PALMINTERI, Chazz 1952(?)–

PERSONAL

Full name, Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri; born May 15, 1952 (other sources say 1951 or 1946), in Bronx, New York, NY; son of Lorenzo (a bus driver) and Rose (a homemaker) Palminteri; married Gianna Ranaudo (an actress; some sources cite spelling of surname as Renaudo), June 6, 1992; children: Dante Lorenzo, Gabriella Rose. Education: Graduated from Bronx Community College of the City University of New York; studied acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio and with Paul Austin.

Addresses: Agent— William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Publicist— PMK/HBH Public Relations, 8500 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Career: Actor, producer, director, playwright, and screenwriter. Toured Europe with New York Comedy Players, 1975–80; appeared in advertisements, including television commercials for Vanilla Coke; singer and songwriter; performed as a singer with the band RassmaChazz; also worked as a nightclub doorman at Lime-Light, New York City, and 20/20 Club, Los Angeles.

Awards, Honors: DramaLogue awards, outstanding performance and outstanding writing, 1988, and New York Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, for acting and writing, all for A Bronx Tale; Independent Spirit Award, best supporting male, Academy Award nomination, best supporting actor, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role, and American Comedy Award nomination, all 1995, for Bullets over Broadway; leadership in entertainment award, Coalition of Italo–American Association, 1995; Los Angeles DramaLogue Award, acting, for Faithful; special achievement award for the performing arts, National Italian American Foundation.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Randy, 22 Years, Stage 73, New York City, 1971–1972.

The Guys in the Truck (some sources cite title as The Guy in the Truck ), 1982, then Broadway production, 1983.

Mr. Connolly, Mr. Papp, Rodney, and Mountain, The Flatbush Faithful, Judith Anderson Theatre, New York City, 1985.

A Bronx Tale (solo show), Ensemble Theatre, Los Angeles, 1988, then Playhouse 91, New York City, 1989.

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Pace University, Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, New York City, 2002.

Also appeared in The Kings Men.

Film Appearances:

Hijacker, Home Free All, Almi, 1984.

Fine Line, 1984.

Second hood, The Last Dragon (also known as Berry Gordon's The Last Dragon ), TriStar, 1985.

Frank Livorno, An Even Break, 1989.

Connie (Snaps's hood), Oscar, Buena Vista, 1991.

Tony, Innocent Blood (also known as A French Vampire in America ), Warner Bros., 1992.

Night and the City, 1992.

Lyle Corrente, There Goes the Neighborhood (also known as Paydirt ), Paramount, 1993.

Sonny, A Bronx Tale, Savoy Pictures, 1993.

Cheech, Bullets over Broadway, Miramax, 1994.

Lieutenant John Pirelli, The Perez Family, Samuel Goldwyn, 1995.

Matt Gavin, Jade, Paramount, 1995.

U.S. Customs special agent David "Dave" Kujan, The Usual Suspects (also known as Die Ueblichen Verdaechtigen ), Gramercy Pictures, 1995.

Ellery Coolidge, Mulholland Falls, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1996.

Guy Baran, Diabolique, Warner Bros., 1996.

Tony, Faithful, New Line Cinema, 1996.

Dante and the Debutante, 1996.

Mr. Zadir (Roxbury owner), A Night at the Roxbury, Paramount, 1998.

Phil, Hurlyburly, Fine Line, 1998.

(Uncredited) Himself, The Book That Wrote Itself, 1999.

Primo Sidone, Analyze This, Warner Bros., 1999.

Voice of Smokey (the chief alley cat), Stuart Little, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1999.

Company Man, Paramount, 1999.

Eddie Dugan, One Eyed King, Splendid Pictures, 2001.

Mr. King, Down to Earth (also known as Einmal Himmel und zurueck ), Paramount, 2001.

Speaking voice of Buster, Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (animated), Buena Vista Home Video, 2001.

Joe, Poolhall Junkies, Samuel Goldwyn, 2002.

Tweat, One Last Ride, 2003.

Just Like Mona, Moonstone Entertainment, 2003.

Film Director:

(And producer) Dante and the Debutante, 1996.

For Life, 2004.

Noel, 2004.

Also director of The Wanderer.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Soldier, Peter Gunn, ABC, 1989.

Ricky Benzone, The Last Word (also known as Cosa Nostra: The Last Word ), Showtime, 1995.

Giovanni Falcone, Cadaveri eccellenti (also known as Excellent Cadavers, Falcone, I giudici—vittimi eccelenti, and Nella terra degli infedeli ), HBO, 1998.

Lieutenant Laine Devon, Scar City (also known as Scarred City and S.C.A.R. ), HBO, 1998.

Paul Castellano, Boss of Bosses, TNT, 2001.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Inside the Academy Awards, TNT, 1995.

Sinatra: 80 Years My Way, ABC, 1995.

Himself, Little Italy (documentary), PBS, 1996.

Italians in America (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 1998.

Himself, Guns for Hire: The Making of "The Magnificent Seven, " Channel 4, 2000.

Host, An All–Star Tribute to Brian Wilson, TNT, 2001.

Himself, I Love New York, 2002.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, CBS, 1995.

The 1995 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 1995.

The 67th Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1995.

Presenter, 2003 AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Robert De Niro, USA Network, 2003.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Sonny Cappelito, Hill Street Blues, NBC, 1986.

Army officer, "The Court Martial: Parts 1 & 2," Matlock, NBC, 1987.

Frank, "He–e–e–e–r–e's Papa!," Dallas, CBS, 1989.

Leslie, "Viva Las Vegas," Valerie (also known as The Hogan Family ), NBC, 1989.

Peter Alatorre, "Heir to the Throne," Wiseguy, CBS, 1989.

Peter Alatorre, "Sins of the Father," Wiseguy, CBS, 1989.

Sam Roselli, "How Will They Remember Me?," Wiseguy, CBS, 1989.

Tommy Esposito, "Pursued," The Fanelli Boys, NBC, 1990.

Kidnapper, Sydney, CBS, 1990.

The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1994, 1995 (two episodes), 1996, 1998, 1999 (two episodes), 2002.

Voice of Leonardo da Vinci, "Art," Dilbert (animated), UPN, 1999.

Television Director:

"Unnatural Disasters," Oz (episodic), HBO, 1999.

Women vs. Men (movie; also known as Oooph! ), Showtime, c. 2001.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Keyser Soeze: Lie or Legend? (documentary short film), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer Home Entertainment, 2002.

WRITINGS

Screenplays:

A Bronx Tale (solo show; based on his play of the same name), Savoy Pictures, 1993.

Dante and the Debutante, 1996.

Faithful (based on his play), New Line Cinema, 1996.

For Life, 2004.

Wrote The Wanderer and wrote the unproduced screenplay Dion.

Stage Plays:

A Bronx Tale (solo show), Ensemble Theatre, Los Angeles, 1988, then Playhouse 91, New York City, 1989.

Also wrote Faithful.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Boston Globe, May 14, 1995, Arts and Film section, p. 41.

Cosmopolitan, January, 1995, p. 98.

Entertainment Weekly, October 15, 1993, pp. 19–20.

Interview, November, 1994, p. 22.

Los Angeles Times, May 18, 1989, pt. 6, p. 13.

New York, September 11, 1995, p. 50.

New York Times, September 13, 1993, pp. C13–C14; July 9, 1995, p. C11.

People Weekly, January 18, 1999, p. 87; January 28, 2002, p. 81.

Playboy, April, 1999, p. 117.