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      Danny Aiello

      Danny Aiello

      Highest Rated: 93% The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

      Lowest Rated: 4% Reach Me (2014)

      Birthday: Jun 20, 1933

      Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

      Having left behind his working class life in his late thirties to become a performer, actor Danny Aiello became one of Hollywood's busiest and most prominent character actors without really leaving his beloved native New York City. After establishing himself on various stages around his hometown, Aiello made his film debut as a baseball player in "Bang the Drum Slowly" (1973), before uttering one of the more famous lines as a would-be assassin in "The Godfather Part II" (1974). He went on to essay several stage roles that earned him critical plaudits before winning a Daytime Emmy for his role as a widowed father in the "ABC Afterschool Special: A Family of Strangers" (ABC, 1980). Aiello soon grabbed the attention of filmmaker Woody Allen, who cast him for a role in "The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1984), which he followed with a turn in Sergio Leone's epic crime saga, "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984). He soon came to the forefront with two of his career best performances: playing the lovelorn Johnny in "Moonstruck" (1987) and the sympathetic but insensitive pizzeria owner Sal in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" (1989). Following a turn as an angelic chiropractor in "Jacob's Ladder" (1990), there was no doubt that Aiello remained a talented and versatile character performer capable of tackling a wide array of challenging roles. Aiello was born on June 20, 1933 in New York City to working class parents; his father, Daniel, was a teamster and his mother, Frances, was an immigrant from Naples, Italy. When he was two years old, his father left the family, which forced his mother to work as a seamstress to put food on the table. Even Aiello himself was put to work at seven years old, working as a shoeshine boy and newspaper hawker at Grand Central Station. Later, he quit school in the eighth grade to work in a grocery store and bowling alley, while running with a pack of hoods and engaging in petty theft. At 16, he used a fake ID to join the Army and served in Germany for three years. After being honorably discharged, Aiello married a neighborhood girl, Sandy Cohen, in 1955 and embarked on what started out as a normal working class life. He landed a job at the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Manhattan, where he loaded buses and worked his way up to becoming a public address announcer. Later, Aiello was active in the Local 1202 of the Amalgamated Transit Union and eventually became their youngest ever president. Times were good until June 1967, when the drivers threatened to strike. While Aiello backed his membership, the union brass backed management, leading him to lose both his position within the union and his job. Broke and struggling to put food on the table for his four children, Aiello did everything possible to support his family: loading trucks, working at local clubs and even resorting to petty theft. But life began to change for the better when he began working as a bouncer for a comedy club called the Improvisation. Because of his obvious charm and easy manner, Aiello was given the opportunity to serve as the master of ceremonies, which led to comics like Robert Klein or Rodney Dangerfield using him as a straight man in their acts. Soon the working class father of four became enamored with the idea of entering show business, even though he was well into his thirties. After turning down an understudy role for a national tour of "The Great White Hope," Aiello and local playwright Louis LaRusso began staging plays in a church basement, eventually taking one play called "Knockout" to Broadway. Though "Knockout" was panned by critics, Aiello's performance was praised, leading to his feature film debut at nearly 40 years old as a baseball teammate of Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty in the film "Bang the Drum Slowly" (1973). He soon followed with a very small role in "The Godfather Part II" (1974), playing hit man Anthony Rosato, who famously utters the line, "Michael Corleone says hello," in his failed attempt to whack Frank Pentangelli (Michael V. Gazzo). Making his Broadway debut, Aiello earned a Theatre World Award for his performance in "Lamppost Reunion" (1975) before winning an OBIE Award for his role in Albert Innaurato's "Gemini" (1976). He later recreated the part on Broadway. After collaborating with LaRusso once again for "Wheelbarrow Chasers" (1976), Aiello began appearing on the small screen with a supporting role in the made-for-television movie, "The Last Tenant" (ABC, 1978). For the "ABC Afterschool Special: A Family of Strangers" (ABC, 1980), Aiello won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement (Children's Program) for his performance as a widower with two daughters who tries to forge a bond with his new stepdaughter. Returning to Broadway, Aiello had a leading role in Woody Allen's "The Floating Light Bulb" (1981), playing the philandering gambler of a husband to a scheming matriarch (Bea Arthur) who secretly plans on leaving their marriage. He followed with a darker turn as a sadistic cop who pushes a kid off a tenement roof in "Fort Apache, the Bronx" (1981), resulting in a decent patrolman (Paul Newman) bucking the system in a search for justice while trying to maintain his dignity. A few years later, he renewed his collaboration with Woody Allen - this time on film - to play a brutish husband in Woody Allen's "The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1984). Also that year, he had a small role as a corrupt police chief in Sergio Leone's sweeping crime epic, "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984), starring Robert De Niro, James Woods and Elizabeth McGovern. Following a performance in John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves" (1986), Aiello won the L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Award for his performance as Phil in the Los Angeles debut of David Rabe's "Hurlyburly" (1987), opposite Sean Penn. Thanks to his impressive array of stage work, Aiello managed to secure richer parts onscreen. Perhaps his most acclaimed supporting roles came with his next two films. First, he played the lovelorn jilted mama's boy Johnny Cammareri, who loses his fiancée (Cher) to his bother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage), in "Moonstruck" (1987). Aiello next portrayed the sympathetic but insensitive pizzeria owner Sal, who operates his restaurant inside a black neighborhood, in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" (1989). The latter garnered him critical acclaim, a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination and a higher profile career. He played the angelic chiropractor, Louis, who helps counsel a Vietnam veteran (Tim Robbins) suffering from bizarre hallucinations in "Jacob's Ladder" (1990). Though the romantic dramedy "Once Around" (1991) boasted an impressive ensemble, including Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Gena Rowlands and Griffin Dunne, it was the untrained Aiello who walked off with the best notices. That same busy year, he also played the loyal sidekick to Bruce Willis in the ill-fated caper comedy "Hudson Hawk" (1991) and the unlucky father of the lottery-winning Anthony LaPaglia in "29th Street" (1991). Aiello next had the title role of "Ruby" (1992), a failed speculative biopic of the man who shot Lee Harvey Oswald, before taking another wrong turn as a crook who kidnaps a wealthy young boy (Alex Zuckerman) in "Me and the Kid" (1993). From there, Aiello continued making questionable choices following a career which had been on quite a roll up to the early 1990s. After a rather forgettable supporting performance in the comedic drama, "The Cemetery Club" (1993), he starred as a film director in desperate need of a hit in Paul Mazursky's failed Hollywood satire, "The Pickle" (1993). He made an appearance in Robert Altman's ensemble "Pret-a-Porter/Ready to Wear" (1994), before turning in a fine performance as a mob boss who employs a hit man (Jean Reno) befriended by a 12-year-old girl (Natalie Portman) in "The Professional" (1994). Aiello had the leading role in the Oscar-winning short film, "Lieberman in Love" (1995), then played a Brooklyn political boss with his own agenda in the textured political drama, "City Hall" (1996), starring Al Pacino and John Cusack. While playing a romantic role in Kevin Dowling's "Mojave Moon" (1996), Aiello portrayed a kindhearted heavy in John Herzfeld's Tarantino-esque crime comedy, "2 Days in the Valley" (1996). While Aiello had been largely shying away from television, he was made an offer he could not refuse when he was presented with the role of Mafia patriarch Don Clericuzio in the miniseries "Mario Puzo's 'The Last Don'" (CBS, 1997), which earned him some of his best critical acclaim of the decade. The network also managed to lure him back to series work as the star and executive producer of "Dellaventura" (CBS, 1997-98), a procedural drama about a former New York City cop-turned-private investigator. Knowing Aiello's reticence to work in Los Angeles, the network took the rare step of moving the entire production to him. Despite the Herculean effort to build a show around Aiello, the series failed to last more than a season. In "Wilbur Falls" (1998), Aiello played a small town sheriff whose daughter gets wrapped up in murder, which he then followed with the role of an aging Mob assassin in "Hitman's Journal" (1998). He flew under the radar after that, taking on a supporting role opposite Paul Rodriguez in the Latin comedy "Mambo Café" (1999) and playing a successful restaurateur whose son owes the Mob a bundle of cash in the indie-made "Dinner Rush" (2000). More indie features soon followed for Aiello, who appeared in obscure movies like "Prince of Central Park" (2000), "Mail Order Bride" (2003) and" Brooklyn Lobster" (2005). He next had a small part in "Lucky Number Slevin" (2006), a crime thriller about mistaken identity that had obvious influence from Quentin Tarantino, even down to a cast that included Bruce Willis and Lucy Liu. But after that role, Aiello fell off the Hollywood map completely, not appearing in any films or television roles. He did surface as a crooner of sorts, putting out an album called Live from Atlantic City (2008), on which he warbled such old standards as "All of Me," "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" and "Pennies from Heaven." Aiello suffered a family tragedy when his son, Danny Aiello III, a longtime stunt performer and occasional actor, died from pancreatic cancer in his Hillside, NJ, home at 53 years old. Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. died on December 12, 2019 at the age of 86.

      Highest rated movies

      The Purple Rose of Cairo
      Do the Right Thing
      Radio Days
      Moonstruck
      Dinner Rush
      Bang the Drum Slowly
      Once Upon a Time in America
      Fingers

      Photos

      ME AND THE KID, Alex Zuckerman, Danny Aiello, 1993, (c) Orion THE PROTECTOR, Jackie Chan, Danny Aiello, 1985, (c)Warner Bros. CEMETERY CLUB, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis, Ellen Burstyn, Diane Ladd, 1993, ©Buena Vista Pictures DO THE RIGHT THING, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, Danny Aiello, 1989, mayhem at the urban riot THE PICKLE, Danny Aiello, Clotilde Courau, 1993 JANUARY MAN, (l-r): Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Rod Steiger, Danny Aiello, Kevin Kline, Harvey Keitel, Susan Sarandon, 1989, (c)MGM TWO MUCH, from left: Danny Aiello, Antonio Banderas, 1995, © Buena Vista MOONSTRUCK, Vincent Gardenia, Danny Aiello, Cher, Nicolas Cage, 1987 BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY, Robert De Niro, Danny Aiello, Vincent Gardenia, Michael Moriarty, 1973 THE PICKLE, Dyan Cannon, Danny Aiello, 1993 ME AND THE KID, Danny Aiello, Alex Zuckerman, 1993, (c) Orion ME AND THE KID, Danny Aiello, Gary Zuckerman, 1993, (c) Orion JANUARY MAN, Harvey Keitel, Danny Aiello, 1989, (c) MGM 29TH STREET, Anthony LaPaglia, Danny Aiello, Frank Pesce, 1991, TM and Copyright (c)20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. 2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY, Danny Aiello, James Spader, 1996, (c) MGM THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello, 1985, (c)Orion Pictures JACOB'S LADDER, Danny Aiello, 1990, (c)TriStar Pictures KEY EXCHANGE, Ben Masters, Danny Aiello, 1985. ©20th Century Fox THE PICK-UP ARTIST, Tony Sirico, Robert Downey Jr., Dennis Hopper, Danny Aiello, 1987, TM and Copyright (c)20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. ONCE AROUND, Danny Aiello, Laura San Giacomo, 1991, (c)Universal

      Filmography

      Movies

      Credit
      No Score Yet No Score Yet One Moment Unknown (Character) - 2021
      60% 67% Stallone: Frank, That Is Unknown (Character) - 2020
      No Score Yet No Score Yet The Last Big Save Unknown (Character) - 2019
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Making a Deal with the Devil Unknown (Character) - 2019
      13% 67% Little Italy Carlo (Character) $987.8K 2018
      No Score Yet 57% The Neighborhood Joseph Donatello (Character) - 2017
      80% 45% Henry & Me Dr. Acosta (Voice) - 2014
      4% 47% Reach Me Father Paul (Character) - 2014
      No Score Yet No Score Yet A Broken Sole Shoemaker (Character) - 2007
      No Score Yet 20% Stiffs Frank Tramontana (Character) - 2006
      No Score Yet 10% The Last Request Pop (Character) - 2006
      52% 87% Lucky Number Slevin Roth (Character) $22.5M 2006
      47% 62% Brooklyn Lobster Frank Giorgio (Character) $138.3K 2005
      No Score Yet 30% Zeyda and the Hitman Nathan (Character) - 2004
      29% 33% Mail Order Bride Tony Santini (Character) - 2003
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Off-Key Fabrizio (Character) - 2001
      91% 85% Dinner Rush Louis Cropa (Character) $634.6K 2000
      No Score Yet No Score Yet 18 Shades of Dust Vincent Dianni (Character),
      Director
      - 2000
      No Score Yet 65% Mambo Cafe Joey (Character) - 1999
      20% 36% Prince of Central Park Noah Cairn (Character) $5.8K 1999
      No Score Yet 36% Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis Mr. Rathbone (Character) - 1998
      No Score Yet 62% Wilbur Falls Phil Devereaux (Character) - 1998
      No Score Yet 28% A Brooklyn State of Mind Danny Parente (Character) - 1997
      No Score Yet 81% The Last Don Don Domenico Clericuzio (Character) - 1997
      58% 37% City Hall Frank Anselmo (Character) $20.0M 1996
      60% 54% 2 Days in the Valley Dosmo Pizzo (Character) $11.1M 1996
      No Score Yet 28% Mojave Moon Al (Character) - 1996
      14% 35% Two Much Gene (Character) $1.1M 1996
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Anything for Love Unknown (Character) - 1996
      No Score Yet 80% The Road Home Duke (Character) - 1996
      No Score Yet 14% Power of Attorney Joseph Scassi (Character) - 1995
      24% 27% Ready to Wear (Pret-a-Porter) Major Hamilton (Character) $10.7M 1994
      74% 95% The Professional Tony (Character) $19.0M 1994
      20% 22% The Pickle Harry Stone (Character) $45.6K 1993
      No Score Yet 9% Me and the Kid Harry (Character) $45.7K 1993
      72% 39% Mistress Carmine Rasso (Character) $53.6K 1992
      57% 30% The Cemetery Club Ben Katz (Character) $5.6M 1992
      45% 20% Ruby Jack Ruby (Character) $614.3K 1992
      67% 73% Once Around Joe Bella (Character) $14.3M 1991
      31% 56% Hudson Hawk Tommy Five-Tone (Character) $16.4M 1991
      75% 86% 29th Street Frank Pesce, Sr. (Character) $1.8M 1991
      No Score Yet No Score Yet The Closer Chester Grant (Character) - 1991
      72% 84% Jacob's Ladder Louis (Character) $24.8M 1990
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Shock Troop John Cunningham (Character) - 1990
      26% 80% Harlem Nights Phil Cantone (Character) $58.5M 1989
      92% 89% Do the Right Thing Sal (Character) $26.0M 1989
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Russicum George Sherman (Character) - 1989
      No Score Yet 30% The Preppie Murder Det. Mike Sheehan (Character) - 1989
      No Score Yet No Score Yet The Third Solution George Sherman (Character) - 1989
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Making 'Do the Right Thing' Self - 1989
      No Score Yet 40% Alone in the Neon Jungle Chief (Character) - 1988
      28% 29% The January Man Captain Vincent Alcoa (Character) $4.3M 1988
      No Score Yet No Score Yet White Hot Charlie Buick (Character) - 1988
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Crack in the Mirror Charlie Buick (Character) - 1988
      No Score Yet 71% Daddy Coach Jacobs (Character) - 1987
      No Score Yet 71% Man on Fire Unknown (Character) $435.3K 1987
      58% 37% The Pick-Up Artist Phil Harper (Character) $11.6M 1987
      92% 84% Radio Days Rocco (Character) $11.1M 1987
      92% 80% Moonstruck Mr. Johnny Cammareri (Character) $80.0M 1987
      43% 17% Key Exchange Carabello (Character) - 1985
      73% 48% The Stuff Vickers (Character) - 1985
      No Score Yet 44% The Protector Danny Garoni (Character) - 1985
      93% 88% The Purple Rose of Cairo Monk (Character) - 1985
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Lady Blue Lt. Terry McNichols (Character) - 1985
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Deathmask Capt. Mike Grasso (Character) - 1984
      No Score Yet 33% Old Enough Mr. Bruckner (Character) - 1984
      87% 93% Once Upon a Time in America Police Chief Vincent Aiello (Character) - 1984
      80% 66% Fort Apache, the Bronx Morgan (Character) - 1981
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Chu Chu and the Philly Flash Johnson (Character) - 1981
      80% 48% Hide in Plain Sight Sal Carvello (Character) - 1980
      No Score Yet 52% Defiance Carmine (Character) - 1979
      85% 68% Fingers Butch (Character) - 1978
      No Score Yet 47% Bloodbrothers Artie (Character) - 1978
      69% 74% The Front Danny LaGattuta (Character) - 1976
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Hooch Unknown (Character) - 1976
      90% 62% Bang the Drum Slowly Horse (Character) - 1973

      TV

      Credit
      0% No Score Yet Dellaventura Unknown (Character),
      Executive Producer,
      Director
      1997-1998
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Cosby Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
      No Score Yet No Score Yet The Last Don Unknown (Character) 1997
      No Score Yet 58% Saturday Night Live Host 1996
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Night Heat Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Lady Blue Lt. Terry McNichols (Character) 1985-1986
      No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak Matty (Guest Star) 1976