What is Chazz Palminteri's Net Worth?
Chazz Palminteri is an actor, producer, screenwriter, and playwright who has a net worth of $16 million. Chazz Palminteri best known for his performances in such films as "A Bronx Tale," "The Usual Suspects," and "Bullets Over Broadway." For the latter film, he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Palminteri has also appeared on television in shows including "Rizzoli & Isles," "Modern Family," and "Godfather of Harlem."
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Chazz Palminteri was born as Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri on May 15, 1952 in the Bronx borough of New York City. His mother, Rose, was a homemaker, while his father, Lorenzo, was a bus driver. Palminteri is of Sicilian descent, with his grandparents having immigrated to the United States from Agrigento, Sicily in 1910. As a child, Palminteri experienced a somewhat formative event when he witnessed a mobster being murdered in front of his apartment building. However, he claimed to the police that he didn't see the attack.
Early on in his career, Palminteri struggled to make it as an actor. He split his time performing in off-Broadway plays and moonlighting as a bouncer. Subsequently, he landed bit parts in the films "Home Free All" and "The Last Dragon," and appeared in episodes of such shows as "Hill Street Blues," "Matlock," "Dallas," and "Wiseguy." In 1989, Palminteri had his breakthrough when he debuted his autobiographical one-man show "A Bronx Tale" at Theatre West in Los Angeles. The show went on to run for two months at Playhouse 91; much later, it would be turned into a Broadway musical also starring Palminteri.
Film Career
In the early 90s, Palminteri was in the comedies "Oscar," "Innocent Blood," and "There Goes the Neighborhood." His biggest part yet came in 1993, when he partnered with Robert De Niro to adapt the play "A Bronx Tale" into a film. De Niro made his directorial debut with the movie, while Palminteri wrote the screenplay; both men also starred in the film. "A Bronx Tale" was both a commercial and critical success. Palminteri followed this with one of his most acclaimed roles, playing mob henchman Cheech in Woody Allen's 1994 crime comedy "Bullets Over Broadway." For his performance, Palminteri received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Another of Palminteri's most notable performances came in 1995, when he played Special Agent Dave Kujan in the mystery thriller "The Usual Suspects." Other credits in the 90s include the thrillers "Jade," "Diabolique," and "Mulholland Falls," and the comedies "The Perez Family," "A Night at the Roxbury," and "Analyze This." Additionally, Palminteri starred alongside Cher in "Faithful," which he also wrote, and lent his voice to the character of Smokey in the children's film "Stuart Little."
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Palminteri's credits in the 2000s include "Down to Earth," "One Eyed King," "Poolhall Junkies," "One Last Ride," "In the Mix," "Running Scared," and "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints." Palminteri also directed the Christmas-themed drama "Noel," in which he appeared alongside stars Susan Sarandon, Penélope Cruz, Paul Walker, and Alan Arkin. Additionally, he did voice acting for the animated films "Hoodwinked!" and "Arthur and the Minimoys." Palminteri's other notable credits include "Yonkers Joe," "Jolene," "The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure," and "Mighty Fine," as well as the crime films "Once Upon a Time in Queens," "Legend," and "Vault."
Television Career
In 1990, Palminteri appeared in an episode of the CBS sitcom "Sydney." He didn't return to television until the end of the decade, when he starred in the made-for-TV HBO movie "Excellent Cadavers" opposite F. Murray Abraham. In 2001, Palminteri starred in another television movie, "Boss of Bosses," in which he portrayed real-life crime boss Paul Castellano. Following this, he appeared in episodes of "Dr. Vegas" and the short-lived 2005 remake of "Kojak."
Palminteri had some of his most memorable television roles in the 2010s, including the recurring role of Frank Rizzoli Sr. on the crime drama "Rizzoli & Isles." He also had a notable recurring role as the character Shorty on the ABC sitcom "Modern Family." Palminteri's other credits include "Blue Bloods," "Kevin Can Wait," and "Godfather of Harlem," on which he portrays another real-life crime boss, Joe Bonanno.
Personal Life and Business Interests
In 1992, Palminteri wed Gianna Ranaudo. They have two children, and live in the town of Bedford in Westchester County, New York. Palminteri considers himself to be a devout Roman Catholic, and has described himself as "very spiritual." He is also a big fan of the New York Yankees.
In 2011, Palminteri opened a restaurant called Chazz: A Bronx Original in the Little Italy neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Its menu items included coal-fired pizza and various Italian foods. The restaurant ultimately closed in 2015. Palminteri opened another Italian restaurant, Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano, on Second Avenue in New York City.
