Biography
Starting as a professional actor in his mid-30s, Gardenia played supporting roles on Broadway in "Volpone" (1957), "Only in America" (1959) and "Seidman and Son" (1962) and in films including "The Hustler" (1961, playing a bartender) and "Mad Dog Coll" (1961, playing Dutch Schultz). He won a Tony for his performance in Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" in 1972 and earned a New York Film Critics Award and his first Oscar nomination …
Latest Tv Credits
1 - 4 of 4
Career Milestones
| Played Ray Stohler on the ABC comedy drama, "Breaking Away" (based on the film of the same name) | ||
| Portrayed Frank Lorenzo on popular CBS sitcom, "All in the Family" | ||
| Served as a private in the US Army | ||
| Was active as a nonprofessional in New York's Italian-language theatre | ||
1924 | Family emigrated to the US when Gardenia was two; settled in Brooklyn (date approximate) | |
1927 | Played first (amateur) stage role at age five at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in Brooklyn, a shoeshine boy in "Shoe Shine" | |
1945 | Appeared in a bit part as one of the trainee spies in "The House on 92nd Street"; uncredited | |
1956 | Enjoyed a career breakthrough with the role of Piggy in the off-Broadway production of "The Man with the Golden Arm" | |
1958 | First acted on Broadway in "The Visit" | |
1958 | Returned to feature films; played first notable film role in "Cop Hater" | |
1983 | Played J. Edgar Hoover in the NBC mini-series, "Kennedy" | |
1987 | Was featured as Cher's father in "Moonstruck" | |
1992 | Was appearing onstage in "Breaking Legs" in Philadelphia at the time of his death | |
Awards
1972 | Tony Award for Actor, Supporting or Featured (Dramatic) |
1973 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Bang the Drum Slowly |
1987 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Moonstruck |
1990 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Miniseries or Special in Age-Old Friends |