Chazz Palminteri

Photo of Chazz Palminteri

Biography

Palminteri's starring film role as a Mafia boss set the tone for his subsequent film career, where he lent dimension to streetwise characters, like the undiscovered literary genius behind a craps-shooting bodyguard in "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994), for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His soft-hearted tough guys were offset by staunch law enforcement officials and conflicted working-class Joes in …
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Job Title

Actor, Director, Producer, Writer

Born

May 15, 1952

Career Milestones

2006

Co-wrote the screenplay for "10th and Wolf," which is based on the real life events of Joseph Pistone aka Donnie Brasco

2006

Played a detective in Wayne Kramer's "Running Scared"

2005

Played a mob boss opposite Usher in Ron Underwood's crime drama "In The Mix"

2005

Cast opposite Ving Rhames in the USA series "Kojack" a remake of the original 70's series, which starred Telly Savalas

2003

Cast in the feature "Poolhall Junkies"

Made directorial debut with "Oooph!" (lensed 2001) for Showtime

2001

Headlined the TNT original drama "Boss of Bosses", playing real-life mobster Paul Castellano

1999

Starred as a zealous prosecutor in the HBO original movie "Excellent Cadavers"

1999

Directed an episode of HBO's "Oz"

1999

Supported Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro in "Analyze This"

1998

Appeared in the ensemble drama "Hurlyburly"

1997

Underwent surgery to remove cancerous tumor from his neck

1995

First romantic lead, "The Perez Family"

1993

First film in a lead role, also screenwriting debut, "A Bronx Tale"

1989

TV-movie debut, "Peter Gunn"

1989

Feature acting debut, "An Even Break"

1989

Moved the show to New York, where it ran for four months at Playhouse 91

1988

First production of "A Bronx Tale", a one-man show that ran at the West Coast Ensemble theater; produced by Peter Gatien

1988

Wrote first stage version of "A Bronx Tale"

1986

TV acting debut in an episode of "Hill Street Blues"

1986

Moved to L.A.

Worked as a doorman at the New York nightclub, The Limelight; met his future producer Peter Gatien, owner of The Limelight in the mid-1980s

Worked in Off-Broadway productions

After high school worked as a nightclub singer

Awards

1995

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male in Bullets Over Broadway

1995

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Bullets Over Broadway

1994

Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Bullets Over Broadway