Chaz Palminteri
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Calogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri (born May 15, 1952)
. Chazzpalminteri.net. Retrieved on November 19, 2013.
is an American actor. He is best known for his film roles in ''
A Bronx Tale ''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age crime film, crime drama film directed by and starring Robert De Niro in his directorial debut and produced by Jane Rosenthal, adapted from Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale (p ...
'' (1993), based on his play of the same name, '' Bullets Over Broadway'' (1994) for which he was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
, and ''
The Usual Suspects ''The Usual Suspects'' is a 1995 crime thriller film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite and Kevin S ...
'' (1995), as well as his recurring role as Shorty in ''
Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American television sitcom, created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, that aired on ABC for 11 seasons from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. The series follows the lives of three diverse but interrelated fa ...
'' (2010–2019). His other films include ''
Mulholland Falls ''Mulholland Falls'' is a 1996 American neo-noir Crime film, crime Thriller (genre), thriller film directed by Lee Tamahori, written by Pete Dexter, and starring an ensemble cast featuring Nick Nolte, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, Michae ...
'' (1996), ''
A Night at the Roxbury ''A Night at the Roxbury'' is a 1998 American comedy film based on a recurring sketch on television's long-running ''Saturday Night Live'' called " The Roxbury Guys". ''Saturday Night Live'' regulars Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, ...
'' (1998), '' Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure'' (2001), ''
Little Man Little Man may refer to: Characters * The Little Man (''The Pink Panther''), a recurring character in ''The Pink Panther'' cartoons * Clayton Chester "Little Man" Logan, from the novel ''Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry'' * Wintell "Little Man" Royc ...
'' (2006), '' Once Upon a Time in Queens'' (2013), and ''
Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
'' (2015). He is also known for his recurring roles in '' Wiseguy'' (1989), ''
Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American Action film, action Crime film, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theophilus "Theo" Kojak. Tak ...
'' (2005), ''
Rizzoli & Isles ''Rizzoli & Isles'' ( ; stylized in all lowercase) is an American crime drama television series starring Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles. Based on the series of ''Rizzoli & Isles'' novels by Tess Gerritsen, the ...
'' (2010–2014) and ''
Godfather of Harlem ''Godfather of Harlem'' is an American crime drama television series that premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix. The series is created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johns ...
'' (2019–2021).


Early life

Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri was born on May 15, 1952, in The Bronx, New York. He is the son of Rose (née Anello) (1921–2016), a homemaker and Lorenzo Palminteri (1919–2008), a bus driver. He was raised in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx. Palminteri is of Sicilian descent. All four of his grandparents were born in Sicily and emigrated to the United States. Both of his parents were born in New York, NY. His paternal grandparents, Calogero Palminteri and Rosa Bonfante, married in 1908 and emigrated in 1910 from
Menfi Menfi is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about southwest of Palermo and about northwest of Agrigento. The town lies some from the south coast of Sicily, between the rivers Belic ...
in the province of
Agrigento Agrigento (; or ) is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. Founded around 582 BC by Greek colonists from Gela, Agrigento, then known as Akragas, was one of the leading cities during the golden ...
, Sicily. At the age of nine, Palminteri allegedly witnessed the murder of a
mobster A gangster (informally gangsta) is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level ...
in front of his apartment building; the police questioned him, but he maintained that he did not see the incident. He struggled to become an actor, splitting his time between acting in
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
plays and
moonlighting Moonlighting may refer to: * Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment Entertainment * ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski * ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...
as a
bouncer A bouncer (also known as a door supervisor) is a type of security guard, employed at licensed or sanctioned venues such as bars, nightclubs, cabaret clubs, strip clubs and casinos. A bouncer's duties are to provide security, to check legal ag ...
, alongside
Dolph Lundgren Hans "Dolph" Lundgren (, ; born 3 November 1957) is a Swedish actor, filmmaker, and martial artist. Lundgren made his acting debut in 1985 with a cameo in the List of James Bond films, James Bond film ''A View to a Kill''. Also that year, he h ...
. In 1988, Palminteri was working at a New York nightclub where a party was being thrown for Hollywood talent agent and dealmaker Irving Paul "Swifty" Lazar. When Lazar tried to enter, Palminteri stopped him as he did not know who he was. Lazar got him fired which led to the broke (and unemployed) Palminteri writing ''
A Bronx Tale ''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age crime film, crime drama film directed by and starring Robert De Niro in his directorial debut and produced by Jane Rosenthal, adapted from Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale (p ...
'' for himself to star in since he was not being offered any work.


Career


Theater

Palminteri starred on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
in ''
A Bronx Tale ''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age crime film, crime drama film directed by and starring Robert De Niro in his directorial debut and produced by Jane Rosenthal, adapted from Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale (p ...
'', the autobiographical
one-man show A solo performance, sometimes referred to as a one-man show, one-woman show, or one-person show, features a single person telling a story for an audience, typically for the purpose of entertainment. This type of performance comes in many varieti ...
based on his childhood that he first performed at
Theatre West Theatre West is a theatre company in Hollywood, California, the oldest continually-operating theatre company in Los Angeles. __TOC__ History Originally conceived as a venue for working professional actors in the film and television industries to ...
in Los Angeles in 1989. Palminteri states that he began writing the play after being fired for refusing entry to super agent Swifty Lazar.Winn, Steven
"Palminteri revisits 'A Bronx Tale'"
''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'', September 23, 2008.
The Broadway production, directed by
Jerry Zaks Jerry Zaks (born September 7, 1946) is an American stage and television director, and actor. He won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Drama Desk Award for directing '' The House of Blue Leaves'' (1986), '' Lend Me a Tenor'' (1989), ...
and with music by
John Gromada John Gromada (born February 22, 1964) is an American composer and sound designer. He is best known for his many scores for theatrical productions in New York on and off-Broadway and in regional theatres. Broadway plays he has scored include the 2 ...
, began previews October 4, 1988, at the Walter Kerr Theatre and opened 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 two months at Playhouse 91 in 1989. Palminteri starred opposite Kenny D'Aquila in D'Aquila's play, ''Unorganized Crime''. Palminteri always appreciated the shot that
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
gave him, so he in turn agreed to star in D'Aquila's mafia-themed drama. Palminteri performed in the Broadway musical version of ''A Bronx Tale'' in 2018.


Film career

Robert De Niro saw Palminteri's Broadway show of ''A Bronx Tale'' in 1990, and the two partnered together to adapt the play into a
film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
. Palminteri created the screenplay and starred as Sonny, the gangster Calogero meets, while De Niro directed the film, making his directorial debut, and co-starring as Lorenzo, Calogero's father. The film was a commercial and critical success. In 1994, Palminteri played mob henchman Cheech in the black comedy film '' Bullets Over Broadway'', for which he was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
. Palminteri also had performances in films such as ''
The Usual Suspects ''The Usual Suspects'' is a 1995 crime thriller film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite and Kevin S ...
'', '' The Perez Family'', ''
Jade Jade is an umbrella term for two different types of decorative rocks used for jewelry or Ornament (art), ornaments. Jade is often referred to by either of two different silicate mineral names: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in t ...
'', and '' Diabolique'', as well as comedic roles in films such as ''
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
'', ''
Analyze This ''Analyze This'' is a 1999 American crime comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwrights Kenneth Lonergan and Peter Tolan. It follows a crisis-stricken mafioso ( Robert De Niro) who solicits the assista ...
'' and '' Down to Earth''. During its run, he appeared in many advertisements for
Vanilla Coke Coca-Cola Vanilla (commonly referred to as Vanilla Coke) is a vanilla-flavored version of Coca-Cola, introduced in 2002 but subsequently discontinued in North America and the United Kingdom in 2005, though it remained available at certain founta ...
, in which he portrayed a mob boss who would threaten celebrities if they did not praise the taste of the product in question, and then let them walk away with the Vanilla Coke to "reward their curiosity", touching on its slogan at the time. Palminteri has voiced characters in various
animated film Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...
s, the most notable being Smokey in ''
Stuart Little ''Stuart Little'' is a 1945 American children's novel by E. B. White. It was White's first children's book, and became recognized as a classic in children's literature. ''Stuart Little'' was illustrated by the artist Garth Williams, also his f ...
'' and Woolworth in ''
Hoodwinked Hoodwink, Hoodwinked, or Hoodwinkers may refer to: Films * '' Hoodwink (1981 film)'', 1981 Australian film * '' Hoodwinked!'', 2005 American action-comedy film ** ''Hoodwinked'' (soundtrack), from the film * '' Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil'', 20 ...
''. He made his directorial debut with an episode of '' Oz'', then the television film ''Women vs. Men'' and the 2004 feature film ''
Noel Noel or Noël may refer to: Christmas * , French for Christmas * Noel is another name for a Christmas carol Places * Noel, Missouri, United States, a city *Noel, Nova Scotia, Canada, a community *Noel Park, a suburb in Greater London, Engla ...
''. Palminteri's recent acting efforts include ''
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints ''A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints'' is a 2006 American drama film based on a 2001 memoir of the same name by author, director, and musician Dito Montiel, which describes his youth in Astoria, Queens, New York, during the 1980s. Montiel wrote ...
'', '' Running Scared'', and ''
Arthur and the Minimoys ''Arthur and the Minimoys'' () is a 2006 English-language French live-action/animated fantasy film directed and co-written by French filmmaker Luc Besson. It is based on the first two books of the ''Arthur'' children's books series, ''Arthur and ...
''. In 2004, he received the "Indie Hero Award" from the
Method Fest Independent Film Festival The Method Fest Independent Film Festival is an independent film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region ...
for his artistic achievements in film.


Television

On January 20, 2010, Palminteri guested on ''
Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American television sitcom, created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, that aired on ABC for 11 seasons from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. The series follows the lives of three diverse but interrelated fa ...
'' and played the same character on the November 2, 2011, episode. Palminteri has reprised the role twice more in season 5. In June 2010, Palminteri began guest-starring on the
TNT Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
crime drama Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...
''
Rizzoli & Isles ''Rizzoli & Isles'' ( ; stylized in all lowercase) is an American crime drama television series starring Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles. Based on the series of ''Rizzoli & Isles'' novels by Tess Gerritsen, the ...
'' as Frank Rizzoli, Sr. He guest starred twice on the CBS drama ''
Blue Bloods ''Blue Bloods'' is an American police procedural drama (film and television), drama television series that aired on CBS from September 24, 2010, to December 13, 2024, across 14 seasons and 293 episodes. Its main characters were members of the fi ...
'' as Angelo Gallo, a mob lawyer and childhood friend of main character Frank Reagan. Palminteri portrayed deceased mobster
Paul Castellano Constantino Paul Castellano (; June 26, 1915 – December 16, 1985) was an American crime boss who succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family of New York City. Castellano ran the organization from 1976 until his murder on Decem ...
in the 2001
TV film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a terrestr ...
''
Boss of Bosses ''Boss of Bosses'' is a 2001 American made-for-TV movie about the life of former Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano directed by Dwight H. Little. It stars Chazz Palminteri as Paul Castellano, Patricia Mauceri as his wife Nina, Mark M ...
''.


Other work

In 2011, Palminteri opened a restaurant, Chazz: A Bronx Original, in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
's
Little Italy Little Italy is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an Urban area, urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian cul ...
neighborhood; their main foods are coal-fired pizza and Italian food. However, the restaurant closed in 2015. Palminteri opened an Italian restaurant, Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano, in New York City on Second Avenue. Also, Palminteri did the voice acting for the '' Call of Duty: Black Ops II'' character Sal De Luca in the zombies map ''Mob of the Dead'', and his likeness was used for the character as well. On February 15, 2021, during the
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
pandemic, Palminteri launched ''The Chazz Palminteri Show'' podcast on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. Palmintieri's guests on the podcast have included
William Baldwin William Joseph Baldwin (born February 21, 1963) Note: While birthplace is routinely listed as Massapequa, that town has no hospital, and brother Alec Baldwin was born in nearby Amityville, which does. is an American actor and the second-younge ...
,
Kathrine Narducci Kathrine Narducci (; born November 22, 1965) is an American actress, known for her role as Charmaine Bucco, Artie Bucco's wife, on the HBO crime drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007). Her film credits include ''A Bronx Tale'' (1993), ''C ...
,
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...
,
Mario Cantone Mario Cantone (born December 9, 1959) is an American comedian, writer, actor, singer, and television host. He is best known for his numerous stage shows. He played Anthony Marentino in '' Sex and the City'' and Terri in '' Men in Trees'' (2006– ...
, and
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), commonly known as Shaq ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. He is a and Center (basketball), center ...
.


Personal life

Palminteri lives in
Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...
, New York, in the town of
Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district. Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
. He describes himself as a "very spiritual", devout
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
.Rypka, Marsala (December 2009) . He married Gianna Ranaudo in 1992, and together they have two children. He is a self-avowed
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
fan.


Filmography


Film


Television


Video games


Documentary


Awards and nominations


Theatre work


Broadway

* 2007 – '' A Bronx Tale: The Musical'' – performer * 2013 – ''Human'' – performer and writer * 2014 – ''Unorganized Crime'' – Sal Sicuso * 2016 – '' A Bronx Tale: The Musical'' – writer and performer


Off-Broadway

* 1989 – ''
A Bronx Tale ''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age crime film, crime drama film directed by and starring Robert De Niro in his directorial debut and produced by Jane Rosenthal, adapted from Chazz Palminteri's A Bronx Tale (p ...
'' – writer and performer * 2002 – ''
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui ''The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'' (), subtitled "A parable play", is a 1941 play by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht. It chronicles the rise of Arturo Ui, a fictional 1930s Chicago mobster, and his attempts to control the cauliflower ra ...
'' – Ernesto Roma


References


External links

*
A Bronx Tale on Broadway , The Official Website

AskChazz.com
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Palminteri, Chazz 1952 births American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors People of Sicilian descent Belmont, Bronx Catholics from New York (state) Film directors from New York City Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male winners Living people Male actors from the Bronx Sundance Film Festival award winners American people of Italian descent