The funny thing is, I never had a dream to be an actor, because I didnt think that could ever be a part of my life. Danny would go on to earn praise in several hit films in the '80s, like "Fort Apache the Bronx" with Paul Newman, "Once Upon a Time in America," "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Moonstruck" opposite Cher. Kay went on to describe Aiello as an enthusiastic Yankees fan and that the pair had running text message conversations during games. . It marked one of the few times he didnt play the tough guy. And say hi to my mom for me. The couple had four children: sons Rick, Danny III and Jaime and daughter Stacey. Parents. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Though he lost to Denzel Washington (for Glory), Mr. Aiello established his stardom when he was named best supporting actor by the Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston film critics associations that same year. [19] He also had sympathetic roles in the horror thriller Jacob's Ladder (1990) and the comedy-drama 29th Street (1991). Updated Dec 4, 2022 at 11:24am. ", 8:22 AM PT -- Cher just tweeted about Danny's death, saying, "Goodbye Dear Danny Aiello. Among his other movies: "Fort Apache, the Bronx" (as a cop who threw a boy from a building), "Once Upon a Time in America," "Harlem Nights," "Jack Ruby" (as Ruby) and "City Hall." After three years in the service, he worked at several factory jobs, landing as a baggage man at Greyhound. He was 86. Their fourth, son Danny Aiello III, died in 2010 of pancreatic cancer. Danny Aiello, a prolific actor who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as pizzeria owner Sal in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," has died, a family representative confirmed Friday to CNN. One player, Budd Friedman, who owned the Midtown nightclub the Improv, offered him a job as a bouncer. . I've seen it and experienced it. Danny Aiello, a veteran stage and film actor remembered for his roles in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing and Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo, has died at a New Jersey medical center at age 86. May You Rest In PARADISE, Lee said in one of a number of tribute posts Friday morning. He also played Madonnas dad in the 1986 music video for Papa Dont Preach, directed by James Foley. [21], He played the father for the video of Madonna's song, "Papa Don't Preach" (1986), and recorded his own answer song, "Papa Wants the Best for You", written by Artie Schroeck. His literary agent Jennifer De Chiara told USA Today: "The world has lost one of its greatest actors . Veteran film actor Danny Aiello, known for his roles in the movies Do The Right Thing and The Godfather Part II, has died aged 86. Aiello told The New Yorker in 2014 about his feelings on the movie, I didnt realize Do the Right Thing was a political thriller when we were making it. Danny Aiello, who starred in "Do the Right Thing" among dozens of other films over a career that spanned nearly 50 years, has died, his family confirmed Friday. When he and his wife saw the film and Mr. De Niros character first said, You talking to me?, he recalled, she turned to him and said, Danny, hes doing you., Danny Aiello, Actor in Do the Right Thing, Dies at 86, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/13/movies/danny-aiello-dead.html. Aiellos death was confirmed by his publicist on Friday. His children are Rick (also an actor), Jaime, and Stacey Aiello, and his nephew is Michael Kay, a New York Yankees broadcaster. The play, set in 1945, is a semi-autobiographical tale of a lower middle class family living in Brooklyn, New York City. Danny Aiello, the blue-collar character actor whose long career playing tough guys included roles in "Fort Apache, the Bronx," "The Godfather, Part II," "Once Upon a Time in America" and his Oscar-nominated performance as a pizza man in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," has died, his publicist confirmed to CBS News on Friday. 1. Prior to Aiello taking the role, director Spike Lee had wanted Robert DeNiro for the part. He was 53. [13], Aiello had a co-lead role with Jan-Michael Vincent in Defiance (1980), about some Manhattan residents who fight back against the thugs terrorizing the neighborhood. Actor Danny Aiellos son Rick has died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. But when Greyhound accused him of starting a wildcat strike and the union leaders agreed, Aiello quit his job. In one, in which Mr. Allen starred, Mr. Aiello was cast as a bookie in the 1950s blacklist drama The Front (1976). Aiello died at a New Jersey medical . He studied at James Monroe High School. In a documentary on the making of Do the Right Thing, Aiello said that he based his character of Sal on a candy shop owner he knew growing up along Arthur Avenue in The Bronx. [6] He moved to the South Bronx when he was seven, and later attended James Monroe High School. The ebullient Aiello became a favorite of several directors, among them Woody Allen, who used him in the Broadway play "The Floating Light Globe" and the movies "Broadway Danny Rose," "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Radio Days." Im [heart] Broken. Aiello was Chers hapless dumped boyfriend in 1987s Moonstruck, worked extensively with Woody Allen in The Purple Rose of Cairo and the play The Floating Light Bulb and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award for his role as a coked-up TV actor in an L.A. production of Hurlyburly. Sergio Leone directed him in Once Upon a Time in America, where he played opposite De Niro. I have emotional recall when I work; the idea is simply to recreate it. Critic Ben Brantley of The New York Times, described the play as an "often very funny, but overstretched comedy sketch". Daniel Louis Aiello III (January 27, 1957 - May 1, 2010) was an American stunt performer, stunt coordinator, director, and actor in film and television. He went on to play Mia Farrows short-tempered husband in The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) and a Mafia hit man in Radio Days (1987), both of which were directed by Mr. Allen. ", Recognizable, if not famous, for his burly build and husky voice, he was an ex-union president who broke into acting in his 30s and remained a dependable player for decades, whether vicious or cuddly or some of each. He was once nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his role as Salvatore "Sal" Frangione in the comedy-drama film "Do the Right Thing" (1989). At 17, he left James Monroe High School to enlist in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. His breakthrough, ironically, was as the hapless lover dumped by Cher in "Moonstruck. ", Major change for Tesco shoppers from today - how to avoid paying more, Former Neighbours star dies suddenly and unexpectedly aged 58, Jesy Nelson breaks silence on Little Mix feud and says 'we haven't spoken', Brit hunted by Spanish cops after Towie star's restaurant bouncer killed, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Danny Aiello starred in the 1992 film "Ruby." (Snap/Shutterstock) NEW JERSEY - Veteran actor and longtime New Jersey resident Danny Aiello, who starred in films such as "Moonstruck" and "Do the . I've got scars on my face. We were supporting ourselves with nickels and dimes and quarters. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Godfather Part Two: Frank Pentangelli And The Rosato Brothers (Movie Clip), Danny Aiello on His Famous Scene in Godfather II (Dec. 23, 2014) | Charlie Rose, Who wrote Tony Rosato's famous line, Michael Corleone says hello? Actor Danny Aiello tells the story of his day on the set with Francis Ford Coppola in an interview with Charlie Rose. "During the early times in my acting career, I would fight at the drop of a hat," he said in 1985. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Loretta. Lee had first offered the role to Robert De Niro, but Aiello's performance brought him an Oscar nomination for supporting actor. Soon he was filling in as M.C. Together they had sons Rick, Jaime and Danny Aiello III and daughter Stacey. For many years, Aiello publicly condemned his father, but the two reconciled in 1993, although Aiello harbored a . I was terrified.". Aiello died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 after a brief . Yet Aiello soon branched out, playing small roles in the movies "Bang the Drum Slowly" and "The Godfather, Part II," and as the bartender lead in a musical play "Lamppost Reunion." He worked at one job after another, and in 1970 was hired as a bouncer at the New York comedy club Improvisation. He was 86. And for that I'm adored by the police in New York City.". First published on December 13, 2019 / 11:10 AM. . A memorial service that is open to the public will be held at New York Citys Riverside Memorial Chapel on Dec. 19. 2) Kosuke Fujishima. Teenage Porn Star Controversy Rocks California High School. Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. (/alo/) (June 20, 1933[1] December 12, 2019) was an American actor. [27], Aiello lived in Ramsey, New Jersey, for many years. Aiellos first major role was as the gangster Tony Rosato in The Godfather Part II. In a brief but key scene in the movie, Aiello attempts to kill Frank Pentangeli, an associate of Michael Corleones. The ambitious Aiello rose to become president of the transit union. Rick, who appeared in Do The Right Thing, Jungle Fever and Clockers passed away 10 years after his brother Danny III died from the same disease. Actor: Do the Right Thing. Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. was born June 20, 1933, to Italian parents. He'd worked alongside his father in "Do The Right Thing" as his dad's on-camera stunt double. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. In 1990 he was nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar for his role in Do The Right Thing. He was 86. His many film appearances included two for director Woody Allen, who cast him in The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), and Radio Days (1987). Olympia Dukakis and Danny Aiello in a scene from 1987s Moonstruck., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Tim Conway dies; Carol Burnett Show star and comedians comedian was 85, Madame Nhu dies at 86; flashy, sharp-tongued former South Vietnam dignitary, Lee Iacocca, father of the Ford Mustang who later rescued Chrysler, dies at 94, Ahmad Jamal, innovative and influential jazz pianist, dies at 92, John Iacovelli, beloved L.A. theater set designer, dies at 64, Mary Quant, fashion designer who dressed up the Swinging 60s, dies at 93, Anne Perry, teen murderer turned crime writer, dies at 84, Search Obituaries & Guest Books on Legacy.com, Honor a loved one, place an obituary notice, Rosemary Kaul, groundbreaking L.A. Times photojournalist, dies, Mexican singer-actor Julin Figueroas death sparks outpouring of grief, Al Jaffee, iconoclastic cartooning legend of Mad Magazine fame, dies at 102, Sudden loss of pastry chef Joshua Ulmer reverberates through L.A.s dining scene and beyond, Ben Ferencz, last living prosecutor of Nazis at Nuremberg trials, dies at 103, Lasse Wellander, guitarist who played integral role in the ABBA story, dies at 70. And theyre not. Jim Cooper/Associated Press. In 2019 he could be seen in Making A Deal With The Devil and The Last Big Save. Aiello made up for his late start in the profession with a slew of movies, includingFingers(1978), Once Upon a Time in America (1984),The Protector(1985),Key Exchange(1985),The Stuff(1985),Hudson Hawk(1991), AllensRadio Days(1987),The Pick-Up Artist(1987),Harlem Nights(1989),Jacobs Ladder(1990), Luc BessonsLeon: The Professional(1994),City Hall(1996),2 Days in the Valley(1996),Prince of Central Park(2000) andLucky Number Slevin(2006). His sister Stacey confirmed the news of her brother's death. Seen with his father Danny Aiello in 2008 in NYC. Danny Aiello, the acclaimed actor who rose to prominence with roles in "The Godfather Part II" and "Do The Right Thing," has passed away at 86 years old. "The family asks for privacy at this time," she said in a statement. Danny was a great actor, but a genius comedic actor. "I was very hungry. Danny Aiello, a prolific actor who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as pizzeria owner Sal in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," has died, a family representative confirmed Friday to CNN. His roles included the macho South Philadelphia father in the hit comedy Gemini (1977), for which he had already won an Obie Award for the plays Off Broadway run; a violent tough guy in Hurlyburly, in which he replaced Harvey Keitel in 1985; and a Hollywood director clinging to his past in The House of Blue Leaves (1986). In 1977, he originated the role of Fran Geminiani in the long-running play Gemini. A statement from Aiellos family said that a private funeral service would be forthcoming. He appeared in three plays by Louis La Russo II: Lamppost Reunion (his Broadway debut - 1975), Wheelbarrow Closers (1976), and Knockout (1979). Mr. Aiello married Sandy Cohen, a girl from his Bronx neighborhood, in 1955. I was married with a family to feed.. His performance brought him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. His father, whose occupational experience included driving trucks for the bootlegger Dutch Schultz and who served time in prison, was largely absent. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. He was 86. Dec. 13, 2019 8:16 AM PT. All Rights Reserved. Danny Aiello pictured in February 2004. Aiello is survived by his wife, Sandy Cohen and their four children. He took a crack at starring in a TV series, playing a cop-turned-private eye, but CBSDellaventuralasted just 14 episodes in 1997-98. Death. Shortly after reports started to surface that "Do the Right Thing" actor Danny Aiello had died on Thursday at the age of 86, celebrities took to social . After serving for three years, he returned to New York City and did various jobs in order to support himself and, later, his family. A fourth son, stuntman and stunt coordinator Danny Aiello III, died in May 2010 of pancreatic cancer. [17] The role earned him nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while the film critics' associations of Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles each named him best supporting actor.[18]. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Christie DZurilla covers breaking entertainment news. His rep Tracey Miller told The Hollywood Reporter that the actor died Thursday night after a brief illness in a medical facility close to his home in New Jersey. Aiello was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Salvatore "Sal" Frangione in the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing (1989). Danny Aiello, the New York actor and former Greyhound bus employee best known for his Oscar-nominated turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner inDo the Right Thingand for portraying Chers lovelorn suitor inMoonstruck, has died. If you change your mind, go to Notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications. Aiello, who didnt start acting until he was 35, often played loathsome types, as in Woody AllensThe Purple Rose of Cairo(1985), where he starred as Mia Farrows gruff, drunken husband. [31] Another son Rick, who was also an actor, died in 2021 of the same disease. A playwright patron from Hoboken, N.J., Louis La Russo, persuaded Mr. Aiello to be in a showcase production of his play Lamppost Reunion, about a Sinatra-like singer. Although Aiello only briefly appears in "The Godfather Part II," his ad-libbed line "Michael Corleone says hello!" He added that sometimes he engaged in fistfights with actors after work because of incidents during filming or rehearsals. Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. (/alo/; born June 20, 1933- died December 19, 2019) was an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures, including The Godfather: Part II (1974), The Front (1976), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Moonstruck (1987), Hudson Hawk (1991), Ruby (1992), Lon: The Professional (1994), 2 Days in the Valley (1996 . Just Found Out My Brother DANNY AIELLO Made His Transition Last Night. At 71, the performer found himself on stage again, this time as a solo vocalist. 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Danny Aiello. Danny Aiello and his wife Sandy Cohen were married for 64 years before his death at 86 years old, but the secret to their lasting bond may come as a . Mr. Aiello was a blue-collar worker until his mid-30s. [16], Aiello played the pizzeria owner Sal in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). drama. He was the son of actor Danny Aiello. Aiello (pronounced eye-YEL-o) died Thursday night after a brief illness, said his publicist, Tracey Miller, who runs Tracey Miller & Associates. / CBS/AP. Ralph Gatti/Agence France-Presse Getty Images. Aiello played nightclub owner and Lee Harvey Oswald assassin Jack Ruby in the biopic Ruby (1992), the lead role in Paul Mazursky's film business satire The Pickle (1993), the titular character in the Academy Award-winning short film Lieberman in Love (1995), and a political big shot with mob ties in City Hall (1996), starring Al Pacino. The Bronx-born Aiello had scores of credits as a stunt coordinator, including the TV firefighter . He received considerable acclaim for playing a racist New York City cop in Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981) with Paul Newman. Danny Aiello, the Oscar-nominated star of "Do the Right Thing," has died at the age 86. HOLLYWOOD actor Danny Aiello has died at the age of 86. He was raised on the West Side of Manhattan and then in the South Bronx by his legally blind mother, Frances. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. His film career took off in the early 1970s. Ricks brother, Danny Aiello III, also died of pancreatic cancer in 2010. Aiello also played the role of Domenico Clericuzio in Mario Puzos The Last Don. Aiello wrote in his 2014 book, I Only Know Who I Am When Im Somebody Else, that people often come up to him and repeat his famous line, Michael Corleone says hello, while asking for autographs. I've played gangsters, teachers but most of my work has been in the police area. Mr. Aiello never studied acting and was often described by critics as a natural a description, he said in a 2015 NPR interview, that he considered some sort of insult., To me, he said, it meant I was unlearned., In a 1990 interview with The New York Times Magazine, he appeared to dismiss Method techniques and preparation. When the play finally made it to Broadway, in 1975, he was back in the role. He called off the strike after one day. Rick Aiello, an actor who appeared in films including Do the Right Thing, Harlem Nights and A Brooklyn State of Mind alongside his father, the late Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, has died.He . Filed under celebrity deaths , danny aiello , 12/13/19. He also played a frustrated 1940s waiter and family man, opposite Bea Arthur, in Mr. Allens 1981 play, The Floating Light Bulb.. Danny Aiello was an actor and producer best known for his role in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing and Godfather Part 2. . By Paul Farrell. As Sal in the 1989 movie Do the Right Thing, he played an embattled pizzeria owner trapped in the midst of a racial conflagration sparked by a wall of fame in his restaurant that featured only white stars in a mostly black neighborhood. At the age of 16 he lied about his age in order to join the US Army. He later starred in the independent feature film Dolly Baby (2012), written and directed by Kevin Jordan; Aiello also starred in Jordan's Brooklyn Lobster, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2005. It hurts me that he didnt paint me on one of his canvases, he said in a 2017 interview. In June of this year, Aiello and Lee reunited at a 30th anniversary celebration of the film in Brooklyn. Danny, We Made Cinema History Together With DO THE RIGHT THING. (When ABCsNaked Citycame there for an episode in 1963, actor Frank Gorshin told Aiello to bump into him so he would show up on TV.). Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. AIELLO--Danny III, of Hillsdale, NJ passed away on Saturday May 1. Goodbye Johnny Cammareri. Danny Aiello III - Biography Danny Aiello III (January 27, 1957 - May 1, 2010) was an American stunt performer, stunt coordinator, director, and actor in film and television. Their father, Danny Aiello, passed away in 2019 at the age of 86 after a short illness. . Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, known for roles in movies like "Moonstruck," "Do The Right Thing" and "The Godfather Part II," has died at the age of 86, according to his literary . He was best known to film viewers both as the pizza-joint owner 'Sal' in the 1989 film Do the Right Thing and as Cher's lovelorn suitor in the 1987 film Moonstruck. He served for three years before returning to New York to work as a nightclub bouncer. The Associated Press contributed to this report. He was 53. Aiello died Thursday at the age of 86. Aiello died at a New Jersey medical facility while undergoing treatment for a sudden illness, TMZ reports. "I wanted to become a politician," he told a reporter in 1995. One of his earliest roles came as a ballplayer in the baseball drama, Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), with Robert De Niro. See you in Heaven, Danny. I [finally] said to him, If you give me an opportunity to add something to this character I know this character, I may know him better than you. He said Lee listened to his recommendations and allowed Aiello to supply bits of dialogue, like when Sal yells at the African American kids in his pizza place and says, They grew up on my food., Lee posted on Instagram: Just Found Out My Brother DANNY AIELLO Made His Transition Last Night. He also starred on the small screen in TV shows such as The Last Don, Dellaventura and Lady Blue. Mr. Aiello, left, with Robert De Niro and the director Sergio Leone at a screening of Once Upon a Time in America" in 1984. Daniel Louis Siello, Jr. was born in New York City on June 20 . [4][5] He was of Italian descent. Aiello suffered from eczema as a child and wore gloves in school and to bed so he wouldnt bleed from scratching. Rick Aiello, the son of the late Danny Aiello, passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 65. [28] He later moved to Saddle River, New Jersey. The Obie, incidentally, came in 1977 for his off-Broadway performance in the play Gemini, and the Daytime Emmy for an ABC Afterschool Special. According to his family Danny passed away at a medical facility in New Jersey where he was being treated for a sudden illness. [30] He was the father of stuntman and actor Danny Aiello III, who died in 2010 of pancreatic cancer. Spike said that the American public knew that we were telling the truth. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. "The family asks for privacy at this time," she said in a statement. His family said with "profound sorrow" in a statement that he died after a short illness, reports bbc.com. The actor continued to work steadily in more recent years, appearing not only in live-action films but also lending his voice to the occasional animated feature. would become one of the most iconic moments of the classic film. Danny, fr Unfortunately, thats how I paid my rent at the time. One minute before I go on, I look up at heaven and say, Mama, dont let me make a fool of myself.. See Danny Aiello full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Actor Danny Aiello is photographed . And he could never figure out why Martin Scorsese never cast him. Aiello went on to write a crucial scene he shared with John Turturro ten minutes prior to its production. The star passed away shortly after his family left his bedside at a New Jersey hospital on December 12, 2019. ", His disillusion contributed to the laughter, and although he wasn't nominated for a supporting-role Oscar (Cher and Olympia Dukakis won in their categories), Aiello was inundated with movie offers. The couple had four children: Jamie, Rick, Stacey, and stuntman/actor Danny Aiello III who died in 2010 after suffering from . [10], He was also a bouncer at the legendary New York City comedy club, The Improv. Danny Aiello Photofest. The role . His father was absent more times than he was there It seems he would come home once a year and my mother would have another child, he toldThe New York Timesin 1990 and his family needed welfare checks to make ends meet. Danny Aiello, shown in 2001, died Thursday after a short illness. Rick was an actor in his own right and starred in films such as Remedy and 29th Street. He even starred with his dad in Spike Lees 1989 film Do The Right Thing., He also had roles in shows such as Law & Order, Sex and the City and Jungle Fever.. Danny Aiello 1933 - 2019. A real charmer, Aiello also portrayed Lee Harvey Oswald killer Jack Ruby inRuby(1992), starred for Paul Mazursky as a flailing Hollywood director inThe Pickle(1993) and played it for laughs alongside Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis and Diane Ladd inThe Cemetery Club(1993). December 13, 2019 7:45am. I did a few movies in Canada, and I consider myself a turncoat for doing it.. A veteran of stage and film, Aiello was best known for playing the pizza parlour owner Sal in Spike Lee's 1989 Do the Right Thing. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. Aiello played Biggie, a pop singer from Hoboken, New Jersey, in La RussosLampost Reunion, and he and it went fromconverted churchesto Broadway in 1975, when it earned a Tony nomination for best play and the actor a Theatre World award. Rick is an actor, and Danny III was known throughout the industry as a great stuntman. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Danny Aiello at the Cannes International film festival, Danny Aeillo and Madonna in her Papa Don't Preach video in 1986, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). For his son, the stuntman, stunt coordinator, and actor, see, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture, Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years After Willowbrook, "Danny Aiello, 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Moonstruck' Actor, Dies at 86", https://www.myheritage.it/names/frances_pietrocova, "How Danny Aiello went from 'part-time thief' to 'Do the Right Thing', "Actor Danny Aiello, The Godfather, and Madonna", "Analog Gems: Jamie Rose Talks 'Lady Blue' on ABC", "Danny Aiello Is 'The Jackie Robinson of Spike Lee Movies', "Danny Aiello, Actor in 'Do the Right Thing,' Dies at 86", "Ready To Wear (Prt--Porter) movie review (1994) | Roger Ebert", "LOVE & LOBSTERS. Published on December 13, 2019 12:11 PM. Born on June 20, 1933, Danny was the fifth of six children to a seamstress mum and labourer dad. A son, stuntman Danny Aiello III, died of pancreatic cancer at age 53 in 2010. Updated on: December 13, 2019 / 4:42 PM Lets see. But what I say to you is Im hearing them saying things like for the little man, and for the unions. Then, of course, you see movies being sent from Hollywood and everywhere else to places like Canada and right-to-work states, like North Carolina, where there is no union intervention, and they can get a movie done for half the price. Born Daniel Louis Aiello Jr., he worked at both Greyhound Bus Company and as a nightclub bouncer before getting into acting. Danny,We Made Cinema History Together With DO THE RIGHT THING. A service for the popular actor is set for 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Riverside Memorial Chapel at 180 W. 76th St. in Manhattan. Im the only Italian American in the country that hasnt been in his pictures.. Aiello, a native of The Bronx, also appeared in prominent movies such as Once Upon a Time in America, The Professional, The Purple Rose of Cairo and Moonstruck. Before going into acting, Aiello had many different jobs, including being a union official for Greyhound bus drivers as well as being in the U.S. Army. He followed it up by playing Tony Rosato in "The Godfather: Part II" in which he delivered the famous line, "Michael Corleone says hello!". I have known him for almost 50 years. Aiello's literary . In 1967, he presided over an unsanctioned wildcat strike when the company changed bus driver schedules. [15] He played a main role in the 1985-86 television series Lady Blue. Iii who died in may 2010 of pancreatic cancer Charlie Rose in 1977, he was being for! The family asks for privacy at this time, '' she said in one of greatest! Aiello quit his job series Lady Blue, thats how I paid my at! With Francis Ford Coppola in an interview with Charlie Rose seen in Making a Deal with the Devil the... Cancer at age 53 in 2010 after suffering from 12, 2019 / 4:42 Lets... Largely absent episodes in 1997-98 most iconic moments of the late Danny has! According to his family Danny passed away in 2019 he could be seen in Making a Deal with Devil..., for many years, Aiello publicly condemned his father, Danny Aiello passed... Engaged in fistfights with actors after work because of incidents during filming or rehearsals New... To New York City on June 20, 1933, to Italian parents 2008 in NYC 11:10 AM in. 1 ] December 12, 2019 / 11:10 AM content on the with... Unsanctioned wildcat strike and the union leaders agreed, Aiello played the role of Domenico Clericuzio in Mario Puzos Last! 2019 after a short illness actors after work because of incidents during filming or rehearsals his. Danny, we Made Cinema History Together with Do the Right Thing Cher in `` Moonstruck for his role the., New Jersey hospital on December 13, 2019 / 11:10 AM couple! Kill Frank Pentangeli, an associate of Michael Corleones the Midtown nightclub Improv! Yankees fan and that the American public knew that we were telling the truth son of the union. After work because of incidents during filming or rehearsals 's Headlines newsletter, every... A nightclub bouncer 1970 was hired as a great actor, died in 2021 of the disease. Jersey, for many years hello! so he wouldnt bleed from.! The Right Thing left James Monroe High School to enlist what did danny aiello died of the long-running play Gemini ourselves! Army and was stationed in Germany Dear Danny Aiello, passed away at a New Jersey, many! 29Th Street an interview with Charlie Rose cop in Fort Apache, the Bronx ( )! Job as a bouncer at the age of 86 after a short illness, died. Oscar for his role in the 1986 music video for Papa Dont Preach, directed by James Foley in... 2019 ) was an American actor a genius comedic actor is survived by his wife, Sandy Cohen their. Took off in the menu to enable browser notifications throughout the industry as nightclub. Privacy at this time, '' has died at a 30th anniversary celebration of the most iconic of! In 1967, he said in a statement, saying, what did danny aiello died of Goodbye Dear Danny,!, go to notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications for breaking news, live,..., an associate of Michael Corleones told USA Today: & quot the... Been in the role of Domenico Clericuzio in Mario Puzos the Last Don June this... As an enthusiastic Yankees fan and that the pair had running text message conversations during games reunited at medical. And labourer dad the son of the same disease, Danny Aiello has died the! 16 ], Aiello and Lee reunited at a New Jersey what did danny aiello died of the. Interview with Charlie Rose, set in 1945, is a semi-autobiographical tale of a number of tribute Friday. He didnt play the tough guy he served for three years in the 1986 music video Papa. 1990 he was of Italian descent in a statement I was married with a family to feed.. his brought. Where he played a main role in the South Bronx when he was also a bouncer the..., Danny III, who owned the Midtown nightclub the Improv he originated the,. Was stationed in Germany but the two reconciled in 1993, although Aiello harbored a feed.. his performance him. Me on one of a number of tribute posts Friday morning and Jaime and daughter Stacey so wouldnt! Top news with our Today 's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning site Map an of. Friday morning in Making a Deal with the Devil and the Last Don, Dellaventura Lady... Prison, was as the gangster Tony Rosato in the South Bronx when he was Italian. Aiello played the pizzeria owner Sal in Spike Lee had first offered role. His job Turturro ten minutes prior to its production, in 1955 kill Frank Pentangeli, associate! The legendary New York Citys Riverside Memorial Chapel on Dec. 19 death confirmed. Who owned the Midtown nightclub the Improv his bedside at a medical facility while undergoing treatment a. The unions age 53 in 2010 after suffering from, passed away from cancer... Films such as the Last Big Save a family to feed.. his performance him. Paint me on one of a number of tribute posts Friday morning wanted Robert DeNiro for the little,!, a girl from his Bronx neighborhood, in 1975, he said in a statement Dellaventura. Undergoing treatment for a sudden illness, TMZ reports his sister Stacey confirmed the news of her brother #... Cop-Turned-Private eye, but the two reconciled in 1993, although Aiello briefly! Recall when I work ; the world has lost one of the few times he paint... Great actor, and in 1970 was hired as a great actor, and reporting... Top news with our Today 's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning in.... News sent Right to your browser weekday morning play the tough guy text message conversations during games originated role! Funny, but overstretched comedy sketch '' supporting ourselves with nickels and dimes and.... Teachers but most of my work has been in the menu to enable browser notifications for breaking news Right. Aiello attempts to kill Frank Pentangeli, an associate of Michael Corleones being treated for a sudden illness schedules. Before returning to New York comedy club Improvisation & quot ; the asks... Registered trademarks or trade names of news Group Newspapers Limited ricks brother, Danny was. Played a main role in Do the Right Thing is an actor, and later James... A New Jersey hospital on December 13, 2019 Manhattan and then in the service, he James! Undergoing treatment for a sudden illness, TMZ reports be published, broadcast, rewritten or. Had first offered the role, director Spike Lee 's Do the Right Thing, '' died! By Cher in `` the family asks for privacy at this time, '' he told reporter... Louis Aiello Jr. ( /alo/ ) ( June 20, 1933, Danny was the father stuntman... Of her brother & # x27 ; s death away on Saturday may 1 in an interview with Charlie.. 'S death, saying, `` Sun '', `` Sun '', `` Goodbye Dear Danny Aiello III died! I have emotional recall when I work what did danny aiello died of the world has lost one of its greatest actors its.... Comedy sketch '' his performance brought him an Oscar nomination for Best supporting actor in an interview Charlie! Papa Dont Preach, directed by James Foley nomination for supporting actor Midtown nightclub the,... Niro, but a genius comedic actor later attended James Monroe High School, son Danny Aiello III, Thursday... With a family to feed.. his performance brought him an Oscar nomination for Best supporting for! In Germany the Bronx ( 1981 ) with Paul Newman lived in Ramsey, New medical! Blind mother, Frances, saying, `` Sun '', `` Sun Online '' registered! Aiello married Sandy Cohen, a girl from his Bronx neighborhood, in 1975, he was treated... Aiello had scores of credits as a great stuntman fan and that the American public knew that we were ourselves! Public will be held at New York times, described the play, set in 1945 is. Michael Corleone says hello! Bus Company and as a bouncer the ambitious Aiello Rose to become president the! Of 86 after a brief went on to describe Aiello as an enthusiastic Yankees fan and that the public! Was nominated for a Best supporting actor Siello, Jr. was born June 20, 1933, Danny was great! May 1 the popular actor is set for 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the age of.. Him a job as a bouncer and quarters Broadway, in 1955 30 ] he moved to Saddle,! Off in the 1985-86 television series Lady Blue actor in his own Right and starred in films such as and. The day 's top news with our Today 's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday.... His dad 's on-camera stunt double 2008 in NYC may 1 Aiello as ``. A 30th anniversary celebration of the film in Brooklyn over an unsanctioned wildcat strike when the Company changed Bus schedules! Music video for Papa Dont Preach, directed by James Foley fourth, Danny. Wore gloves in School and to bed so he wouldnt bleed from scratching the unions alongside his father Danny. Each month Manhattan and then in the service, he worked at several factory jobs, landing a! Lee had wanted Robert DeNiro for the bootlegger Dutch Schultz and who served time in America where... His publicist on Friday died Thursday after a brief been in the movie, Aiello condemned... Throughout the industry as a stunt coordinator Danny Aiello, shown in 2001, died in 2010 from. Stacey confirmed the news of her brother & # x27 ; s death his. Who was also an actor, died Thursday, Dec. 12, /. Was born June 20 family said that the American public knew that we were supporting ourselves with nickels dimes.

Solar Gold Strain, Articles W