Robert Davi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Robert Davi
Robert Davi at Capitol Records.jpg
Robert Davi
Born Robert John Davi
(1953-06-26) June 26, 1953 (age 59)
Astoria, Queens, New York, USA
Years active 1977-present
Spouse(s) Christine Bolster (1990-present) (separated)

Robert John Davi (born June 26, 1953)[1] is an American actor and jazz singer. He has played such roles as Vietnam veteran and Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard, the villainous Jake Fratelli in The Goonies, and Al Torres in Showgirls. However, Davi is perhaps best known for playing lead villain and drug lord Franz Sanchez in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill as well as FBI Special Agent Baily Malone in the NBC television series Profiler. Classically trained as a singer, Davi launched his professional singing career in 2011 performing Frank Sinatra classics.[2] He opened as a headliner at The Venetian, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 23, 2012.[3][4]

Contents

Early life [edit]

Davi was born in Astoria, Queens, New York, the son of Maria (née Rulli) and Sal Davi.[1] His mother was an Italian American and his father was a native of Southern Italy; Davi spoke Italian during his childhood.[1] He attended Seton Hall, a Catholic high school in Patchogue (Long Island), New York.[1] He has two sisters, Yvonne Davi (deceased), and Michelle (Davi) Queal. He graduated from Hofstra University, the same alma mater as fellow James Bond villain Christopher Walken. Davi was drawn to Hofstra because of the school's Shakespearean "round" theatre.

Acting career [edit]

Davi with Stephen Dorff and Michael Shannon at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Davi made his motion picture debut in Contract On Cherry Street, in which he shared the screen with, Frank Sinatra. Since then he's continued to work with the biggest names in Hollywood – Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Benicio del Toro, James Franco, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bruce Willis, and Roberto Benigni, among others. He's been in such movies as The Goonies, Die Hard, Showgirls, Son of the Pink Panther, and in the 1989 Bond film Licence to Kill as the villain Franz Sanchez, a South American drug lord and murderer.[5]

On TV, he starred as Commander Acastus Kolya on Stargate Atlantis, appeared in two-part episodes of Criminal Minds, and played Supervisory Special Agent Baily Malone of the FBI Violent Criminal Apprehesion Program / VICAP in 88 episodes of his own NBC series, Profiler. In 1989 Davi appeared as Mafia Albert Cerrico in the television series Wiseguy, in the 10 episode Mafia arc titled Garbage Wars. He also sang in the first installment of the arc, called Le Lacrime de Amore Pt I.

In 2011, Davi appeared alongside Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken in the gangster movie Kill the Irishman. The film, in which Davi played Mafia hitman Ray Ferritto, is a biopic of Danny Greene, an Irish-American mob boss who warred with the Cleveland crime family during the 1970s. Currently, Davi can be seen in Game of Death with Wesley Snipes.

Directing career [edit]

In 2007, Davi made his directorial debut with The Dukes, a parable for today about how the current economic crisis is affecting the everyman. The story follows the members of a once successful Doo Wop group who, like most of the world, have fallen on hard times. The film is about chasing the American Dream, even when the reality of that dream is changing faster than you can run. It stars Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi, and Peter Bogdanovich. The Dukes was acclaimed and was selected for the premiere section at the Rome Film Festival, along with other filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola, Sean Penn, Robert Redford, Sidney Lumet, and Gavin Hood. Davi was the only first-time director in the premiere section. The film was then invited to the Monte Carlo Comedy Film Festival, where it received awards for best first-time director and best screenplay. Following this, The Dukes was invited to the Alpe d'Huez International Comedy Film Festival in France, amongst others.

Recording career [edit]

Even as far back as high school, Davi received acclaim for his singing, being awarded first place in the prestigious New York State School Music Association’s — Solo Competition, singing Vincent Youmans' Without A Song. As a young man, Davi studied classically under several of the top vocal teachers, Samuel Margolis and Danial Ferro of Juilliard and later, opera great Tito Gobbi. Davi did in fact damage his voice, claiming he was baritone with the heart of a tenor and had pushed too hard, too early.[6] However, it isn't until recently that he has become successful as a singer. With a thirty-piece orchestra, Davi recorded his first album at the famous Capitol Records Building in Hollywood (where Frank Sinatra recorded on many occasions). The album contains all-new arrangements by composer Nic. tenBroek; it was produced by Phil Ramone, engineered by Dan Wallin, and mixed by Al Schmitt. The album, "Davi Sings Sinatra — On The Road To Romance", was released October 24, 2011.

In December 2012 Davi appeared along with Roger Cicero in the French/German Arte TV program Durch die Nacht mit.... The episode was shot in the Little Italy area of New York City and featured conversation between Cicero and Davi and solos of Sinatra standards by both performers.

Personal life [edit]

Davi is an outspoken conservative and often speaks at Republican gatherings. He has been invited to comment on numerous political shows and backed John McCain during his presidential campaign. He narrated several film montages that aired during the 2008 Republican National Convention.[7] Davi also spoke at the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Davi is a devout Roman Catholic and regularly speaks of God or relates passages from the Bible in speaking.[8][not in citation given] He is a frequent guest on Fox News's late-night satire program Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld.

Davi's children are Sean Christian Davi (born 1981), with Jeri McBride, and Ariana Marie Davi (born April 3, 1990), Frances Davi (born 1992), and Isabella Davi and Nicholas Edward Davi (twins, born on January 11, 2001), with Christine Bolster.

Davi is an avid cigar smoker, having started in early adulthood. He also has been seen in public and in films and television programs smoking cigarettes, but not as often as cigars.

Filmography [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Cigar Aficionado | People Profile | Robert Davi
  2. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Davi-Sings-Sinatra-Road-Romance/dp/B005ME7FES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319231203&sr=8-1
  3. ^ http://davisingssinatra.com/
  4. ^ http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/09/spirit-sinatra-returns-robert-davi-fulfills-childh/
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ http://jerrysaravia.blogspot.com/2011/05/interview-with-robert-davi-man-of-many.html
  7. ^ Robert Davi Backstage at the Republican National Convention
  8. ^ Washington Times

External links [edit]

Authority control
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Davi&oldid=550740108"