Danny Aiello

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For his son—the stuntman, stunt coordinator and actor, see Danny Aiello III.
Danny Aiello
Danny Aiello.jpg
Aiello in New York City, December 2011
Born Daniel Louis Aiello Jr.
(1933-06-20)June 20, 1933
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1973–2019
Spouse(s) Sandy Cohen (m. 1955)
Children 4, including Danny Aiello III and Rick Aiello
Relatives Michael Kay (nephew)
Website dannyaiello.com

Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. (/aɪˈɛloʊ/; June 20, 1933 – December 12, 2019)[1] was an American actor. He appeared in numerous motion pictures, including The Godfather Part II (1974), The Front (1976), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Moonstruck (1987), Harlem Nights (1989), Jacob's Ladder (1990), Hudson Hawk (1991), Ruby (1992), Léon: The Professional (1994), 2 Days in the Valley (1996), Dinner Rush (2000), and Lucky Number Slevin (2006). He played Don Domenico Clericuzio in the miniseries The Last Don (1997). Aiello was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Salvatore "Sal" Frangione in the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing (1989).

Early life

Aiello, the fifth of six children, was born on West 68th Street, Manhattan,[2] the son of parents Frances Pietrocova, a seamstress from Naples, Italy, and Daniel Louis Aiello, a laborer, who deserted the family after his wife lost her eyesight and became legally blind [3]. For many years, Aiello publicly condemned his father, but the two reconciled in 1993, although Aiello harbored a resentment of his father's conduct.[1][4][5] He was of Italian descent.[6] He moved to the South Bronx when he was seven, and later attended James Monroe High School.[5]

At the age of 16, Aiello lied about his age to enlist in the United States Army. After serving for three years, he returned to New York City and did various jobs in order to support himself and later his family.[7][8]

In the 1960s, Aiello served as president of New York Local 1202 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, representing Greyhound Bus workers. In 1967, he presided over an unsanctioned wildcat strike when the company changed bus driver schedules.[9] The strike was called without authorization by the parent union and he was suspended for that action. He called off the strike after one day.[10]

He was also a bouncer at the legendary New York City comedy club, The Improv.[11] In the mid-1980s, he was a nightly regular at Café Central, a bistro frequented by celebrities on 79th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, in Manhattan, and at an eatery named Columbus restaurant on 66th Street and Columbus Avenue.[12]

Career

With actress Estelle Parsons in 1977

Film and television

Aiello broke into films in the early 1970s. One of his earliest roles came as a ballplayer in the baseball drama, Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), with Robert De Niro. Aiello had a walk-on role as small-time hood Tony Rosato in The Godfather Part II (1974), ad-libbing the line "Michael Corleone says hello!" during a hit on rival gangster Frank Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo).[13]

Aiello had a co-lead role with Jan-Michael Vincent in Defiance (1980), about some Manhattan residents who fight back against the thugs terrorizing the neighborhood. He received considerable acclaim for playing a racist New York City cop in Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981) with Paul Newman. In 1981, Aiello won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming for his appearance in an ABC Afterschool Special called A Family of Strangers.[14]

He was paired with De Niro again for the Sergio Leone gangster epic, Once Upon a Time in America (1984), as a police chief whose name was also "Aiello." His many film appearances included two for director Woody Allen, who cast him in The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), and Radio Days (1987).[15] He played a main role in the 1985-86 television series Lady Blue.[16]

Aiello played the pizzeria owner Sal in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). At the time of the film's release, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, he called the role his "first focal part". He further identified the film as a very collaborative effort, during which Spike Lee at one point told him, "Whatever you wanna do, you do." Aiello went on to write a crucial scene he shared with John Turturro ten minutes prior to its production.[17] The role earned him nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while the film critics' associations of Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles each named him best supporting actor.[18]

Aiello also portrayed more sympathetic characters. He gained recognition as the befuddled fiancé of Cher opposite her Oscar-winning performance in the romantic comedy Moonstruck (1987), and made a comic appearance in drag for the Robert Altman fashion-industry film Prêt-à-Porter (1994).[19] He also had sympathetic roles in the horror thriller Jacob's Ladder (1990) and the comedy-drama 29th Street (1991).[20]

Aiello played nightclub owner and Lee Harvey Oswald assassin Jack Ruby in the biopic Ruby (1992), the lead role in Paul Mazursky's film business satire The Pickle (1993), the titular character in the Academy Award-winning short film Lieberman in Love (1995), and a political big shot with mob ties in City Hall (1996), starring Al Pacino. He later starred in the independent feature film Dolly Baby (2012), written and directed by Kevin Jordan; Aiello also starred in Jordan's Brooklyn Lobster, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2005.[21]

Music

Aiello's singing was on display in films such as Hudson Hawk (1991), Once Around (1991), and Remedy (2005) that starred his son Ricky Aiello and Jonathan Doscher. He released several albums featuring a big-band including I Just Wanted to Hear The Words (2004), Live from Atlantic City (2008), and My Christmas Song for You (2010). Aiello and EMI songwriter Hasan Johnson released an album of standards fused with rap entitled Bridges in 2011.[22]

He played the father for the video of Madonna's song, "Papa Don't Preach" (1986), and recorded his own answer song, "Papa Wants the Best for You", written by Artie Schroeck.[23]

Theater

Aiello appeared on the Broadway stage many times throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He appeared in three plays by Louis La Russo II: Lamppost Reunion (his Broadway debut - 1975), Wheelbarrow Closers (1976), and Knockout (1979). In 1977, he originated the role of Fran Geminiani in the long-running play Gemini.[24]

In 1981, Aiello starred in Woody Allen's play The Floating Light Bulb alongside Beatrice Arthur. The play, set in 1945, is a semi-autobiographical tale of a lower middle class family living in Brooklyn, New York City. Frank Rich, critic from The New York Times gave the play a mild review writing wrote "there are a few laughs, a few well-wrought characters, and, in Act II, a beautifully written scene that leads to a moving final curtain". Rich also compared the play to work of Tennessee Williams.[25]

In the mid 1980s, Aiello starred in a replacement cast version of Hurlyburly (1984) alongside Christine Baranski, Frank Langella, Ron Silver, and Candice Bergen. He also starred in The House of Blue Leaves (1986) alongside John Mahoney (who earned a Tony Award for his performance), Ben Stiller, Stockard Channing, and Julie Hagerty[26]

In 2002, Aiello starred in Elaine May's comedic play, Adult Entertainment alongside May's daughter, Jeannie Berlin. The play was directed by Stanley Donen and opened off-broadway at the Variety Arts Theatre. Critic Ben Brantley of The New York Times, described the play as an "often very funny, but overstretched comedy sketch".[27]

In July 2011, Aiello appeared Off-Broadway in the two-act drama The Shoemaker, written by Susan Charlotte and directed by Antony Marsellis. The play is a stage version of his 2006 movie A Broken Sole, which began life in 2001 as a one-act play.[28]

Personal life

Aiello lived in Ramsey, New Jersey, for many years.[29] He later moved to Saddle River, New Jersey.[30]

In 2014, Aiello published his autobiography, I Only Know Who I Am When I Am Somebody Else: My Life on the Street, on the Stage, and in the Movies via Simon & Schuster.[31] He was the father of stuntman and actor Danny Aiello III, who died in 2010 of pancreatic cancer.[32] His son Rick, who was also an actor, passed away in 2021. His surviving children are Jaime, and Stacey Aiello.[14] His nephew is Michael Kay, broadcaster for the New York Yankees.[33]

Death

Aiello died on December 12, 2019, at age 86 at a hospital in New Jersey, following a brief illness.[18][34]

Many in the entertainment industry voiced their sadness either on Twitter or released statements, such as his Moonstruck co-star Cher, and Robert De Niro, who starred alongside Aiello in four films together, Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), The Godfather Part II (1974), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), and Mistress (1992). De Niro wrote, "I am very saddened to hear of Danny's passing. I have known him for almost 50 years. See you in Heaven, Danny."[35]

Aiello's funeral was held on December 19, 2019 at the Riverside Memorial Chapel on the Upper West Side.[36] Director Spike Lee and actor John Turturro gave eulogies. Lee stated, "We recognized our differences, political or whatever else you want to talk about it, but we truly loved each other."[36]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1973 Bang the Drum Slowly Horse
1974 The Godfather Part II Tony Rosato
1975 The Godmothers Uncredited
1976 The Front Danny LaGattuta
1977 Hooch Tony
1978 Fingers Butch
1978 Bloodbrothers Artie Di Falco
1980 Defiance Carmine
1980 Hide in Plain Sight Sal Carvello
1981 Fort Apache, The Bronx Morgan
1981 Chu Chu and the Philly Flash Johnson
1983 Blood Feud Randy Powers
1984 Old Enough Mr. Bruckner
1984 Once Upon a Time in America Police Chief Vincent Aiello
1984 Broadway Danny Rose Uncredited
1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo Monk
1985 The Stuff Vickers
1985 The Protector Danny Garoni
1985 Key Exchange Carabello
1987 Radio Days Rocco
1987 Man on Fire Conti
1987 The Pick-up Artist Phil Harper
1987 Moonstruck Johnny Cammareri
1988 The Third Solution George Sherman
1989 The January Man Captain Vincent Alcoa
1989 White Hot Charlie Buick
1989 Do the Right Thing Salvatore "Sal" Fragione
1989 Shocktroop John Cunningham
1989 Harlem Nights Phil Cantone
1990 Jacob's Ladder Louis
1990 The Closer Chester Grant
1990 He Ain't Heavy Short
1991 Once Around Joe Bella
1991 Hudson Hawk Tommy "Five-Tone" Messina
1991 29th Street Frank Pesce Sr.
1992 Deathmask Capt. Mike Grasso
1992 Ruby Jack Ruby
1992 Mistress Carmine Rasso
1993 The Cemetery Club Ben Katz
1993 The Pickle Harry Stone
1993 Me and the Kid Harry
1994 Léon: The Professional Tony
1994 Prêt-à-Porter Major Hamilton
1994 Save the Rabbits Ronnie
1995 Power of Attorney Joseph Scassi
1995 Lieberman in Love Joe Lieberman short
1995 Two Much Gene
1996 City Hall Frank Anselmo
1996 2 Days in the Valley Dosmo Pizzo
1996 Mojave Moon Al
1997 Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis Mr. Rathbone
1997 A Brooklyn State of Mind Danny Parente
1998 Wilbur Falls Phillip Devereaux
1999 18 Shades of Dust Vincent Dianni
2000 Mambo Café Joey
2000 Dinner Rush Louis Cropa
2000 Prince of Central Park Noah Cairn
2001 Off Key Fabrizio Bernini
2003 Mail Order Bride Tony Santini
2004 Zeyda and the Hitman Nathan
2005 The Fool Voice of the Dummy Short
2005 Brooklyn Lobster Frank Giorgio
2006 Lucky Number Slevin Roth
2006 Last Request Pop
2006 A Broken Sole The Shoemaker
2010 Stiffs Frank Tramontana
2013 Dolly Baby Tony Lanza
2014 Henry & Me Dr. Acosta Voice
2014 Reach Me Father Paul
2017 The Neighborhood Joseph Donatello
2018 Little Italy Carlo
2019 The Last Big Save Louis Brown
2019 Making a Deal With The Devil Mario
2021 One Moment Joe McGuinness
TBA Hereafter Musical Jason Short

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1978 The Last Tenant Carl TV film
1978 Lovey: A Circle Of Children, Part II Bernie Serino TV film
1980 A Family Of Strangers Dominic Ginetti ABC Afterschool Special
1982 Gemini Fran TV film
1982 The Unforgivable Secret Frank Caruso ABC Afterschool Special
1982 A Question Of Honor Martelli TV film
1984 Tales from the Darkside Tommy Vale Episode: "The Odds"
1985-1986 Lady Blue Lt. Terry McNichols TV series
1987 Daddy Coach Jacobs TV film
1988 Alone In The Neon Jungle Chief TV film
1989 The Preppie Murder Det. Mike Sheehan TV film
1990 Madonna: The Immaculate Collection Papa segment "Papa Don't Preach"
1992 The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 Tony Rosato TV reruns
1995 Brothers' Destiny (aka The Road Home) Duke TV film
1996 Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years After Willowbrook Narrator Documentary
1997 The Last Don Don Domenico Clericuzio TV mini-series
1997–1998 Dellaventura Anthony Dellaventura 14 episodes
1998 The Last Don II Don Domenico Clericuzio TV mini-series
2009 Harry: A Communication Breakdown Narrator Documentary
2017 Broken Dreams Blvd Teddy Berry TV film
2017 Difficult People Danny Aiello (voice) Episode: "Passover Bump"

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue
1944 Follow the Girls Dancing Boy New Century Theatre, Broadway
1975 Lamppost Reunion Biggie Little Theatre, Broadway
1976 Wheelbarrow Closers Chester Grant Bijou Theatre, Broadway
1977 Gemini Fran Geminiani Little Theatre, Broadway
1979 Knockout Damie Ruffino Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway
1981 The Floating Light Bulb Max Pollack Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway
1985 Hurlyburly Phil (replacement) Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
1986 The House of Blue Leaves Billy Einhorn Plymouth Theatre, Broadway
2002 Adult Entertainment Guy Aikens Variety Arts Theatre, Off Broadway
2011 The Shoemaker Performer Acorn Theatre, Off-Broadway
2017 Home for the Holidays Performer August Wilson Theatre, Broadway


Awards

Year Award Category Title Result Ref.
1981 Daytime Emmy Award Performer in a Children's Program ABC Afterschool Special:
A Family of Strangers		 Won [37]
1989 Academy Award Best Supporting Actor Do the Right Thing Nominated [18]
Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor - Film [14]
Boston Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actor Won [18]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor [14]
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor [18]
1991 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Once Around Nominated [37]
1994 National Board of Review Best Ensemble Prêt-à-Porter Won [37]

Publications

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See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Danny Aiello Biography, filmreference.com; accessed June 21, 2017.
  2. ↑ Danny AIELLO profile, International Who's Who. accessed September 1, 2006.
  3. ↑ https://www.myheritage.it/names/frances_pietrocova
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Danny Aiello Biography, Yahoo.com; accessed June 21, 2017, Archived from the original on May 22, 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Liz Smith, "Papa Gets Second Chance In New Video", Sarasota Herald-Tribune (October 22, 1986), 5E.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Golden, Tim. "FILM; Danny Aiello Journeys Along The Blue-Collar Road to Stardom", The New York Times, February 10, 1991. Accessed January 23, 2008. "Though friends say he is cashing paychecks of close to $1 million, Mr. Aiello and his wife, Sandy, live in the same split-level house in Ramsey, N.J., that they bought a decade ago for $125,000."
  30. ↑ Andrea Adams, Saddle River, The Star-Ledger, April 28, 2005; "Last year, instead of amusements during the day, Saddle River Night featured a band concert by a 40-piece orchestra, as well as the family-style picnic and a special treat: Saddle River resident Danny Aiello sang a few songs after the band concert."
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000732/awards

External links

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