Charles Alfred Zito Jr. (born March 1, 1953) is an American actor, stuntman, celebrity

bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an very important person, important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public offic ...

and former

outlaw biker An outlaw motorcycle club, known colloquially as a biker club or club (in Australia), is a motorcycle subculture generally centered on the use of cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals that purpo ...

who was president of the

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

chapter of the

Hells Angels The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is an international outlaw motorcycle club founded in California whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells ...

. Zito was a member of the Hells Angels for 25 years and served as vice president of the New York City charter and president of the New York Nomads chapter. After entering

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

as a celebrity bodyguard, Zito was a film stuntman before finding a breakout acting role as mobster Chucky "The Enforcer" Pancamo on the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

television series '' Oz'' (1997–2003), which he played for six seasons. He followed this up with numerous other "tough guy" roles, such as in ''

Sons of Anarchy ''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American Action film, action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX (TV channel), FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008, to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-k ...

'' (2012). Zito has also been a ringside boxing reporter, professional wrestling manager, and radio personality.

Early life

Zito was born in

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York City, the second of three children of Charles Zito Sr. and Gloria Frangione. His grandparents were

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

immigrants to the United States.Chuck Zito: Inside the life of a New York tough guy
''We the Italians'' (May 6, 2015) Zito was raised in the Bronx and

New Rochelle New Rochelle ( ; in ) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located approximately from Midtown Manhattan. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the 7th-largest city and 2 ...

.Happy Birthday To New Rochelle's Chuck Zito
Carol Reif, '' The Daily Voice'' (March 1, 2016) The son of a professional

welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term ''welterweight'' was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify th ...

boxer, Zito was taught at an early age how to fight and defend himself. His father boxed under the

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...

Al LaBarba and fought in 228 professional matches.Muscling into the action: Hells Angel, ex-boxer Chuck Zito hopes to be an ex-bodyguard sometime soon
Denis Hamill, ''

New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...

'' (December 14, 1997) At the age of seventeen, Zito

dropped out Dropping out refers to leaving high school, college, university or another group for practical reasons, necessities, inability, apathy, or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves. Canada In Canada, most ind ...

New Rochelle High School New Rochelle High School (NRHS), a public secondary school in New Rochelle, New York, is part of the City School District of New Rochelle and is the city's sole public high school. Its buildings were designed by the noted architectural firm ...

and married his high school sweetheart, Kathy. He later received his high school equivalency diploma while imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution, Petersburg. His involvement with the

motorcycle club eventually led to their divorce. Zito became a

refrigerator A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermal insulation, thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to ...

mechanic.Who the heck is... Chuck Zito?
''

'' (December 5, 2004) He also worked 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 ...

at Café Central on the

Upper West Side The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper We ...

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

Boxing and martial arts

Zito was an amateur boxer for several years.A Stuntman Is Ready For a Leap to Stardom
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' (August 23, 1998) He trained out of the Southside Boys Club in

and Cage Recreation in White Plains, and held an amateur boxing record of 36–5.Opening GG Bell Tonight
Jack Smith, ''

'' (January 30, 1973) Zito had his first boxing match aged 12. At 17, he fought his first of four career

Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves of America is an organization that promotes annual competitions of amateur boxing in the United States, in which winners are awarded a belt and a ring, and the title of national champion. The organization currently owns 30 fr ...

bouts when he knocked out Joe Pratt at 1:50 of round two of a preliminary bout in the sub-novice division of the 47th annual

New York Golden Gloves The New York Golden Gloves is an amateur boxing tournament. It has long been considered by many boxing aficionados as one of the most elite Golden Gloves titles, along with the Chicago Golden Gloves. Named for the small golden Boxing glove, gloves ...

, held at the

Felt Forum The Theater at Madison Square Garden is a Theater (structure), theater located in New York City's Madison Square Garden (MSG). It seats between 2,000 and 5,600 people and is used for concerts, shows, sports, meetings, and other events. It is situ ...

on January 30, 1973. Zito then defeated Michael Nesbitt in the tournament's third round at the

Audubon Ballroom The Audubon Theatre and Ballroom, generally referred to as the Audubon Ballroom, was a theatre and ballroom located at 3940 Broadway at West 165th Street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 191 ...

on February 19, 1973, before losing to Orlando Nieves in the fourth round of the competition at the Felt Forum on February 23, 1973. He returned to the Golden Gloves on February 2, 1978, losing to Gaylord Bryant at the Felt Forum in the open division. Zito was later the boxing coach of

Mickey Rourke Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. ( ; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former professional Boxing, boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading actor, leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. In a Mickey Rourke filmogra ...

.“Smashed”: Boxing Changed Mickey Rourke's Face Forever
Anna Fletcher, eightieskids.com (April 4, 2022) He developed friendships with

Arturo Gatti Arturo Gatti (April 15, 1972 – July 11, 2009) was a Canadian professional boxer who competed from 1991 to 2007. A world champion in two weight class (boxing), weight classes, Gatti held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior lightwei ...

Vinny Pazienza Vinny Paz (born Vincenzo Edward Pazienza, December 16, 1962), formerly Vinny Pazienza, is an American former professional boxer who held world titles at lightweight and light middleweight. The 2016 film '' Bleed for This'' is based on his comeb ...

and

Mike Tyson Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1985 and 2024. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "the Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson i ...

. Zito was seen with Cuba Gooding Jr. and

Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on a part-time basis. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional w ...

at the

Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson, billed as ''Lewis–Tyson: Is On'', was a heavyweight professional boxing match that took place on June 8, 2002, at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. The defending Unified champion, unified World Boxing Council, ...

pre-fight party on June 8, 2002, at the

Memphis Pyramid The Memphis Pyramid, formerly known as the Great American Pyramid and the Pyramid Arena, and colloquially known as the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, is a pyramid-shaped building located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, United State ...

. He first met Gatti in 1996 and accompanied the boxer to the ring for several high-profile fights.Gatti wife says 'I'm innocent' of boxing champ's murder

NJ.com NJ.com is a digital news content provider and website in New Jersey owned by Advance Publications. According to ''The New York Times'' in 2012, it was the largest provider of digital news in the state at the time. In 2018, comScore reports that ...

(July 16, 2009) In 2003, Zito began his career as a broadcaster with a role as a ringside reporter on ''Monday Night Fights'' broadcasts on

. He was also a correspondent at the '' Affliction: Day of Reckoning'' mixed martial arts event on January 24, 2009.Affliction: Day of Reckoning Review
John Shubert,

Bleacher Report ''Bleacher Report'' (often abbreviated as B/R) is a website that focuses on sports and sports culture. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and London. ''Bleacher Report'' was acquired by Time Warner's Turner B ...

(January 25, 2009) Affliction's Hits and Misses
Loretta Hunt,

Sherdog Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). It also has many forums and discussion pages on the many topics of MMA like records, promotions, etc. The site is a member of the CraveOnline network and provides MM ...

(January 26, 2009) Zito owns a

dojo A is a hall or place for immersive learning, experiential learning, or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts. The term literally means "place of the Tao, Way" in Japanese language, Japanese. History The word ''d� ...

, Chuck Zito's Street Survival School, in

Pelham, New York Pelham is a suburban town in Westchester County, approximately 10 miles northeast of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 13,078, an increase from the 2010 census.United States Census Bureau, 2020 Report, Pelham to ...

.Charlie Sheen's warlock week: Street-fight sparring with Chuck Zito, plans for top-secret tattoo
Nancy Dillon, ''

'' (April 12, 2011) A Snake, A Warlock and a Goddess: Charlie Sheen Wins in Westchester
Dina Sciortino,

Patch Media Patch Media operates Patch.com, an American local news and information platform, based in Manhattan. It is primarily owned by Hale Global. Patch is operated by Planck, LLC, doing business as Patch Media. , the Patch.com hyperlocal websites provid ...

(April 12, 2011)

Hells Angels

A motorcycle enthusiast, Zito established the New Rochelle Motorcycle Club in 1974, which later merged with the

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

-based Ching-a-Ling Nomads. As vice president of the Ching-a-Ling Nomads, Zito was arrested on June 14, 1975, along with club president Pedro Lamboy, on charges of harassment and possession of dangerous weapons relating to the alleged harassment of James Hunter, a tenant of a storefront near the Ching-a-Ling Nomads' clubhouse.Tension surrounds motorcycle club downtown
''

The Standard-Star The Standard Star Building is a historic commercial structure located in the Downtown section of New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York. The building, designed by architect Lawrence J. Barnard, was completed in 1924 and is an architect ...

'' (June 20, 1975)Bikers in court plead not guilty
''

'' (June 26, 1975) On October 7, 1976, an apartment in

which had been rented to Zito by landlord Arthur Jacobs was targeted in an arson attack two days after the lease was broken due to a dispute between Jacobs and Zito caused by Zito's membership in the Ching-a-Ling Nomads.Main Street Fire Doused
''

'' (October 8, 1976) Zito was also charged with assault after allegedly attacking a police officer with a bar stool during a bar brawl on June 12, 1977.Bar fight injures 4, 3 booked on assault
''

'' (June 13, 1977) Zito met Sandy Alexander, a professional boxer who was the president of the New York City chapter of the

, while they both trained at the Gramercy Gym on East 14th Street in

. Zito convinced the membership of the Ching-a-Ling Nomads to become prospective members of the Hells Angels but only he and one other Ching-a-Ling biker joined the Angels. Explaining what inspired him to join the club, Zito said: "I used to watch their movies like '' Hells Angels on Wheels'' and '' Hell's Angels '69'' as a kid. They were the elite of the elite, the No. 1". His nickname in the Hells Angels was "Charming Chuck".Hell's Angels motorcycle gang expands territory in Illinois
Mark Kiesling, ''

The Times of Northwest Indiana ''The Times of Northwest Indiana'' (NWI) is a daily newspaper headquartered in Munster, Indiana. It is the second-largest newspaper in Indiana, behind only ''The Indianapolis Star''. History The paper was founded on June 18, 1906, as ''The Lake ...

'' (December 13, 1994) According to prosecutors, one membership requirement of the Hells Angels' New York City chapter was that prospective members must kill or attempt to kill a target selected by the club as part of an initiation process. Zito allegedly earned his membership in the club by attempting to murder Robert Giangarra, a

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

pizzeria owner and low-level

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 ...

who had previously shot and injured Hells Angels biker Cortland "Chip" Candow in a Manhattan bar.Angels & enemies
''

'' (August 23, 1987) According to testimony from John Joseph "Pirate" Miller, a Hells Angels member who turned government witness, Zito and another Hells Angel, Philip "Lightfoot" Kramer, used a remote-controlled device from a model airplane to detonate C-4 explosives attached to a vehicle belonging to Giangarra.The Baddest Dude On The Tube

The Smoking Gun The Smoking Gun is a website that posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis. The intent is to bring to the public light information that is somewhat obscure or unreported by more mainstream media sources. Most ...

(November 24, 2000) On May 9, 1979, Giangarra survived without serious injury when a bomb attached to the undercarriage of a

Cadillac Eldorado The Cadillac Eldorado is a luxury car manufactured and marketed by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors from 1952 until 2002, over twelve generations. The Eldorado was at or near the top of the Cadillac product line. The original ...

he was driving exploded in the driveway of his home in

Elmhurst, Queens Elmhurst (formerly Newtown) is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bounded by Roosevelt Avenue on the north; the Long Island Expressway on the south; Junction Boulevard on the east; and the New York Connecting Rail ...

.Walks away from bomb blast that shatters car
''

'' (May 10, 1979) The police were unable to locate Giangarra afterwards, and Zito was never charged with the bombing. After serving as a club "prospect", he was voted in as a member of the New York City Hells Angels along with Kramer on May 10, 1979. On August 2, 1979, police discovered a stolen pistol, ammunition and brass knuckles in a borrowed car being driven by Zito after he was stopped for speeding in

Harrison, New York Harrison is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town and Administrative divisions of New York (state), village in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is a suburb of New York Cit ...

.Not guilty plea
'' The Daily Item'' (November 14, 1979) He pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was sentenced in White Plains County Court on April 23, 1980, to five years on probation.5 years' probation
'' The Daily Item'' (April 25, 1980) Zito's other convictions included criminal possession of a controlled substance (

Quaaludes Methaqualone is a hypnotic sedative. It was sold under the brand names Quaalude ( ) and Sopor among others, which contained 300 mg of methaqualone, and sold as a combination drug under the brand name Mandrax, which contained 250 mg ...

), and disorderly conduct. The

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

(FBI) began monitoring Zito's "meteoric rise" in the Hells Angels and labelled him "a rising star in a dangerous and well-established criminal organization". After attaining the rank of vice president in the New York City charter, Zito assisted in the formation of the Hells Angels New York Nomads chapter in November 1984 and became the Nomads' founding president.''Street Justice'' by Chuck Zito with Joe Layden
''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' (August 1, 2002). The Nomads chapter, which is based in the

Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley or Hudson River Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The region stretches from the Capital District (New York), Capital District includi ...

, was allegedly formed after some members became frustrated with restrictions on narcotics distribution imposed by senior members of the New York City charter. Zito served as president of the Nomads chapter for ten years. According to government informants, Zito and another Hells Angels member, Herbert Reynolds "One-Eyed Bert" Kittel, committed an arson on a building in

Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, immediately to the north of the Borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Moun ...

, where Zito and Kittel each maintained apartments, on February 6, 1985. The blaze was extinguished by the fire department, and authorities found bottles, jars and cans of kerosene in the apartments. On February 12, 1985, a second fire completely destroyed the building. An insurance investigation determined that the second fire was also the result of arson and no insurance policies were paid out. Zito was part of a contingent of 21 American and British Hells Angels who traveled to Japan on April 23, 1985 to assess the suitability of biker club in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

for potential membership in the organization.Foreign News Briefs

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ce ...

(July 16, 1985) The Hells Angels ultimately decided against granting a charter to the Japanese bikers. On May 2, 1985, 133 Hells Angels members and associates were arrested on racketeering and drug trafficking charges after a series of law enforcement raids in fourteen cities across the United States. The indictments were the culmination of Operation Roughrider, a three-year FBI investigation into the club. Fifteen of the arrests took place in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

, where the New York City chapter headquarters on Manhattan's

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Historically, it w ...

was raided, and at least one Uzi submachine gun and an undetermined quantity of drugs were seized. Zito's home in New Rochelle was also searched by agents of the FBI, the

Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit Illegal drug trade, drug trafficking a ...

(DEA) and local police. A warrant was issued for Zito's arrest on charges of selling of

methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug use, recreational or Performance-enhancing substance, performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a secon ...

in New York state in November 1984. He and fellow Hells Angel Herbert Kittel surrendered to the

United States Embassy The United States has the second largest number of active diplomatic posts of any country in the world after the People's Republic of China, including 272 bilateral posts (embassies and consulates) in 174 countries, as well as 11 permanent miss ...

in Tokyo on July 22, 1985, after they were the subject of a nationwide dragnet by Japanese police at the request of the FBI. On October 14, 1985, the

Tokyo High Court is a high court in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The is a special branch of Tokyo High Court. Japan has eight high courts: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Sendai, Sapporo, and Takamatsu. Each court has jurisdiction over one o ...

approved an extradition request by U.S. authorities. After detaining the pair in the

Tokyo Detention House The is a correctional facility in Katsushika, Tokyo. The prison, which is operated by the Ministry of Justice (Japan), Ministry of Justice, is one of seven penal system of Japan, detention centres that carry out executions in Japan. It is used t ...

for four months, the Japanese

Ministry of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

released Zito and Kittel into the custody of

U.S. Justice Department The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...

officials in Tokyo on October 26, 1985. The pair were then extradited on separate commercial flights to New York by

U.S. Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the U.S. federal judiciary. It is an agency of the U.S. Department of Jus ...

personnel.The Director's Report: A Review of the United States Marshals Service in FY 1985
p. 18

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...

(1986) After being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan for fourteen months, Zito accepted a

plea deal A plea bargain, also known as a plea agreement or plea deal, is a legal arrangement in criminal law where the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a charge in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor. These concessions can include ...

from federal prosecutors, pleading guilty to one felony count of drug conspiracy in late 1986, for which he was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. His sentence was reduced to seven years' upon appeal in 1988, and he ultimately served six years at nineteen different federal prisons located in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma and Missouri. He was released from prison in 1991. Zito has asserted that he was convicted solely on the FBI's claims of possessing a tape of a recorded telephone conversation between him and Kittel discussing a drug deal. He denies that such a conversation ever took place and maintains that he was bodyguarding actor

on the set of '' Year of the Dragon'' in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

at the time of the alleged phone call. On the stigma of being a Hells Angel, Zito has said: "I never did a drug in my life. It's ridiculous to judge a group on the actions of a few". Zito was questioned by police in

Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, Winnebago and Ogle County, Illinois, Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock River, Rockfor ...

, in June 1994, over the shooting of a motorist who cut into a Hells Angels motorcycle procession the day before the funeral of Lamont "Monte" Mathias, the president of the Hell's Henchmen Motorcycle Club who was killed during a biker war with the

Outlaws Motorcycle Club The Outlaws Motorcycle Club, Incorporation (business), incorporated as the American Outlaws Association or its acronym, A.O.A., is an international outlaw motorcycle club. Founded in McCook, Illinois in 1935, the Outlaws MC is the oldest outlaw ...

. The motorist, who was shot in the leg, refused to press charges.Hell's Angels rev their way to Chicago (Continued from Page A1)
Mark Kiesling, ''

'' (July 24, 1994) On December 11, 1994, Zito was among a group of twenty Hells Angels arrested at

O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately northwest of the Chicago Loop, Loop business district. The airport is ope ...

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

by a task force composed of agents from the FBI, the

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention ...

(ATF), the

Illinois State Police The Illinois State Police (ISP) is the state police agency of the U.S. state of Illinois. The Illinois State Police is responsible for traffic safety on more than 300,000 miles of total roadway, including 2,185 miles of interstate highways and ...

, and the

Chicago Police Department The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Chicago City Council. It is the second-largest Law enforcement in the United States#Local, ...

Intelligence Unit after an alleged high-speed car chase along the

Northwest Tollway Interstate 90 (I-90) in the US state of Illinois runs roughly northwest-to-southeast through the northern part of the state. From the Wisconsin state line at South Beloit, it heads south to Rockford before heading east-southeast to th ...

. The contingent, which included senior Hells Angels members from across the country, had been attending a meeting in Rockford to formally mark the club's merger of the Hell's Henchmen.Cops Arrest Hell's Angels After Chase
Ray Quintanilla, ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'' (December 12, 1994) The bikers were under surveillance by the task force as they traveled to O'Hare airport in three rented passenger vans at the conclusion of the trip, when the agents lost sight of one of the vans, resulting in what the task force alleged to be a chase. Zito and the two other drivers of the vans which were carrying the bikers were charged with speeding, while the passengers were charged with disorderly conduct. Police found "an undetermined amount of a white powderly substance" but no weapons upon searching the vehicles.Hell's Angels are arrested at O'Hare
''

'' (December 12, 1994) The case was dismissed by a judge, and the Hells Angels sued the Chicago police after hiring prominent defense attorney

Ron Kuby Ronald L. Kuby (born July 31, 1956) is an American criminal defense and civil rights lawyer, radio talk show host, and television commentator. He has hosted radio programs on WABC (AM) in New York City and Air America radio. Kuby has defended ...

. The Hells Angels reached a $250,000 out-of-court settlement with the police, of which Zito received a share of $9,000. On December 15, 2001, Zito was arrested by the

Connecticut State Police The Connecticut State Police (CSP) is the state police and highway patrol of the U.S. state of Connecticut, responsible for statewide traffic regulation and law enforcement, especially in areas not served by (or served by smaller) municipal police ...

and charged with first-degree criminal trespass after refusing to remove his Hells Angels "

colors Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

" at the request of security staff while attending the John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield III boxing match at the

Foxwoods Resort Casino Foxwoods Resort Casino is an integrated resort owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on their Indian reservation, reservation located in Ledyard, Connecticut. Including six casinos, the resort covers an area of . The casino ...

Mashantucket, Connecticut Mashantucket is a census-designated place (CDP) in the northeastern part of the town of Ledyard, New London County, Connecticut, United States. It consists of land held by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. The Foxwoods Resort Casino Foxwoods Re ...

. Zito stated his intention to sue the casino for discrimination, and said: "If a guy walks in here with a

Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. They are one ...

jacket, are you going to make him take it off? This is America, this isn't Russia".TV tough guy Zito arrested in casino flap
''

The Journal News ''The Journal News'' is a newspaper in New York State serving the New York counties of Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam, a region known as the Lower Hudson Valley. It is owned by Gannett. History ''The Journal News'' was created through a ...

'' (December 17, 2001) On February 23, 2002, Zito was present at the Hellraiser Ball, a tattoo and motorcycle trade exposition in

Plainview, New York Plainview is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in the town of Oyster Bay (town), New York, Oyster Bay in east central Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 27,100. The Plainv ...

, sponsored by the

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

chapter of the Hells Angels, which was ambushed by dozens of members of the rival

Pagan's Motorcycle Club Pagan's Motorcycle Club, or simply the Pagans, is an outlaw motorcycle club formed by Lou Dobkin in 1957 in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The club rapidly expanded and by 1959, the Pagans, originally clad in blue denim jackets a ...

, resulting in one biker being killed and at least ten injured. A Hells Angel was charged with second-degree murder and 73 Pagan members were indicted on federal racketeering charges in the aftermath of the incident. Zito was a regular patron of the Scores strip club in Manhattan while the club was controlled by the

Gambino crime family The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. ...

.Actor out of jail
''

'' (March 7, 2000) According to the Justice Department, the Hells Angels in New York have associated in criminality with the Gambino family.Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs USA Overview
p. 13

(May 1991) Zito attended the funeral of Gambino boss

John Gotti John Joseph Gotti Jr.Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 25–26 ( , ; October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was an American '' mafioso'' and boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. He ordered and helped to orchestrate the murder of Gambin ...

on June 14, 2002. He declined to comment when he was approached by reporters after the wake.The Curious and the Police Abound at a Wake for Gotti
Alan Feuer, ''

'' (June 14, 2002) Zito had first met Gotti while they were incarcerated together at MCC in 1986. In 2004, Zito left the Hells Angels, after 25 years of membership in the club, to focus on his acting career. He resigned from the club "in good standing", an option reportedly extended only to the Hells Angels' most respected members.

Hollywood

Following in his father's footsteps, Zito became an amateur boxer and fought in

while working manual labor. In 1979, after assisting the bodyguards of actor

Robert Conrad Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was an American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1965–1969 television series ''The Wild Wild West'', playin ...

at a motorcycle convention at the

New York Coliseum The New York Coliseum was a convention center that stood at Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York City, from 1956 to 2000. It was designed by architects Leon Levy and Lionel Levy in a modified International Style, and included both a low buil ...

, Zito began his own bodyguard agency, Charlie's Angels Bodyguard Service. Zito initially provided protection for actress

Lorna Luft Lorna Luft (born November 21, 1952) is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of Judy Garland and Sidney Luft, the sister of Joey Luft and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli. Early life Luft was born on November 21, 1952, at Saint Jo ...

and later was hired by her half-sister

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...

. The actress recommended Zito's service to her plethora of celebrity acquaintances, allowing Zito to quickly develop contacts throughout

. His other clients included

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in action films and his "granite features and brawny physique". Bronson was born into extreme poverty in ...

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He is known for his intense leading man roles in film. List of awards and nominations received by Sean Penn, His accolades include two Academy Awards, a Golden Gl ...

Chita Rivera Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero (January 23, 1933 – January 30, 2024), known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awa ...

Eric Roberts Eric Anthony Roberts (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor. He has amassed more than 700 film and television credits since his debut in 1978, making him one of the most prolific English-speaking screen actors of all time. Roberts' career ...

Charlie Sheen Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), known professionally as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. He is known as a leading man in film and television. Sheen has received numerous accolades including a Golden Globe Award as well as ...

, and

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Gardenzio "Sly" Stallone (; born July 6, 1946) is an American actor and filmmaker. In a Sylvester Stallone filmography, film career spanning more than fifty years, Stallone has received List of awards and nominations received by Syl ...

. Zito's brother-in-law was a policeman, which allowed him to hire moonlighting police officers to bodyguard celebrities at public events which required additional manpower, such as award shows. In 1979, Zito and 18 other members of the New York City Hells Angels chapter were hired to appear in the film ''Dead Ringer'', starring

Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally by his stage name Meat Loaf, was an American singer and actor. He was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. ...

and

Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...

. The film was never released due to litigation. Parlaying his connection with Mickey Rourke, Zito began a career as a

stuntman A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

in 1983 when he acted as Rourke's

stunt double In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...

in the film '' Year of the Dragon''. He later worked on over 50 films such as '' Nowhere to Run'', ''

The Specialist ''The Specialist'' is a 1994 American action thriller film directed by Luis Llosa and starring Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Eric Roberts, and Rod Steiger. It is loosely based on "The Specialist" series of novels by John ...

'', ''

True Lies ''True Lies'' is a 1994 American action comedy film written and directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a U.S. government agent, who struggles to balance his double life as a spy with his familial duties, ...

'', ''

Die Hard with a Vengeance ''Die Hard with a Vengeance'' is a 1995 American action film directed and produced by John McTiernan, from a screenplay written by Jonathan Hensleigh, and starring Bruce Willis as John McClane. It is the third installment in the ''Die Hard'' f ...

'', ''

Heat In thermodynamics, heat is energy in transfer between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings by such mechanisms as thermal conduction, electromagnetic radiation, and friction, which are microscopic in nature, involving sub-atomic, ato ...

'', ''

Eraser An eraser (also known as a rubber in some Commonwealth countries, including South Africa from which the material first used got its name) is an article of stationery that is used for removing marks from paper or skin (e.g. parchment or vellu ...

'', ''

The Juror ''The Juror'' is a 1996 American legal thriller film based on the 1995 novel by George Dawes Green. It was directed by Brian Gibson (director), Brian Gibson and stars Demi Moore as a single mother picked for jury duty for a American mafia, mafia t ...

'' and '' The Rock''. Zito acted as

stunt coordinator A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company for casting stunt performers. Their job is to arrange the casting (stunt players and stunt doubles) and performance of s ...

for the first time on '' Santa with Muscles''. He then also began landing small acting roles in films, including '' Heaven's Prisoners'', ''

No Code of Conduct ''No Code of Conduct'' is a 1998 action crime thriller film directed by Bret Michaels and released through ''Sheen Michaels Entertainment'' a production company created by actor Charlie Sheen and Bret Michaels. The film stars Charlie Sheen, and ...

'' and ''

Gia ''Gia'' is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizab ...

''. In 1996, after a meeting with producer

Tom Fontana Tom Fontana (born September 12, 1951) is an American screenwriter, writer, and television producer. Fontana worked on NBC's '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' and created HBO's ''Oz.'' Early life and education Fontana was born on the west si ...

, Zito joined the

prison drama '' Oz'' as mobster Chucky Pancamo. He was a cast member until the show ended in 2003, after six seasons.Forever flexing his rep: Chuck Zito of HBO's 'Oz,' a former prison inmate, is one tough actor
Denis Hamill, ''

'' (January 5, 2003) In 1997, Zito allegedly knocked gossip columnist A. J. Benza unconscious at the Scores strip club in New York after Benza attributed a false rumor to him in his column in the '' Daily News''. Zito is then purported to have punched

Jean-Claude Van Damme Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (, ; born 18 October 1960), known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme (, ), is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, his father enrolled him in a Shotokan karate schoo ...

, who had previously been a bodyguarding client of his, in another incident at Scores on February 5, 1998. Recounting the incident in his autobiography, Zito claims that he suffered a broken hand as a result of striking Van Damme numerous times after Van Damme had told a bouncer at the club that Zito had "no heart" and the bouncer relayed Van Damme's comments to Zito. He reportedly stood over a prone Van Damme shouting: "This ain't the movies! This is the street, and I own the street!". He later added: "If I knew it would have gotten me so much positive publicity, I would have knocked him out 10 years earlier." Zito is also reputed to have delivered two open-handed slaps to the face of actor

Gary Busey William Gary Busey (; born June 29, 1944) is an American actor. He portrayed Buddy Holly in ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics Award fo ...

in a similar incident. Owing to his "tough guy" image, Zito had a short role as a

professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of National W ...

(WCW). He appeared on the January 11, 1999 edition of ''

WCW Monday Nitro ''WCW Monday Nitro'', also known as ''WCW Nitro'' or simply ''Nitro'', is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and broadcast weekly every Monday night on TNT (American TV ...

'' in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

accompanying

Hollywood Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...

and the New World Order (nWo) to the ring alongside 17 other members of the Hells Angels from New York, Kentucky, Illinois and North Carolina.A Look At Hulk Hogan's Cars Throughout The Years
hotcars.com (March 4, 2020) Monday Nitro – January 11, 1999: The First Of His Kind
Thomas Hall, KBWrestlingReviews.com (June 4, 2014) In 2002, Zito released his autobiography, ''Street Justice'', co-authored with Joe Layden. He released a self-defense and dieting video, ''Chuck Zito's Street Survival System'', in 2005. Zito appeared in '' Carlito's Way: Rise to Power'' the same year. In 2006, he expanded into radio with the show ''Chuck Zito's View'' on

Howard Stern Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American broadcaster and media personality. He is best known for his radio show, ''The Howard Stern Show'', which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1 ...

Sirius Satellite Radio Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio ( SDARS) service that operated in the United States and Canada. Sirius launched in 2002, and primarily competed with XM Satellite Radio, until the two services merged in 2008 to form Sirius XM. Li ...

station. He also hosted ''Chuck Zito's Italian Bad Boy Hour'' on

WVOX WVOX (1460 AM) is a radio station licensed to New Rochelle, New York and serving the New York metropolitan area. WVOX is owned by Beverly Hills, California-based Chang Media Group, and has its transmitter located at the site of its former studi ...

.His Palm Does the Talking
HowardStern.com (October 7, 2005) In 2010, Zito filed a $5 million lawsuit against the cable network FX, alleging that he had a development meeting with them in 2006, in which he pitched the idea of an outlaw motorcycle group. He alleges that FX blew him off and then stole his idea, which became the FX show ''

''. On December 11, 2011, a court judgment was ruled against Zito. Zito appeared in ''Sons of Anarchy'' season 5, as Frankie Diamonds. He also appeared in ''SOA'' creator

Kurt Sutter Kurt Leon Sutter (born May 5, 1960) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He worked as a writer, director, and executive producer on ''The Shield,'' and appeared on the show as hitman Margos Dezerian. Sutter is also the cr ...

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for its ongoing reality television shows and promotion of pseudoscience. It init ...

documentary series, '' Outlaw Empires''.

Personal life

Zito has a daughter, Lisa, (who is an

entertainment law Entertainment law, also known as media law, encompasses legal services provided to the entertainment industry. These services often overlap with intellectual property law, which includes key components such as trademarks, copyright, and the right ...

yer for

Condé Nast Condé Nast () is a global mass media company founded in 1909 by Condé Nast (businessman), Condé Montrose Nast (1873–1942) and owned by Advance Publications. Its headquarters are located at One World Trade Center in the FiDi, Financial Dis ...

) with his ex-wife Kathy. He is a

supporter In heraldry, supporters, sometimes referred to as ''attendants'', are figures or objects usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. Historically, supporters were left to an individual's free choice and were assu ...

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

.Chuck Zito Issues Not-So-Subtle Threat to President Trump Hater

TMZ ''TMZ'' is an American entertainment-focused tabloid news organization owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested ...

(January 5, 2018) Ex-Hells Angels Leader Chuck Zito And Alan Dershowitz At Trump Trial Today—Here Are The GOP Allies Who Have Attended
Alison Durkee, ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

'' (May 20, 2024)

Filmography

Film

Television

References

Books cited

* *

External links

* *
Street Justice: Autobiography

Eddie Goldman interviews Chuck Zito
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zito, Chuck 1953 births Living people 20th-century American criminals 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American sportsmen 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers American jujutsuka American male boxers American male criminals American male film actors American male karateka American male television actors American people convicted of drug offenses American people imprisoned in Japan American people of Italian descent American prisoners and detainees American radio personalities American stunt performers Bodyguards Boxers from New York City Criminals from the Bronx Hells Angels Male actors from New Rochelle, New York Male actors from the Bronx Memoirists from New York (state) Motorcycling mass media people Motorcycling writers People extradited to the United States Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government Radio personalities from New York City Sportspeople from New Rochelle, New York Sportspeople from the Bronx Writers from New Rochelle, New York

Early life

Boxing and martial arts

Hells Angels

Hollywood

Personal life

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

References

Books cited

External links