Frank Vincent (born August 4, 1939) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
. Among other noted roles, he played
Phil LeotardoPhilip "Phil" Leotardo, played by character actor Frank Vincent, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was originally a Captain within the Lupertazzi Crime Family, but following the death of the original Boss, Carmine Lupertazzi, the imprisonment and death of his successor...
in the HBO series
The SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created and produced by David Chase. It premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10, 1999 and ended its original run of six seasons and 86 episodes on June 10, 2007. The show has also been broadcast on A&E in...
.
Vincent, an
Italian AmericanAn Italian American is an American of Italian ancestry, and/or may also refer to someone possessing Italian/American dual citizenship. Italian Americans are the fourth largest European ethnic group in the United States.-History:...
, was born
Frank Vincent Gattuso in
North Adams, MassachusettsNorth Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,681 at the 2000 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
, but was raised in
Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Jersey City was 240,055, making it New Jersey's second-largest city, behind Newark. As of the Census Bureau's 2007 estimate, the population had grown to 242,389...
. His father, Frank Vincent Gattuso, Sr., was an iron worker. Vincent has two brothers: Nick and Jimmy. His father was one of six children (Lucia [Lucille], Filippo [Philip], Antonio [Tony], Frank, James [Jimmie] and Cecilia [Ceil]) all born in Massachusetts to Italian immigrants Nicolò Gattuso and Francesca Di Peri.
Frank Vincent (born August 4, 1939) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
. Among other noted roles, he played
Phil LeotardoPhilip "Phil" Leotardo, played by character actor Frank Vincent, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was originally a Captain within the Lupertazzi Crime Family, but following the death of the original Boss, Carmine Lupertazzi, the imprisonment and death of his successor...
in the HBO series
The SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created and produced by David Chase. It premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10, 1999 and ended its original run of six seasons and 86 episodes on June 10, 2007. The show has also been broadcast on A&E in...
.
Early life
Vincent, an
Italian AmericanAn Italian American is an American of Italian ancestry, and/or may also refer to someone possessing Italian/American dual citizenship. Italian Americans are the fourth largest European ethnic group in the United States.-History:...
, was born
Frank Vincent Gattuso in
North Adams, MassachusettsNorth Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,681 at the 2000 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
, but was raised in
Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Jersey City was 240,055, making it New Jersey's second-largest city, behind Newark. As of the Census Bureau's 2007 estimate, the population had grown to 242,389...
. His father, Frank Vincent Gattuso, Sr., was an iron worker. Vincent has two brothers: Nick and Jimmy. His father was one of six children (Lucia [Lucille], Filippo [Philip], Antonio [Tony], Frank, James [Jimmie] and Cecilia [Ceil]) all born in Massachusetts to Italian immigrants Nicolò Gattuso and Francesca Di Peri. His Uncle Phil served in the UK in
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and married an English girl so Frank has an English cousin called Michael Gattuso. He is of Sicilian (paternal grandfather) and Neapolitan descent.
Career
In the late 1970s, Frank teamed up with
Joe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, singer and musician.Usually known for playing violent mafia mobsters or grouchy but lovable funnymen, Pesci has starred in a number of high-profile films such as Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Once Upon a Time in America, My Cousin Vinny, JFK,...
, performing in local clubs like the Arlington Lounge and other venues around Northern
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
as "Vincent and Pesci". The comedy duo's material was a play on
Martin and LewisMartin and Lewis were an American comedy team, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. The pair first met in 1945; their debut as a duo occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24/25, 1946....
and
Abbott and CostelloWilliam Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 50s...
.
As an accomplished player of the drums,
trumpetThe trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC...
, and
pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Vincent originally intended on a career in music, but in 1975, he co-starred in the low-budget gangster movie,
The Death CollectorThe Death Collector is a 1976 low-budget crime film directed by Ralph De Vito and starring Joseph Cortese, Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent...
along with
Joe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, singer and musician.Usually known for playing violent mafia mobsters or grouchy but lovable funnymen, Pesci has starred in a number of high-profile films such as Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Once Upon a Time in America, My Cousin Vinny, JFK,...
, where he was spotted by
Martin ScorseseMartin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. He is the founder of the World Cinema Foundation, a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema and has won awards from the Oscars, Golden Globe,...
. Scorsese was impressed and hired Vincent to appear in a major supporting role in
Raging Bull, which saw him link up once again with Pesci. The two would go on to appear together in several other movies. Another familiar co-star and good friend of Vincent's is
Robert De NiroRobert Mario De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director, and producer.De Niro is well-known for his method acting and portrayals of conflicted, troubled characters and for his enduring collaboration with director Martin Scorsese...
, who is also friends with Pesci.
Vincent is usually
typecastTypecasting is the process by which a film, TV, or stage actor is strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters with the same traits or ethnic grouping....
as a
gangsterA Gangster is a criminal who is a member of a crime organization, such as a gang. The terms are most commonly used in reference to members of the criminal organizations associated with American prohibition and the American offshoot of the Italian Mafia, such as the Chicago Outfit, the Philadelphia...
. He appeared in Scorsese's 1990 film
GoodfellasGoodfellas is a semi-fictional crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese...
, where he played Billy Batts, a
made manA made man, also known as a wiseguy, made guy, man of honor, or Mafioso is someone who has been officially inducted into the Mafia .-Overview:...
in the
Gambino crime familyThe Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families", or borgata, that control organized crime activity in New York City. It is part a United States-wide criminal network known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
. He also played a prominent role in Scorsese's 1995 film
Casino as Frank Marino (based on real-life gangster
Frank CullottaFrank Cullotta was a mobster of the Chicago Outfit. His criminal career included burglary, robbery, arson and murder. He was a close friend and associate of Chicago Outfit enforcer Tony Spilotro. In 1982 Cullotta and Spilotro had a falling out that resulted in Cullotta flipping and becoming a...
), the
sidekickA sidekick is a stock character, a close companion who assists a partner in a superior position. Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, Batman's companion Robin, and Xena's partner, Gabrielle are some well-known sidekicks in fiction....
of Pesci's character. It has been noted that, in
Goodfellas, Pesci's character beats Vincent's to death, while Vincent's character turns the tables in
Casino.
In 1996, Vincent appeared in rap artist
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones , who performs under the mononym Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City...
' video "
Street Dreams"Street Dreams" is a 1996 single by American rapper Nas. The song was It Was Written's second hit, following the success of "If I Ruled the World ". "Street Dreams" contains samples from the Eurythmics recording "Sweet Dreams " and Linda Clifford's "Never Gonna Stop". A remix, including an...
" as his character Frankie Marino from
Casino. The video mirrors
Casino at certain times. In the
television movieA television movie is a feature film that is produced for and originally distributed by a...
GottiGotti: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Mafia Don is a 1996 HBO original movie made for television, starring Armand Assante , William Forsythe, Anthony Quinn and many other actors who later joined the cast of the same network TV-series The Sopranos...
, Vincent played Robert "DiB" DiBernardo, an associate of
MafiaThe Mafia is a Sicilian criminal society which is believed to have emerged in late 19th century Sicily, and the first such society to be referred to as a mafia . It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct...
boss
John GottiJohn Joseph Gotti, Jr. was the boss of the Gambino crime family after the murder of the previous boss Paul Castellano. John Gotti was the most powerful crime boss during his era...
, whose life the film chronicled. In the HBO TV series
The SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created and produced by David Chase. It premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10, 1999 and ended its original run of six seasons and 86 episodes on June 10, 2007. The show has also been broadcast on A&E in...
, he had his most prominent role yet, as
Phil LeotardoPhilip "Phil" Leotardo, played by character actor Frank Vincent, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was originally a Captain within the Lupertazzi Crime Family, but following the death of the original Boss, Carmine Lupertazzi, the imprisonment and death of his successor...
, a ruthless New York gangster who, as
bossA crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has unquestioned command over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the criminal...
of the show's fictional Lupertazzi crime family, becomes the show's chief antagonist in the final seasons.
Vincent also had a leading role in the heist movie
This Thing of OursThis Thing of Ours is a crime/drama film released in 2003 starring James Caan, Edward Lynch, Vincent Pastore, Danny Provenzano, Frank Vincent, and Chuck Zito...
in 2003. One of his more light-hearted roles came when he was in a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
television commercial for
PeugeotPeugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest European carmaker.Peugeot's roots go back to 19th-century coffee mill and bicycle manufacturing. The Peugeot company and family is originally from Sochaux, France. Peugeot retains a large manufacturing plant and...
cars. In early 2005, Frank Vincent appeared on
IrishIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
television in a series of television commercials for Irish bank Permanent TSB. In 1999, he won the Italian American Entertainer of the Year Award. Among Frank's other noted performances include his appearance in the 2003 film
Remedy. In 2001, Vincent lent his voice to Mafia boss Salvatore Leone in the controversial computer and video game
Grand Theft Auto IIIGrand Theft Auto III is a sandbox-style action-adventure computer and video game developed by DMA Design , and published by Rockstar Games. It is the first 3D title in the Grand Theft Auto series, the third original console release and the fifth original title overall...
. He later reprised that role in
Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a sandbox-style action-adventure computer and video game developed by Rockstar North. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
(2004) and
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a sandbox-style action-adventure video game developed by Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds. It is the ninth game in the Grand Theft Auto series. It was released for the PlayStation Portable in North America on October 25, 2005 and in the United Kingdom on...
(2005).
In 2006, he released his first book,
A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man to positive reviews. His idol is
Dean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor and comedian. He was one of the best known musical artists of the 1950s and 1960s. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "Mambo Italiano", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That A Kick In The...
.
He has also released a line of hand-rolled cigars which have his picture prominently displayed on the band.
In the summer of 2008, he played Lieutenant Marino in the independent film
The Tested is a 2009 independent feature film written and directed by Russell Costanzo and produced by Melissa B. Miller of . It is based on the award winning short of the same name.Chosen to participant in the 2009 & in New York City...
directed by
Russell Costanzo and in 2009, he made a cameo appearance alongside fellow Sopranos actor
Steve SchirripaSteve Schirripa is an American actor most famous for his role as Bobby Baccalieri on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Early life:Steve Schirripa, Born to an Italian Father and a Jewish Mother was born Steven R...
in
Stargate AtlantisStargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1 created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner after the release of Stargate...
episode "Vegas".
Vincent had a cigar produced under his name to the likes of the actor.
External links