My Favorite Year

Background:

In the show biz since the 1970s, Joseph Bologna is well-known as both writer and an actor. His screenwriting debut, “Lovers and Other Strangers” (1970), which he adapted from his successful Broadway starring Bologna himself and wife Renee Taylor, who also served as co-author, earned an Academy Award nomination and a Writers Guild of America nomination. Bologna scored another success with the 1971 film “Made For Each Other,” from which he and his wife jointly picked up their next Writers Guild of America nomination. The couple also appeared together in the movie, which also marked Bologna's feature acting debut. Bologna and his wife also co-adapted the 1989 film “It Had To Be You,” which they jointly directed, as well as co-penned, co-directed and co-starred in “Love Is All There Is” (1995). More recent collaborations include the Broadway plays “If You Ever Leave Me, I'm Coming With You” (2001) and “Bermuda Avenue Triangle” (2006). A character player of the 1970s and 1980s, commonly in comic roles, Bologna is perhaps best recognized for playing the role of moody old-time talk show host Stan “King” Kaiser in the hit 1982 comedy “My Favorite Year.” He also has acted in such movies as “Blame it on Rio” (1984), “Alligator II: The Mutation” (1991), Adam Sandler's hit, “Big Daddy” (1999), “Returning Mickey Stern” (2002, nabbed the Long Island International Film Expo Prize Award), “The Boynton Beach Bereavement Club” (2005) and the box office animation “Ice Age 2” (2006, the voice of Mr. Start).

As for his upcoming project, the American multi-talented artist of Italian lineage will be cast in “The Sinatra Club” (2007), directed by his son Gabriel Bologna, and Steve Marshall's “Driving Me Crazy” (2008).

Bologna has shared his life outside the limelight with his wife of 42-years, actress/writer/director Renee Taylor. He has a-12-year-old grandson named Juliano, from Gabriel's marriage to screen beauty Lisbet Stensland.

Grandpa

Childhood and Family:

Joseph Bologna was born on December 30, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, to a Roman Catholic family. He attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and later graduated with a degree in art history. It was also there that he first became interested in acting.

Joseph married actress/writer/director Renee Taylor (born on March 19, 1933) on August 7, 1965. The couple's only son, Gabriel Niccolo Bologna, is an actor, director and writer. Gabriel married actress Lisbet Stensland in July 1990 and they have a son named Juliano Bologna (born in 1995).

Lovers and Other Strangers

Career:

Discovering his love for the theater while still as a student at Brown University, Joseph Bologna made his stage debut as the star of the school's production of “Stalag 17,” but did not act again for a decade. He joined the Marines after college, and when he expelled from the service, Bologna tried his hand in directing short films and writing special comedy material. He states, “A monologue is the hardest thing in the world to write, because you're only as good as your last joke. That's why comedians are so neurotic.”

Bologna started his feature film career as a screenwriter when he co-wrote with wife Renée Taylor the script of the 1970 comedy “Lovers and Other Strangers,” starring Bonnie Bedelia as Susan Henderson and Michael Brandon as Mike Vecchio and directed by Cy Howard. Based on the real-life conditions of organizing a wedding on short notice with the participation of his Italian outspread family and Renee's Jewish akin, the writing earned the couple a lot of attentions and eventually an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. They also netted a Writers Guild of America nomination for Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium. “Lovers and Other Strangers” was adapted from the Broadway comedy hit of the same name, in which Bologna served as the star and co-author.

A year later, Bologna and his wife wrote for Robert B. Bean's comedy, “Made For Each Other” (1971), which once again netted them a Writers Guild of America nomination, this time for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen. Apart from writing, Bologna also made his film acting debut as Paul Sorvino's son, Gig 'Giggy' Pimimba. Taylor also starred with him as Pandora Gold. More starring roles followed, including as Joe in Aram Avakian's “Cops and Robbers” (1973, with Cliff Gorman), Pete in “Mixed Company” (1974, opposite Barbara Harris), Dan Torrance in James Frawley's“The Big Bus” (1976) and Leo Schneider in Neil Simon's “Chapter Two” (1979, with James Caan and Marsha Mason). He also made his television film debut in “Honor Thy Father”(1973) and starred with his wife in the television remake “Woman of the Year” (1976), which also they wrote together, and teamed up with Lee Remick in the TV drama “Torn Between Two Lovers.” (1979).

In the 1980s, Bologna made a successful return to Broadway with the critically acclaimed hit “It Had To Be You,” which again marked a collaboration with his wife. The play was later transformed into a 1989 feature with Bologna and Taylor co-directing and co-starring. Their son, Gabriel, also was in the cast. In 1982, Bologna received positive reviews for his outstanding performance in the well-received comedy vehicle of Peter O'Toole, “My Favorite Year” (1982), in which he was cast as King Kaiser, the frenzied host of a 1950s TV variety show. After starring with Suzanne Pleshette in the CBS TV movie “One Cooks, the Other Doesn't” (1983), Bologna once again attracted notice when he was willing to star in the nudity-filled “Blame it on Rio” (1984), in which director Stanley Donen cast him as the libidinous best friend of Michael Caine. Still close with his old-neighborhood family, the actor was chastised by his aunt Pauline, who was one of the famous chefs to the stars, working for Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason, among other big names, for his involvement in the film. Bologna responded, “Blame it on me, it's the last time I invite Aunt Pauline to a film premiere.”

After “The Woman in Red (1984)” and “Transylvania 6-5000” (1985), Bologna made a series of TV films such as Barry Manilow's “Copacabana” (1985), “Rags to Riches” (1986),”Not Quite Human” (1987) and “Prime Target” (1989), and acted with Joan Collins on the based-on-novel miniseries “Sins.” (1986). He did not revisit the big screen until 1990, when Joe Roth cast him in the supporting role of Uncle Phil in the director's comedy film, “Coupe de Ville,” penned by Mike Binder. He followed it up with “Alligator II: The Mutation” (1991), starring with Dee Wallace, “An Inconvenient Woman” (1991, TV), “Jersey Girl” (1992), “The Danger of Love: The Carolyn Warmus Story” (1992, TV), “Deadly Rivals” (1993), “Night of the Archer” (1994), “Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love” (1994)” and “Ringer” (1996) before reuniting with his wife for “Love Is All There Is” (1996), a comedy/romance they co-directed, co-wrote and co-starred in. Inspired by Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet” about two conflicting families whose children fall in love, the film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Three years later, Bologna portrayed the father of Adam Sandler in the blockbuster hit comedy “Big Daddy.”

Aside from his film work, Bologna also found himself taking on jobs on numerous TV series during the 1990s. He starred with Matt LeBlanc in “Top of the Heap” (1991), a spin off from the 1987 popular show “Married... with Children” which was soon canceled due to its failure to in finding an audience, played SCU Lt. Daniel 'Dan' Turpin in the “Superman” series during the 1997-1998 season, as well as portrayed a love interest for his real-life wife in “Maternal Affairs,” a 1999 episode of the CBS sitcom “The Nanny.” He also guested in such series as “Murder, She Wrote,” “L.A. Law,” “ Caroline in the City,” “Cosby,” “The Simple Life” and “Martial Law.”

In 2001, Bologna reunited with his wife to co-pen and co-star in the Broadway production “If You Ever Leave Me, I'm Coming With You” at the Cort Theater in New York City. It was inspired by their long-running show bis marriage. Also in 2001, Bologna also found himself directing his wife in the play “An Evening With Golda Meir.” The actor resumed his film career by playing roles in such projects as Tony Griffin's “Squint” (2001), “Returning Mickey Stern” (2002, won a Festival Prize Award at the Long Island International Film Expo), Lee Madsen's “Pledge of Allegiance” (2003, starred Rena Owen), “Jane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part” (2005, TV), “Fathers and Sons” (2005, TV) and Susan Seidelman's “The Boynton Beach Bereavement Club” (2005, starred as Harry). He also provided the voice of Mr. Start in the animated movie “Ice Age 2” (2006) and had episodic turns in the series “Arli$$” (2002), “Everwood” (2005) and “According to Jim” (2006).

In June 2006, Bologna made a return to his theatrical root by portraying Johnny Paolucci in “Bermuda Avenue Triangle” at Brentwood Theatre in West Los Angeles, California. He co-wrote and co-directed the play with his wife. The 73-year-old actor is currently filming the comedy film “Driving Me Crazy” (2008), directed by Steve Marshall and co-written by Keith Black and Mark Troy. He and his wife were rejoined to play spouses, Martin and Doris Brown, respectively. Bologna also has a role in the upcoming action/drama “The Sinatra Club” (2007), directed by son Gabriel.

Awards:

• Los Angeles Italian Film: Lifetime Achievement, 2003

• Long Island International Film Expo: Festival Prize, Best First Feature, “Returning Mickey Stern,” 2002