Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci | |
|---|---|
| File:Pescigood.jpg | |
| Born | Joseph Pesci |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) [1] |
Joseph Eliot Pesci (born February 9, 1943), best known as Joe Pesci, is an American Academy Award-winning actor, comedian and singer who is often typecast as a violent mobster or a grouchy funnyman.
Personal Life
Pesci was born in Newark, New Jersey where he worked as a barber in the 1960s and released an album entitled Little Joe Sure Can Sing under the name Joseph Richie, accompanied by a band that included good friend and future fellow actor Frank Vincent. His breakthrough as an actor came in 1980 opposite Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's boxing film Raging Bull. Subsequently he acted opposite De Niro several times, often in a similar role, in the films Once Upon A Time In America (in which he was cast at the behest of his friend De Niro), Goodfellas (for which he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), and Casino. The pairing became famous enough to inspire a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live, called The Joe Pesci Show (the real Pesci and De Niro would eventually make a surprise appearance in one episode).
Pesci also starred in Home Alone, playing one of two bumbling burglars (along with Daniel Stern) who attempt to rob Macaulay Culkin's house, JFK and My Cousin Vinny, and appeared in three Lethal Weapon films as the sleazy but likeable Leo Getz.
In 1999, Pesci announced that he was leaving acting to pursue a musical career and to enjoy life away from the camera. Pesci returned to acting when he did a cameo role in De Niro's 2006 film The Good Shepherd.
Trivia
- His song My Cousin Vinny was somewhat successful in some European countries (the song is not directly related to My Cousin Vinny, however).
- He started out with Joey Dee and the Starliters, working his way around as a waiter and singing and playing guitar in local nightclubs.
- Scorsese and De Niro tracked down Pesci after seeing him in The Death Collector (1976) deeming him perfect for the role of Joey La Motta in Raging Bull (1980).
- Each of his eyes are a different color.
- The word "pesci" in Italian is the pluralized form of "fish", It is pronounced as Pesh-ee.
- Pesci's friend George Carlin mentions him in his bit "There is no God", in which Carlin says that he prays to Joe Pesci.
- After accepting his Oscar for the role of Tommy DeVito, his entire acceptance speech was "This is an honor and privilege, thank you very much." When asked why he did not say more, he said, "I really didn't think I was going to win."
- Pesci is known for his use of abusive, profane and obscene language.
- Law-enforcement agencies have profiled Pesci, a psychopathic criminal.
- He practiced judo in his teens, and is an avid golfer.
- Pesci does not smoke cigarettes, which is why his characters usually chew toothpicks. He does smoke cigars.
- He sang as Joe Doggs with jazz organ player Joey DeFrancesco. They recorded an album on Concord Records in 2003 titled, Joey DeFrancesco featuring Joe Doggs, Falling In Love Again.
- Pesci has a house in Lavallette, New Jersey. In the 1980s, he established a reputation as a community Little League Baseball coach.
- His final film before he announced movie retirement for a career in music in 1999 was Lethal Weapon 4
- Pesci's mother's maiden name is Mesce (pronunciation rhymes with Pesci) Making her name Mary Mesce Pesci.
- Per the play Jersey Boys, Pesci introduced Bob Gaudio to the members of the band "The Three Lovers". They joined together to become The Four Seasons. The play makes it clear that this is the same Joe Pesci. Near the end of the play, as the characters recap their lives, Tommy DeVito mentions that he is now Joe Pesci's Chauffeur.
Filmography
References
External links
