DANNY AIELLO
DANNY AIELLO, a native of New York City, has a reputation for no-holds-barred stage and screen performances which are brimming with honest emotion. Aiello's portrayal of Cher's jilted fiancé in Moonstruck endeared him to film audiences worldwide. As 'Sal' in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing, Aiello received unanimous acclaim including Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor, and was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago Film Critics Associations. He also starred as 'Joe Lieberman' in the romantic comedy Lieberman in Love. Directed by Christine Lahti, the film won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1996.
A legendary self-starter and national treasure, this versatile actor was 37 when he debuted as a baseball teammate of Robert DeNiro and Michael Moriarty in the film Bang the Drum Slowly. His other film credits include: The Godfather, Part II, Fort Apache the Bronx, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Once Around with Richard Dreyfus, Holly Hunter, Gena Rowlands and Griffin Dunne, Hudson Hawk with Bruce Willis, 29th Street with Anthony LaPaglia, Ruby, Mojave Moon with Anne Archer and Angelina Jolie, Dinner Rush , City Hall, opposite Al Pacino; Two Much with Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith; The Professional, directed by French film maker Luc Besson; Robert Altman's Ready To Wear; The Cemetery Club, opposite Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, and Diane Ladd; Mistress, with Robert DeNiro, 2 Days in the Valley with Glenne Headly, Lobster Farm with Jane Curtain, Lucky Number Slevin with Bruce Willis and Morgan Freedman and Stiffs with Lesley Ann Warren, just to name a few. TV productions include "Family of Strangers" (in which he received an Emmy Award), "Tales of the Darkside," "Lady Flue," "The Preppie Murder," the miniseries, Mario Puzo's "The Last Don", and the film version of The Shoemaker, called "A Broken Sole" with Judith Light. He also starred in and executive produced the award winning detective series Dellaventura. His theatre credits include : Lampost Reunion (Broadway), Gemini (Obie) - began Off-Broadway then went to Broadway, Wheel-barrow Chasers and Knockout (Broadway), Woody Allen's The Floating Lightbulb, John Guare's The House of Blue Leaves and David Rabe's Hurlyburly (L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Award). In addition to Shoemaker, Aiello is currently in production of Capone the Musical; partnering with composer/playwright Robert Mitchell on this unique new one man musical written on the life of Al Capone and featuring Aiello.
When Danny is not making movies, he's touring with his eight piece swinging jazz band, lead by bandleader Joe Geary. His show consists of songs from his 2004 debut album I Just Wanted To Hear the Words , 2008 release Live from Atlantic City a collection of traditional standards such as "All of Me," "One for My Baby" and "Besame Mucho," together with a variety of other Aiello favorites including a special tribute to singer Bobby Darin. I Just Wanted to Hear The Words debuted at #4 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart, just after five days of release alongside Diana Krall and Tony Bennett and Live from Atlantic City was featured on PBS special That's Amore.
He will be releasing a third album entitled "Bridges"- a collection of Aiello favorites that meld his smooth style vocals with hip hop artist Hasan and has completed a new Christmas album of Aiello's favorite holiday tunes entitled My Christmas Song for You . Both records will be released nationwide this year.
The New York Times says "Mr. Aiello's singing has the bounce of his idols Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra and Louis Prima, and the throaty lyricism of another idol, Tony Bennett" and
The Los Angeles Times says, "His voice warm and amiable, his phrasing easygoing and conversational, his singing revealed influences from his numerous idols-Bobby Darin in particular…but as with his acting, Aiello's singing at its core was far more than an accumulation of influences. It was a pure manifestation, instead of his own rich persona, of the abundant life experience he brings to his art."
In addition to his film and music credits, Danny Aiello has received many awards for his numerous philanthropic endeavors and contributions to film and television; including his work with Major League Baseballs' Stand up to Cancer Campaign, The Lustgarten Foundation on behalf of pancreatic cancer research (his son Danny III passed away in 2010 of pancreatic cancer), his PSAs for various police and fire organizations, including post 9/11 events, and his work with Public Television, just to name a few. A father of four and grandfather of nine, he currently resides in New Jersey with his wife of 50+ years and his baby dog Sofi Belle.
For more information please contact Tracey Miller & Associates, 609-383-2323 or [email protected]
More information and updates on Mr. Aiello performances can be found at dannyaiello.com
