Frank Vincent Biography

Frank Vincent Gattuso Jr. (April 15, 1937 - September 13, 2017), known professionally as Frank Vincent, was an American actor. He played prominent roles in the HBO series The Sopranos and in several films for director Martin Scorsese: Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), and Casino (1995).

Early life

Vincent, who was of Italian descent (ancestors from Sicily and Naples), was born in North Adams, Massachusetts and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. His father, Frank Vincent Gattuso, Sr., was an iron worker and businessman. He had two brothers, Nick and Jimmy, and a half-sister, Fran.

Career

Skilled at the drums, piano and trumpet, Vincent originally aspired to a career in music, but turned to acting in 1976, when he co-starred in the low-budget gangster movie The Death Collector along with Joe Pesci, where they were spotted by Robert De Niro. De Niro told Martin Scorsese about both Vincent and Pesci; Scorsese was impressed by their performances and hired Vincent to appear in a supporting role in Raging Bull, in which he once again appeared with Pesci and co-starred with De Niro. Vincent had small roles in two Spike Lee films in 1989 and 1991 respectively: Do the Right Thing and Jungle Fever.

One of his notable appearances in foreign film was in Juan Jos Jusid's Made in Argentina, in which he played Vito, a wealthy Manhattan businessman who befriends the substance abuse counselor who treated his son.

Vincent was often cast as a gangster. He appeared in Scorsese's 1990 film Goodfellas, where he played Billy Batts, a made man in the Gambino crime family. He also played a role in Scorsese's 1995 film Casino as Frank Marino (based on real-life gangster Frank Cullotta), the sidekick of Pesci's character.

In 1996, Vincent appeared in the music video for rap artist Nas' song "Street Dreams" in character as Frankie Marino from Casino. In the television movie Gotti, Vincent played Robert "D.B." DiBernardo, an associate of Mafia boss John Gotti, whose life the film chronicled. In the HBO TV series The Sopranos, he had his most prominent role, as Phil Leotardo, a ruthless New York City gangster who, as boss of the show's fictional Lupertazzi crime family, becomes the show's chief antagonist in the final season.

Vincent also had a leading role in the heist movie This Thing of Ours in 2003., where he had a brief association with alleged Genovese crime family capo Danny Provenzano (grandnephew of Anthony Provenzano) and former 100-year old Colombo crime family underboss Sonny Franzese, he is pictured with them alongside other former Sopranos actors. In 2003, Vincent testified in court on behalf of Provenzano at a repeal sentencing; Provenzano was serving a 10 year sentence for racketeering and other charges. One of his more light-hearted roles was in a British television commercial for Peugeot cars. In early 2005, Vincent appeared on Irish television in a series of television commercials for Irish bank Permanent TSB. In 1999, he won the Italian American Entertainer of the Year Award. Another noted performance is his appearance in the 2003 film Remedy.

In 2001, Vincent voiced the character of Mafia boss Salvatore Leone in the computer and video game Grand Theft Auto III. He later reprised that role in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005).

In 2006, he released a book, A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man to positive reviews. His idol was Dean Martin. He has also released a line of hand-rolled cigars which have his picture prominently displayed on the band.

In the summer of 2008, he played Lieutenant Marino in the independent film The Tested, directed by Russell Costanzo. In 2009, he made a cameo appearance alongside fellow Sopranos actor Steve Schirripa in the Stargate Atlantis episode "Vegas".

He starred in Chicago Overcoat in 2009 as the main protagonist.

In 2013, he starred in the hit IDW Publishing comic series "Killogy" created by Life of Agony's Alan Robert as the character Sally Sno Cones alongside Marky Ramone of The Ramones. The series was nominated at the Ghastly Awards for Best Mini-Series and won multiple Horror Comic Awards from the Horror News Network. In 2014, the comics were adapted into a 3D animation for the "Killogy Animated Series" in which the cast of the original comic series contributed their voices to.

Death

In early September 2017, Vincent suffered a heart attack. He underwent open heart surgery in New Jersey on September 13, during which he died. He was 80 years old. He was survived by his wife Kathleen and their three children.

Filmography

• 1976: The Death Collector as Bernie Feldshuh
• 1980: Raging Bull as Salvy
• 1982: Dear Mr. Wonderful as Louie
• 1983: Baby It's You as Vinnie
• 1983: Easy Money as Mobster Dressed in a Trenchcoat (uncredited)
• 1984: The Pope of Greenwich Village as the 1st Crew Chief
• 1985: Stiffs as a Mafia Thug
• 1986: Wise Guys as Louie Fontucci
• 1987: Made in Argentina
• 1988: Lou, Pat, and Joe D as Pop Corelli
• 1989: Do the Right Thing as Charlie
• 1989: Last Exit to Brooklyn as Priest
• 1989: The Paradise Club as Walter MacHeath
• 1989: The Afterlife of Grandpa
• 1990: Goodfellas as William "Billy Batts" Bentvena
• 1990: Street Hunter as Don Mario Romano
• 1991: Mortal Thoughts as Dominic, Joyce's Father
• 1991: Jungle Fever as Mike Tucci
• 1991: Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace as Joseph F. Zanni Jr.
• 1991-1999: Law & Order as John Franchetta / J.Z.
• 1992: Civil Wars as Matty DiNofrio
• 1993: The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as Johnny Torrio
• 1994: Men Lie as Uncle Frank
• 1994: Federal Hill as Sal
• 1994: Walker, Texas Ranger as Paul Mancini
• 1994: Hand Gun as Earl
• 1995: Ten Benny as Ray Diglovanni, Sr.
• 1995: Casino as Frank Marino
• 1995: Animal Room as an Arcade Owner
• 1996: On Seventh Avenue as Angelo Occipente
• 1996: Swift Justice as Tony Accardo
• 1996: She's the One as Ron
• 1996: Gotti as Robert "D.B." DiBernardo
• 1996: Night Falls on Manhattan as a Police Captain
• 1996: West New York as Tom Colletti
• 1996-1997: New York Undercover as Bates / Ray Tarrafino
• 1997: Cosby
• 1997: Grind as Nick
• 1997: Cop Land as PDA President Lassaro
• 1997: The North End as Dom Di Bella
• 1997: The Deli as Tommy Tomatoes
• 1997: The Good Life (Never released)
• 1997: Made Men as Tommy "the Bull" Vitaglia
• 1998: Witness to the Mob as Frankie DeCicco
• 1998: Undercurrent as Eddie Torelli
• 1998: Belly as Roger
• 1998: Vig as Pete
• 1999: NetForce as Johnny Stompato
• 1999: Entropy as Sal
• 1999: Penance as Suicide Man
• 2000: Isn't She Great as Aristotle Onassis
• 2000: Gun Shy as Carmine Minetti
• 2000: If You Only Knew as Gino
• 2000: Ropewalk
• 2000: NYPD Blue as Dino "the Rat" Ferrera
• 2000: The Crew as Marty
• 2000: Under Hellgate Bridge as Big Sal
• 2001: Smokin' Stogies as Johnny Big
• 2001: Snipes as Johnnie Marandino
• 2001: Grand Theft Auto III as Salvatore Leone (voice)
• 2002: Hamlet in the Hamptons as Michael
• 2003: Rubout as Frank Santello
• 2003: A Tale of Two Pizzas as Frank Bianco
• 2003: This Thing of Ours as Danny Santini
• 2003: Remembering Mario as Joey Big Ears
• 2004: Shark Tale as Great White #3 (voice)
• 2004: Coalition as Alvaro
• 2004: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as Salvatore Leone (voice)
• 2004-2007: The Sopranos as Phil Leotardo
• 2005: Remedy as Uncle Charles
• 2005: Van Vorst Park as Carlo
• 2005: Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories as Salvatore Leone (voice)
• 2006: Last Request as Father Brice
• 2007: Lucky Man
• 2007: City Teacher
• 2008: Stargate Atlantis as Poker Player #1
• 2009: Chicago Overcoat: The Glory Days Are Back as Lou Marazano
• 2010: Stiffs as Jimmy the Limo King
• 2010: The Tested as Lieutenant Marino
• 2011: Spy as Gaetano
• 2014: Killogy Animated Series as Sally Sno Cones (voice)
• 2014-2016: Mr. Pickles as Jon Gabagooli (voice)
• 2015: The Making of the Mob: New York as himself
• 2016: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Bishop Cattalano

• Sources:

Bibliography