Gianna Ranaudo, and two children, Dante (born 1995) and Gabriella (born 2001). He is a very spiritual, devout Roman Catholic and is a passionate fan of New York Yankees.
Childhood and Family: Chazz Palminteri was born Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri on May 15, 1952, in New York City, New York, to Lorenzo Palminteri, a bus driver. He grew up in a tough area of the Bronx and it gave young Chazz the life lessons that would later prove very helpful. Around age 10, Chazz watched the classic film “ On the Waterfront” (1954) and subsequently wanted to become an actor. He became known as the joke and storytelling entertainer of the neighborhood. After graduating form Theodore Roosevelt High School, Chazz got his start in showbiz as a singer with a sidewalk a cappella group and would spend many years as a lounge crooner. However, Chazz did not begin pursuing his craft until 1973 when he took acting lessons under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. By 1982, he had decided to pursue acting full time. As a struggling actor, Chazz supported himself by working as a bouncer and doorman in nightclubs, among other jobs. On June 6, 1992, Chazz married actress Gianna Ranaudo. The couple welcomed their first child, son Dante Lorenzo Palminteri, on October 11, 1995. Their second child, daughter Gabriella Rose Palminteri, was born on December 25, 2001 in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Career: Chazz Palminteri got his start as a nightclub singer right after high school before beginning landing small roles in off-Broadway productions. His first screen job arrived in 1984 when he was cast as a truck highjacker in the independent film “Home Free All,” starring Allan F. Nicholls, Roland Caccavo and Mary Ellyn, and followed it up with a a bit part as hood#2 in 1985's “The Last Dragon,” an action/comedy film directed by Michael Schultz and starring Taimak, Vanity and Christopher Murney. Palminteri moved to Hollywood in 1986 to pursue further opportunities. The same year, he made his television as Sonny Cappelito in an episode of NBC's “Hill Street Blues” called “Bald Ambition.” Palminteri continued to land small parts in television series such as “Matlock” (1987, as MP Sgt. Marcy), “Dallas” (1989, as Frank), “Valerie's Family” (1989, as Leslie) and “ Wiseguy” (1989, as Peter Alatorre/Sal Rosselli) as well as in the made for television films “Glory Years” (1987), starring George Dzundza, Archie Hahn and Tim Thomerson, and “Peter Gunn” (1989), starring Peter Strauss, Peter Jurasik and Jennifer Edwards. Deterred by the restricted types of one dimensional roles he was being offered, the actor determined to write a great role himself that eventually led to the making of the play “A Bronx Tale,” a compelling coming of age story of an Italian American boy torn between astonishment for his sincere, hardworking, but broke father and the promise of a flashy life with the local gangsters. Palminteri played 35 different roles in the one man show, and got good reviews for his performance during its Los Angeles run in 1988. He then moved the show to New York City in the fall of 1989, where it had a critically and commercially successful, four off Broadway run. Actor Robert De Niro, who attended a performance of “A Bronx Tale” in NYC, became impressed and offered to buy the film rights to the show. Palminteri agreed to sell the film rights in the conditions that he would allow to write the screenplay and that he play the role of the local mafia boss Sonny LoSpecchio. The film version of “A Bronx Tale,” on which De Niro made his directorial debut, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 14, 1993 and it was a critical success. The film helped launch Palminteri'' film acting career. Meanwhile, Palminteri landed an important supporting role of Connie in the crime/comedy film “Oscar” (1991), starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by John Landis, and would reunit with Landis for the 1992 horror/crime film “Innocent Blood,” in which he played the role of Tony. He also supported Jeff Daniels, Catherine O'Hara and Hector Elizondo in the Bill Phillips directed comedy film “There Goes the Neighborhood” (1992). Following his success on “A Bronx Tale,” Palminteri was cast as a poetic gangster named Cheech on the crime/comedy film “Bullets Over Broadway” (1994), which was written and directed by Woody Allen. The film brought Palminteri an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He also received an Independent Spirit Award, a Chicago Film Critics Association nomination and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for the role. In 1995, Palminteri portrayed US Customs special agent Dave Kujan on Bryan Singer's “The Usual Suspects,” opposite Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Pete Postlethwaite and Kevin Spacey. For his bright acting, the actor was handed a 1996 Sant Jordi for Best Foreign Actor, tied with his work on “A Bronx Tale” and “ Bullets Over Broadway,” and a National Board of Review for Best Acting by an Ensemble. 1995 also saw Palminteri in Mira Nair's “The Perez Family” (with Marisa Tomei, Alfred Molina and Anjelica Huston), Tony Spiridakis' “The Last Word” (with Timothy Hutton, Joe Pantoliano and Michelle Burke) and William Friedkin's “Jade” (with David Caruso and Linda Fiorentino). Palminteri worked with Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith and Jennifer Connelly in the 1996 crime drama film “Mulholland Falls,” by director Lee Tamahori, and with Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani in Jeremiah S. Chechik's “Diabolique” (1996), where he was cast a cruel school master named Guy Baran. The same year, he wrote and starred in the commercially unsuccessful comedy film “Faithful,” which was produced by Robert De Niro and directed by Paul Mazursky, and wrote and produced the indie comedy “Dante and the Debutante.” Palminteri next appeared in such films as “Scar City” (1998), “Hurlyburly” (1998), an adaptation of David Rabe's 1984 acclaimed play, “A Night at the Roxbury” (1998) and Harold Ramis' “Analyze This” (1999), for which he reunited with Robert De Niro. He provided the voice of Smokey, the Chief Alley-Cat on the animated film “ Stuart Little” (1999). Palminteri also could be seen in the HBO original movie “Excellent Cadavers” (1999), where he starred as Giovanni Falcone, an eager prosecutor. The same year, he also directed an episode of HBO's “Oz” called “Unnatural Disasters.” In the new millennium, Palminteri played roles in several films, such as the Weitz brithers comedy “Down to Earth” (2001), starring Chris Rock, the ensemble crime/drama “One Eyed King” (2001), opposite William Baldwin, Dash Mihok and Armand Assante, “Poolhall Junkies” (2002),a drama/thriller written and directed by and starring Mars Callahan, and “Just Like Mona” (2003), the feature film directing debut of actor Joe Pantoliano. Besides, he provided the voice of Buster in the 2001 direct to video animated film “Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure” and headlined the TNT original drama “Boss of Bosses” (2001), where he played real life mobster Paul Castellano. Palminteri returned to the director's chair when he helmed Elle Alexander, Darryl Armbruster and Dayton Callie in the made for TV film “Women vs. Men” (2002). He followed it up by making his feature film directing debut with 2004's “Noel,” a drama starring Susan Sarandon, Penélope Cruz and Paul Walker. Palminteri also played the supporting role of Arizona. In 2005, Palminteri landed the regular role of Captain Frank McNeil in the USA Network series “Kojak,” a reimagined version of the 1970s series starring Telly Savalas. The show, however, only had a short life. Palminteri went on to play roles in films such as “Hoodwinked!” (2005, voice of Woolworth), “One Last Ride” (2005), Ron Underwood's “In the Mix” (2005, with Usher), “ Drift” (2006, TV), Wayne Kramer's “Running Scared” (2006, played a detective), “Push” (2006), “Little Man” (2006), Dito Montiel's “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” (2006), where he shared Sundance Film Festival's Special Jury Prize for Dramatic, “Body Armour” (2007), Robert Davi's “The Dukes” (2007), where he also served as a co-producer, Robert Celestino's “Yonkers Joe” (2008), where he starred as the titular role, in addition to serving as an executive producer, “Jolene” (2008) and “Once More with Feeling” (2009). Palminteri co-wrote the screenplay for “10th and Wolf” (2006), which is based on the real life events of Joseph Pistone aka Donnie Brasco. In 2010, Palminteri guest starred in ABC's “Modern Family” (1 episode, as Shorty) and TNT's “Rizzoli & Isles” (4 episodes, as Frank Rizzoli Sr.). The same year, he also played Geno Scarpacci in the comedy film “Hollywood & Wine,” opposite Nicky Whelan, David Spade and Chris Kattan. Palminteri will play Marvin Milkshake in the upcoming family film “The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure” (2011), starring Cary Elwes, Christopher Lloyd and Jaime Pressly. He is also scheduled to play appear in forthcoming films such as “Mighty Fine” (2011), “Safe” (2011), “Henry & Me” (2012, as the voice of Babe Ruth), “Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father” (2012) and “The Stone Pony” (2012).
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