Vincent Schiavelli

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Vincent Schiavelli
Schiavelli in 1987
Born
Vincent Andrew Schiavelli

(1948-11-11)November 11, 1948
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 26, 2005(2005-12-26) (aged 57)
Polizzi Generosa, Sicily, Italy
EducationNew York University (MFA)
OccupationActor
Years active1971–2005
1993−2005 (writing)
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1985; div. 1988)​
Carol Sue Mukhalian
​
(m. 1992)​
Children1

Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (/ˌskiːəˈvɛli/; November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television.[1] Described as an "instantly recognizable sad-faced actor", he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome in childhood.[2]

Schiavelli gained fame as a character actor, mainly in supporting roles. His better-known roles include Fredrickson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Mr. Vargas in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), the Subway Ghost in Ghost (1990), Organ Grinder in Batman Returns (1992), Buggy Ding Dong in Death To Smoochy (2002), Chester in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), Dr. Kaufman in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and ABC executive Maynard Smith in Man on the Moon (1999). Schiavelli is the subject of the biographical film, Tanti Beddi Cosi (English, Many Beautiful Things) about his return to Polizzi Generosa, the historically significant ancestral village of his grandfather.

Early life

Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York City to Sicilian-Americans John Schiavelli and Katherine Coco. He attended Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn. He was raised in the large Sicilian neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn; the stories and recipes of which he shared in his 1998 book Bruculinu, Remembrances of Sicilian American Brooklyn. He studied acting through the theatre program at New York University and began performing on stage in the 1960s.

Career

Schiavelli's first film role occurred in Miloš Forman's 1971 production Taking Off,[1] where he played a counselor who taught parents of runaway teens to smoke marijuana to better understand their children's experiences. Schiavelli's aptitude and distinctive appearance soon provided him with a steady stream of supporting roles, often in Forman's films, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Valmont, and the 1999 biopic Man on the Moon.

He played Mr. Vargas, the biology teacher, in the 1982 comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, a role he reprised in the 1986 television spin-off Fast Times. He was cast in a similar role in Better Off Dead in which he played Mr. Kerber, a geometry teacher.

In 1987, he starred alongside Tim Conway in the short film comedy Dorf on Golf, and then Dorf and the First Games of Mount Olympus in 1988. In 1990, he played the Subway Ghost in Ghost and in 1992, he played in Tim Burton's Batman Returns as the "Organ Grinder", one of the Penguin's henchmen. He appeared as another villain in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), as a silent monk in The Frisco Kid (1979), and as John O'Connor, one of the evil Red Lectroids in 1984's The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. In 1994 he appeared in the music video for ZZ Top's "Breakaway", alongside Fairuza Balk and in 1997, was named one of America's best character actors by Vanity Fair magazine. He also made several voice appearances in the animated television show Hey Arnold!. In 2002, he played a children's television show host turned heroin addict named Buggy Ding Dong in Death to Smoochy.[3]

His first television role came in 1972 as Peter Panama in The Corner Bar, the first sustained portrayal of a gay character on American television. His other television credits include The Moneychangers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, WKRP in Cincinnati, Benson, and Taxi as the priest who marries Latka and Simka. He appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Arsenal of Freedom" as a holographic salesman, on Miami Vice as a research scientist who conspires to steal a top-secret prototype weapon from his employer, and in an uncredited role in an episode of Punky Brewster. In 1987 he appeared as Lyle, a gangster, in the MacGyver season 2 episode "Soft Touch". In Highlander: The Series, he played Leo Atkins, a homeless Vietnam War veteran accused of murder in the Season 1 episode "Innocent Man". In The X-Files, he played Lanny, a man with an underdeveloped conjoined twin in the Season 2 episode "Humbug".

Schiavelli was honorary co-chair of the National Marfan Foundation, an organization that serves those affected by Marfan syndrome, a condition that Schiavelli had.[4]

Schiavelli also performed in a few video games, including Emperor: Battle for Dune (as Harkonnen Mentat Yanich Kobal) and as Dr. Hellman in the video game Corpse Killer.

Personal life

Schiavelli was married twice. He and his first wife, actress Allyce Beasley, were married from 1985 to 1988. They appeared together in an episode of Moonlighting, Beasley's television series. They had one son, composer Andrea Schiavelli. Vincent Schiavelli then married harpist Carol Sue Mukhalian on October 23, 1992. They remained married until his death.[5]

Death

Schiavelli's tombstone in Polizzi Generosa graveyard

Schiavelli died of lung cancer on December 26, 2005, at the age of 57 at his home in Polizzi Generosa, the Sicilian town where his grandfather Andrea Coco was born, and about which he wrote in his 2002 book Many Beautiful Things: Stories and Recipes from Polizzi Generosa (ISBN 0-7432-1528-1).[6] He was buried at Polizzi Generosa Cemetery near Palermo, Sicily.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Taking Off Schiavelli
1974 The Great Gatsby Thin Man Uncredited
1974 For Pete's Sake Grocery Clerk
1975 The Happy Hooker Music Guru
1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Bruce Frederickson[7]
1976 Next Stop, Greenwich Village Rent Party Guest Uncredited
1976 Angels Tex
1977 Another Man, Another Chance Train Traveler Uncredited
1978 An Unmarried Woman Man at Party
1979 Butch and Sundance: The Early Days Guard
1979 The Frisco Kid Brother Bruno
1980 The Gong Show Movie Mario Romani
1980 Seed of Innocence Leo
1980 The Return Prospector
1981 American Pop Theatre Owner[7]
1981 Chu Chu and the Philly Flash B.J.
1981 The Gangster Chronicles Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro
1982 Night Shift Carl
1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High Mr. Vargas
1983 The Selling of Vince D'Angelo Vince's Right Hand Man
1984 Kidco Phil Porzinski
1984 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension John O'Connor
1984 Amadeus Salieri's Valet[7]
1984 Johnny Dangerously Roman Moronie's Building Planner Uncredited
1985 Better Off Dead Mr. Kerber
1988 Time Out Receptionist
1989 Cold Feet Vet
1989 Homer and Eddie Priest
1989 Valmont Jean
1990 Playroom Roman Hart
1990 Waiting for the Light Mullins
1990 Mister Frost Angelo
1990 Ghost Subway Ghost
1990 Penny Ante: The Motion Picture Davidson
1991 Another You Dentist
1991 Ted & Venus Publisher
1992 Batman Returns Organ Grinder
1992 Miracle Beach Mystic
1993 Painted Desert Harry
1994 Lurking Fear Knaggs
1994 Cultivating Charlie Martin
1995 Escape to Witch Mountain Waldo Fudd
1995 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up Mayor
1995 Lord of Illusions Vinovich
1995 Two Much Sommelier
1996 Back to Back Leonardo
1996 The People vs. Larry Flynt Chester
1997 The Beautician and the Beast Jailer
1997 Tomorrow Never Dies Dr. Kaufman
1998 Casper Meets Wendy Matthew Jeeder
1998 Love Kills Emmet
1998 Restons groupés Gary
1998 Rusty: A Dog's Tale Carney Boss
1998 Milo Dr. Matthew
1999 Inferno Mr. Singh
1999 Treehouse Hostage Gardener Uncredited
1999 Man on the Moon Maynard Smith, ABC Executive
1999 The Prince and the Surfer Baumgarten
1999 American Virgin Cab Driver
2000 3 Strikes Cortino
2000 The Pooch and the Pauper Willy Wishbow
2001 Snow White: The Fairest of Them All Wednesday
2001 American Saint Charley Grebbini
2002 Hey Arnold!: The Movie Mr. Bailey Voice
2002 Death to Smoochy Buggy Ding Dong
2002 Solino Director Baldi
2002 The 4th Tenor Marcello
2003 Baadasssss! Jerry
2003 Ferrari Mr. Paradise
2003 Baggage Thomas Horelick
2003 Gli Indesiderabili Frank Frigenti
2005 Miracle in Palermo! Federico II
2005 Once Upon a Time in Polizzi Himself
2006 Nuovomondo Marriage Broker Posthumous role
2007 Oliviero Rising Albino Posthumous role
2010 The Passport Inspector Manuel Silvera Short film, posthumous role, final film role

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1972 The Corner Bar Peter Panama
1978 Rescue from Gilligan's Island Dimitri Television film
1979 WKRP In Cincinnati Don Pesola #1 Episode: "The Contest Nobody Could Win"
1980 Escape J.W. White Television film
1980 White Mama Medic
1980 Nightside Tom Adams Television film
1981 Comedy of Horrors Gregory Television film
1981 The Fall Guy Motel manager Television film
1983 Little Shots Smokey Joe Television film
1984 The Ratings Game Skip Television film
1985 Lots of Luck Skinny Television film
1985 Moonlighting Rodney Dillon Episode: "Next Stop Murder"
1985 Otherworld Priest Episode: "Village of the Motorpigs"
1985 Who's the Boss? Motel Manager 2 Episodes
1986 Remington Steele Leon Pulver Episode: "Steele on the Air"
1987 MacGyver Lyle Episode: "Soft Touch"
1987 Star Trek: The Next Generation The Peddler Episode: "The Arsenal of Freedom"
1987 Bride of Boogedy Lazarus Television film
1991 Eerie, Indiana The Dentist Episode:The Retainer
1992 Highlander: The Series Leo Episode: "Innocent Man"
1993 Batman: The Animated Series Zatara Voice, episode: "Zatanna"
1995 The Courtyard Ivan Television film
1995 Brother's Destiny Davinport Television film
1995 The X-Files Lanny Episode: "Humbug"
1996 Hey Arnold! Pigeon Man, Mr. Bailey Voice, 2 episodes
1998 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Enyos 2 episodes
2005 La bambina dalle mani sporche Silva Roibes

References

  1. ^ a b Hal Erickson (2015). "Vincent Schiavelli". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015.
  2. ^ Tom Jacobs (08 September 1991). [ACTOR SCHIAVELLI DECLARES VICTORY OVER MARFAN'S]. The Chicago Tribune, accessed 27 November 2019
  3. ^ Inskeep, Steve (December 27, 2005). "Character Actor Vincent Schiavelli Dies". NPR.org. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "NMF Mourns the Loss of its Honorary Co-Chair, Vincent Schiavelli" Archived 2013-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, National Marfan Foundation. Retrieved April 10, 2011
  5. ^ Robert Simonson (December 27, 2005). Vincent Schiavelli, Character Actor With Memorable Mug, Dies at 57 [1] Archived August 22, 2022, at the Wayback Machine Playbill
  6. ^ "Character actor Schiavelli dies". News.bbc.co.uk. December 26, 2005. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c "Vincent Schiavelli Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. April 28, 2022.[dead link‍]
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