Biography for
Vincent Schiavelli More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

11 November 1948, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Date of Death

26 December 2005, Polizzi Generosa, Sicily, Italy (lung cancer)

Birth Name

Vincent Andrew Schiavelli

Nickname

The Man with the Sad Eyes

Height

6' 5½" (1.97 m)

Mini Biography

Vincent Schiavelli, selected in 1997 by Vanity Fair as one of the best character actors in America, had made over 120 film and television appearances. He studied acting at NYU's Theatre Program. Aside from his acting career, Vincent was the author of three cookbooks, and has written numerous articles on food for magazines and newspapers. In 2001, he received the James Beard Journalism Award.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Vincent Schiavelli

Spouse

Carol Mukhalian	(23 October 1992 - 26 December 2005) (his death) 1 child
Allyce Beasley	(4 August 1985 - 20 November 1988) (divorced) 1 child

Trade Mark

Droopy eyes, with pronounced bags beneath them

Trivia

Vince got his role as a TV exec in Man on the Moon (1999) from his few appearances with Andy Kaufman on "Taxi" (1978).

Was frequently cast in Milos Forman films

Son, Andrea Joseph Schiavelli (born 1987), with Allyce Beasley.

His grandfather, whom he grew up with, was a cook for an Italian baron before moving to the United States. Vincent spoke fluent Sicilian.

Studied at the New York University School of the Arts in 1969 and 1970.

His character Peter Panama on "The Corner Bar" (1972) was the first sustained gay character on American network television.

[2001] Vincent directed a theater piece in Sicily based on nine traditional fables. Six of the eight actors were Sicilian, and everything was authentic down to the local dialect. After the production, Vincent went out on stage with the actors and was met with a five-minute storm of wild flowers from the audience.

During his high school years in Brooklyn (1962 - 1966), he was the star of all the Drama Society's presentations, and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Appeared in two different, completely unrelated productions in which he played a hit man targeting a character played by Teri Hatcher: the television series "MacGyver" (1985) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).

Italian-American.

Wrote three cookbooks and many food articles for magazines and newspapers, possibly inheriting his love for cooking from his grandfather who had been a cook for an Italian baron.

Appeared in Batman Returns (1992) and "Batman" (1992): The Animated Series.

Made many guest appearances on local Sicilian TV talk shows. Made himself very popular with the "locals," by speaking proper Sicilian during his interviews.

Owed his distinctive appearance largely to Marfan syndrome, from which he suffered. He was an honorary co-chairman of the National Marfan Foundation until his death.

He's an alumnus of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn, as is former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Appeared in two different, completely unrelated productions in which he played opposite Pierce Brosnan: the television series "Remington Steele" (1982) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).

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