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Biography
Infobox person| image = Dominic Chianese 2005.jpg| caption = Chianese singing at the opening of the US Open (tennis)|US Open , 2005| birth_date = Birth date and age|1931|02|24| birth_place = New York City , New York , United States|U.S. | occupation = Actor| years_active = 1952–present Dominic Chianese (IPAc-en|icon|?|k|i?|?|'|n|?|z|?; born February 24, 1931) is an United States|American film , television and theatre actor, perhaps best known for his role as Junior Soprano|Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO television|TV series, The Sopranos .
Early life
Chianese was born in the borough of The Bronx in New York , the son of a bricklayer. http://www.filmreference.com/film/36/Dominic-Chianese.html Dominic Chianese Biography (1934? -) He graduated from Bronx High School of Science in 1948. He worked as a bricklayer with his father and attended night school during the 1950s, graduating with a bachelor's degree in speech and theater from Brooklyn College in 1961. His earliest stage work occurred in 1952 with a Gilbert and Sullivan repertory company of singers, actors and musicians called The American Savoyards , under the direction of Dorothy Raedler.
Career
After a decade of attending college and appearing in off-broadway theatre, Chianese attended his first professional acting class at HB Studios in Manhattan , with renowned teacher Walt Witcover . Drama and musical theater became Chianese's passion. His first Broadway show was Oliver! in 1965. He has continued to perform in Broadway theatre, Off Broadway , and Regional theatre in the United States|regional theatre . To supplement income in the dry periods, he played rhythm guitar and sang in taverns and restaurants. Chianese's first television credit occurred when George C. Scott recommended him for a role in the acclaimed series East Side, West Side . In 1974, Francis Ford Coppola cast Chianese as Johnny Ola in The Godfather Part II , which sparked a film career, culminating in several films (and plays) with Al Pacino .
Before being cast in Godfather II , Chianese was working for the Drug Commission of New York State as a recreational worker in a rehabilitation center. He taught guitar to women who were serving time for drug-related crime s.
In 2010, Chianese received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of his humanitarian efforts.
Chianese has appeared in 4 movies with his friend, Al Pacino:
The Godfather Part II (1974) - as Johnny Ola
Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - as Sonny's Father
...And Justice for All (film)|...And Justice For All (1979) - as Carl Travers
Looking for Richard (1996) - as Himself
Chianese is an accomplished tenorciteweb|accessdate=1 June 2011|url= http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233018|work=BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.)|date="September 18, 2001|title=News: "Dominic Chianese Scores A Hit With ‘Hits’" and musician, having released a Compact disc|CD titled Hits in 2000, on which he sings American and Italian songs. He performed Salvatore Cardillo 's sentimental classic "Core 'ngrato" ("Ungrateful Heart"), on the third-season finale of The Sopranos (episode 3x13, " Army of One (The Sopranos)|Army of One "). In 2003, Chianese, along with AOL Music, released a second CD titled Ungrateful Heart , which features 16 classic Neapolitan songs.
His son, Dominic Chianese Jr., is also an actor and appeared in the final season of The Sopranos as a member of the fictional Lupertazzi crime family .
Chianese can currently be seen in the second season of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire as Leander Whitlock, a retired Atlantic City alderman.
Filmography
Fuzz (film)|Fuzz (1972)
The Godfather Part II (1974)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
'' All the President's Men (film)|All the President's Men (1976)
Fingers (1978 film)|Fingers (1978)
On the Yard (1978)
Firepower (film)|Firepower (1979)
...And Justice for All (film)|...And Justice for All (1979)
''A conversation with Dominic Chianese, The Sopranos' Uncle Junior in cite book|last1=Lavery|first1=David|last2=Howard|first2=Douglas L.|last3=Levinson|first3=Paul (eds.)|title=The Essential Sopranos Reader|url= http://books.google.com/books? id=xfP243s2dTkC& pg=PA339date=2011|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0-8131-3012-5|pages=339–362
http://www.americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/dominic_chianese Dominic Chianese - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing|American Theatre Wing.org
Persondata|NAME= Chianese, Dominic |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States|American actor |DATE OF BIRTH= 1931-02-24 |PLACE OF BIRTH= New York City , New York |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= DEFAULTSORT:Chianese, Dominic Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:Gilbert and Sullivan performers Category:Actors from New York City Category:People from the Bronx Category:Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:1931 births Category:Living people
