SECAUCUS, NJ - NOVEMBER 23: Dominic Chianese attends SopranosCon 2019 at Meadowlands Exposition ... [+]
If you are a fan of HBO mob drama The Sopranos, you will certainly remember Dominic Chianese in his Emmy-nominated role as Corrado John “Junior” Soprano Jr., the old-fashioned, stubborn and insecure official boss of the DiMeo crime family. Chianese landed the part of Junior over Tony Sirico, who was ultimately cast as Paulie Gualtieri, and Frank Vincent, who played Phil Leotardo.
Today, Dominic Chianese celebrates his landmark 90th birthday.
Born in the Bronx in 1931, New York, Chianese got his start in musical comedy on stage. Prior to the pandemic, he still often appeared as a cabaret singer performing standards, ballads and Italian folk songs.
Chianese’s first television role came courtesy of Oscar winner George C. Scott, who recommended him for a guest spot in 1964 CBS drama East Side/West Side. Ten years later, director Francis Ford Coppola cast him as mobster Johnny Ola in The Godfather Part II, which gives him the distinction of being the only actor to appear in the what is referred to as the “greatest mobster movie series” and “ the greatest mobster TV series” as a regular.
American actor Al Pacino, as Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Part II, shakes hands with an old ... [+]
Following The Godfather Part II, Chianese appeared opposite Al Pacino in three other films: Dog Day Afternoon in 1975, ...And Justice For All in 1979, and Looking for Richard (as himself) in 1996.
Following The Sopranos, Chianese appeared as a guest star in numerous TV series, including dramas Blue Bloods, Boardwalk Empire, and The Good Wife. His later film roles include Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011), The Family (2013), and Active Adults (2017).
In 2018, Chianese and co-author, Matthew Sargent, published the biography of Chianese's life, Twelve Angels: The Women Who Taught Me How to Act, Live, and Love.
On this 24th day of February, 2021, we wish Dominic Chianese a Happy 90th Birthday!
