I was born in the Bronx, New York. My parents were Angelina and Gaetano Chianese. My grandparents, both sides, came from southern Italy—Naples and Sorrento. My first language was English with a smattering of Neapolitan. The neighborhood was made up mostly of Italian immigrants who came to America at the turn of the century…around 1900.

I was educated in the public school system of New York City and attended kindergarten in 1936, graduating high school in 1948 (the Bronx High School of Science). I worked as a bricklayer and attended night college during the 1950's, attaining a bachelors degree in Speech and Theater at Brooklyn College in 1961.

During the 1950s, I did some professional stage work, starting in 1952 with a Gilbert and Sullivan repertory company of singers, actors and musicians called The American Savoyards, under the direction of Dorothy Raedler. After a decade or so of doing theatre, both in college and off broadway shows, I attended my first professional acting class at HB Studios, with renowned teacher Walt Witcover in Manhattan. Acting became a passion, along with musical theater. My first Broadway show was Oliver in 1965. Since then I worked at regional, off Bway and on Broadway all through the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. To supplement income in the 'dry' periods, I sang and played rhythm guitar in saloons and restaurants. My first television credit was due to George C. Scott recommending me for his acclaimed series East Side, West Side. In 1974, Francis Ford Coppola cast me as "Johnny Ola" in the Godfather, Part II, which set a movie career in motion, culminating with several movies (and plays) with Al Pacino.

My television career reached its highest peak with the award-winning series on HBO: The Sopranos, playing the role of "Uncle Junior". This show is now going into its fifth season, as of this writing: March 2003. And the beat goes on...

Credit: dominicchianese.com