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FALCON CREST/CBS/1981-90
*(Robert Foxworth) Chase Gioberti, descendant of Italian-American grape grower
who owned 50 acres of prime wine country land (from his late father) located in
the fictional Tuscany Valley near San Francisco. Other cast included Susan
Sullivan as Chase's wife, writer Maggie Gioberti; Gina Lollobrigida (appeared in
1984-85) as Francesca Gioberti, Angela's Italian half-sister from the old
country; Carlos Romero as Melissa's father, and rival vintner Carlo Agretti
(Murdered by Julia); Ana Alicia as the the scheming Melissa Agretti; Rod Taylor
as Frank Agretti; David Beecroft as Nick Agretti; Barbara Howard as Robin
Agretti; Brandon Douglas as Ben Agretti; Mary Kate McGeehan as Linda Caproni;
Harry Basch as Vince Caproni; Jason Goldberg as Joseph Gioberti; Carla Borelli
as Connie Giannini; Celeste Holm as Anna Rossini; Marjoe Gortner as Vince
Karlotti; and Assumpta Serna as Anna Cellini.
FALCONE/CBS/2000
*(Jason Gedrick) Joe Falcone, mob soldier for the Volonte Mafia crime family in
Brooklyn, New York City who in reality is an undercover FBI agent. Mafia
mobsters included Lillo Brancato as Lucky; Sonny Marinelli as Jimmy Suits; James
Russo as Victor Mura; and Titus Welliver as Sonny Napoli. The series is based on
the memoirs of former FBI-agent Joseph D. Pistone who infiltrated the New York
mob. Pistone served in the FBI for 28 years, including six years under cover
infiltrating the New York Mafia where he posed as a jewel thief under the name
Donnie Brasco. During the 70s, Pistone collected evidence against the members of
the Bonanno crime family, which convicted more than 200 mob associates. The CBS
series drew its inspiration from Pistone’s 1990 novel Donnie Brasco: My
Undercover Life in the Mafia which was turned into the 1997 film Donnie Brasco
starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. Pistone continued to write fiction novels
based on his undercover character including Donnie Brasco: Deep Cover and Mobbed
Up.
FAME/NBC/1982-83
**(Carlo Imperato) Danny Amatullo, Italian-American aspiring comic attending New
York's High School for the Performing Arts. Also featured was Lee Curreri as
gifted musician Bruno Martelli; and Carmine Caridi as Bruno's taxi driver
father, Angelo Martelli.
FAME L.A./SYN/1997-98
**(Andy Milder) Marcus Carilli, Marcus is the manager of "Who's Who," the club
owned by acting coach David Graysmark. A younger version of the Dickensian
character "Fagan" of Oliver Twist, he is the quintessential hype-meister who has
a few connections. Although he acts as a competent navigator through the
treacherous waters of show business, nothing with Marcus is ever what it seems
to be.
FAMILY LAW/CBS/1999-2002
**(Tony Danza) Joe Celano, a Brooklyn-bred Italian-American lawyer who was
recruited by Holt & Associates, a Los Angeles-based law firm. Joe is a labor
relations expert, likes to take on big business, champion the underdog, and bend
the rules. His relatives included his parents (both deceased); his estranged
brother Paulie, a priest; and three cousins who live in New Jersey.
THE FANELLI BOYS/NBC/1990-91
*(Ann Guilbert) Theresa Fanelli, an Italian widow living in Brooklyn with her
grown sons. They included Ned Eisenberg as Anthony, a funeral parlor director;
Andy Hirsch as Ronnie, a college drop-out; Chris Meloni whose engagement was
cancelled; and Joe Pantoliano as Dominic, the family con artist/hustler. Also
featured were Richard Libertini as Theresa's brother, Father Angelo Lombardi;
Nick DeMauro as Eddie De Tucci, a neighbor; and Vera Lockwood as Theresa's
fortune-telling friend, Philamena.
FEDS/CBS/1997
*(John Slattery/costar) Michael Mancini, an assistant U.S. attorney of Italian
descent working for the Federal Prosecutor's Office, a Manhattan division of the
U.S. Attorney's Office. A widower, Michael's family (his wife and kids) were
gunned downed before his eyes.
FLATBUSH/CBS/1979
*(Joseph Cali/costar) Presto Prestopopulos, taxi driver and one of five street
youths recently graduated from high school who lived in the middle-class Italian
neighborhood of Flatbush (Brooklyn). Calling themselves the Flatbush Fungos, the
gang also included Adrian Zmed as Socks Palmero, a clothing store employee;
Sandy Helberg as Figgy Figueroa, a grocery deliveryman; Randy Stumpf as Joey
Dee, a plumber's assistant; and Vincent Bufano as Turtle Romero, a restaurant
worker. Also featured were Helen Verbit as Mrs. Fortunato, the neighborhood
busybody; and Anthony Ponzini as Esposito, a pool hall owner.
FOR THE PEOPLE/CBS/1965
*(Howard Da Silva/costar) Anthony Celese, Italian-American boss of New York City
assistant district attorney, David Koster.
FORTUNE DANE/ABC/1986
**(Joe Dallesandro) "Perfect" Tommy Nicautri, Italian-American policeman who
worked in Bay City and interacted with Fortune Dane, a black special
investigator assigned to the Mayor's office.
FOUL PLAY/ABC/1981
**(Richard Romanus) Capt. Vito Lombardi, police officer who supervised Sgt.
Tucker Pendleton a clumsy San Francisco police detective.
FOUR JUST MEN/SYN/1959
*(Vittorio De Sica/costar) Rico Poccari, hotel operator in Italy who earlier in
his career fought Nazis during World War II. He was later reunited with former
wartime buddies (an American, a Brit, and a Frenchman) to battle crime.
THE FRANK SINATRA SHOW/CBS/1950-52
*(Frank Sinatra) Frank Albert Sinatra, a popular singer and entertainer of
Italian descent (affectionately called "Old Blue Eyes") who hosted this musical
variety series in the early days of television. Later he hosted the variety
drama THE FRANK SINATRA SHOW/ABC/1957-58; and the musical variety shows THE
FRANK SINATRA TIMES SHOW/ABC/1959-60. Despite his apparent overall popularity,
his attempts at television were short-lived. Ol' Blue Eyes has also been called
King of the Ratpack, Chairman of the Board, Frankie-Boy, The Pope, The Leader,
The Swooner, The Voice, and The Dago. After 50 films and 200 albums Frank
Sinatra died on May 14, 1998 at the age of 82.
FREE COUNTRY/ABC/1978
**(Joe Pantoliano) Louis Peschi, Italian neighbor and friend of the Bresners, a
Lithuanian immigrant couple living in New York City in the early 1900s.
FRIENDS/NBC/1994-2004
*(Matt LeBlanc/costar) Joey Tribianni, a kindhearted, and sometimes dim-witted
Italian-American actor [born in Queens] who shared an apartment in Manhattan
with his friend Chandler Bing. His pick-up line to women is an expressive “How
YOU doing?” Joey once posed for public health advertising campaign and later
discovered his face was displayed all over town as the "VD Guy" with a
promotional message. "What Mario didn't tell you." When a potential date saw the
sign she quickly declined Joey's social invitation. Joey later played the role
of Dr. Drake Ramore on the soap opera "Days of Our Life" and interviewed for the
role of Nick, a boxer on "All My Children." Once at a party Chandler Bing got
drunk and made out with one of Joey's seven sisters but he couldn't remember
which one. Was it Mary Angelo, Gina, Dina, Veronica, Cookie, or Mary Terese.
When explaining his grandmother to Chandler, Joey warns “You don’t want to tick
her off. She was like the 6th person to spit on Mussolini’s hanging body.” Joey
later got the starring role in the TV series “Mac (Macavelli) and Cheese (his
costar is a robot).
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY/NBC/1979-80
**(Joe Pantoliano) Pvt. Angelo Maggio, Italian-American soldier stationed in
Pearl Harbor around the time of the Japanese attack on Hawaii.
THE GALLANT MEN/ABC/1962-63
**(Eddie Fontaine) PVC Pete D'Angelo, Italian-American solider attached to the
36th Infantry "Texas" Division who fought his way up the peninsula of Italy
during World War II.
THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES/NBC/1981
*(Michael Mouri) Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Italian-American mobster seen from the
point of view of the criminal, showing their private lives and business affairs.
Other cast included Louis Giambalvo as Al Capone; James Andronica as Frank
Costello; Robert Davi as Vito Genevese; Joseph Mascolo as Salvatore Maranzano;
Richard Castellano as Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria; and Jon Polito as Thomas
"Three Finger Brown" Lucchese.
GARRISON'S GORILLAS/ABC/1967-68
*(Cesare Danova/costar) Actor, a suave Italian-American con man attached to
special group of four motley commandos (recruited from stateside prisons) who
were assigned to go behind the lines during World War II and kill Nazi Germans.
Each of these soldiers were promised a Presidential pardon for their previous
indiscretions, but only if they followed orders and accomplished their missions.
The series was inspired by the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen.
THE GEORGE CARLIN SHOW/FOX/1994-95
*(Alex Rocco) Harry Rosetti, a fast-talking Italian-American bookie and street
hustler who hung out with his Irish cabdriver friend George O'Grady at Moylan
Tavern in New York City.
GET CHRISTIE LOVE/ABC/1974-75
*(Andy Romano/costar) Lt. Joseph "Joe" Caruso, Italian-American partner of
Detective Christie Love, a sexy black, Los Angeles policewoman who worked
undercover for the Special Investigations Division.
GLORY DAYS/FOX/1990
**(Evin Mirnad) Dominic Fopiano, an recently graduated Italian-American teenager
turned hopeful college fraternity pledge.
GOLDEN GIRLS/NBC/1985-92
*(Bea Arthur) Dorothy Petrillo-Zbornak, divorced school teacher of Sicilian
descent who shared a Miami home with two other senior citizen roomies. Later in
the series Dorothy's opinionated white-haired Sicilian-born mother, Sophia
Petrillo (played by Estelle Getty) took up residence with her daughter when her
retirement home, Shady Pines, burned to the ground. Dorothy and Sophia's
characters were reprised on the sitcom THE GOLDEN PALACE/NBC/1992-93 when they
and friends pooled their money to buy a small Art Deco hotel in the South Bay
section of Miami Beach. Sophie Petrillo also made cameo appearances on the
sitcom EMPTY NEST/NBC/1988-95 as she visited the home and office of Dr. Harry
Weston.
GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C./CBS/1964-70
**(Tommy Leonetti) Nick Cuccinello, an Italian-American Marine Corps Corporal
stationed at Camp Henderson, California (1964-65). Later Ted Bessell appeared as
Private Frankie Lombardi (1965-66).
GOODTIME GIRLS/ABC/1980
**(Adrian Zmed) Frankie Millardo, hustling Italian-American cabdriver living in
1942 Washington, D.C. downstairs from three young women who shared a one-room
walk-up.
THE GREAT AMERICAN HERO/ABC/1981-83
**(Michael Pare) Tony Villacana, streetwise Italian-American student attending
remedial education classes taught by Ralph Hinkley (a.k.a. "The Great American
Hero").
THE GREAT DEFENDER/FOX/1995
*(Michael Rispoli) Lou Frischetti, a streetsmart Italian-American attorney who
works with the Beacon Hill law firm of Osbourne, Merritt & DeWitt based in
Boston. Rhoda Gemingnani appeared as his mother Pearl, who ran his legal office.
Lou allowed some of his clients to pay their bills with barter items.
GROWING PAINS/ABC/1985-92
*(Josh Andrew Koenig) Richard "Boner" Stabone, young Italian friend and sidekick
to Mike Seaver both of whom lived on Long Island near New York City. Boner's
character was fun-loving but awkward. He was very fond of the Seaver family
especially Mike's sister Carol. When Mike Seaver first met Richard at the school
bus stop as a child he dubbed him "Boner" (distilled from Stabone). Upon hearing
his new name Richard objected saying "But all the name tags in my underwear say
"Dicky." When Richard graduated his diploma read "Boner Stabone." His friend
Mike quipped "You got Boner on your Diploma?" "Yeah," said Richard, "It cost
extra." Soon after leaving high school, Boner joined the Marines and effectively
left the series.
HANK/NBC/1965-66
(Lou Wills, Jr. ) Asst. Coach Gazzari, Italian-American track coach at Western
State University who wanted to recruit student Hank Dearborn to join the
school's track team.
HAPPY DAYS/ABC/1974-84
*(Henry Winkler/costar) Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, a.k.a. "Fonzie," an
Italian-American garage mechanic who lived in a Milwaukee apartment above the
home of the Cunningham family. Beneath his leather jacket and his streetwise
toughness, there was a heart of gold. Orphaned as a child, he spent his teenage
years as a member of a gang called The Falcons. Fonzie had two extraordinary
talents. He was very good with engines and women. He could make both "hum"
beautifully. Utilizing his skill as a mechanic, he later opened up his own
garage and was quite successful. His favorite hang-out was Arnold's, a hamburger
joint owned by another Italian friend Alfred "Al Delvecchio (Al Molinaro). After
a disasterous fire which destroyed Arnold's, the Fonz pooled his money with Al
and rebuilt the restaurant, becoming a partner in the bargain. The fire was
accidentally caused by the Fonz's cousin Charles "Chachi" Arcola (Scott Baio), a
chip off the old Fonz. Later in the series, Fonzie taught auto mechanics to
local high school/college students. Also featured were Eddie Fontaine as
Fonzie's father, Vito Fonzarelli; Danny Butch as Fonzie's nephew, Spike; Charles
Galioto as his Fonzie's cousin, Angie; Frances Bay as Fonzie's Grandma Nussbaum;
Al Molinaro as Al's identical brother, Father Anthony Delvecchio; Alice Nunn as
Al's Mama Delvecchio; J .J. Barry as Chachi's uncle, Gonzo; Cathy Silvers as
Jenny Piccolo, friend of Joanie Cunningham; and Phil Silvers as Jenny's father,
Roscoe Piccolo. NOTE: In reality, Henry Winkler is Jewish; his parents survived
the concentration camps of World War II. The Fonzie character also appeared in
the Saturday morning cartoon THE FONZ AND THE HAPPY DAYS GANG/ABC/1980-82 as
Fonzie and friends travel throughout history in a time machine trying to get
back to 1957. See also - JOANIE LOVES CHACHI and LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY.
THE HAT SQUAD/CBS/1992
*(Don Michael Paul/costar) Buddy Capatosa, an Italian-American orphan adopted by
a Michael "Mike" Ragland and his wife along with two other orphans. Years later,
Mike, a Captain with the 77th Precinct of the L.A.P.D. organized a special
undercover unit called "The Hat Squad" headed by his three adopted sons.
HEAD OF THE CLASS/ABC/1986-91
**(Tannis Vallely) Janice Lazarotto, a twelve-year-old Italian-American prodigy
attending the Individual Honors Program at a New York City high school. Janice
appeared during the 1986-89 seasons after which time her character got accepted
to Harvard and she left the series.
THE HEIGHTS/FOX/1992
*(Ken Garito/costar) Arthur “Dizzy” Mazelli, Italian-American plumber’s
assistant who played drums for a blue-collar rock and roll band called The
Heights.
HILL STREET BLUES/NBC/1981-86
*(Daniel J. Travanti) Captain Frank Furillo, an Italian-American police captain
who supervised the chaos of Hill Street Station in Chicago. Illinois. Furillo, a
reformed alcoholic, was married to a public defender who affectionately called
him "Pizza Man". Also featured were Barbara Bosson as Fay Furillo, Frank's
ex-wife; Ed Marinaro as officer Joe Coffey, an "Italian Stallion" ladies man who
got killed in a shootout during a 1985 episode; Dennis Franz as Sal Benedetto, a
vicious cop who killed himself in a bank vault during the 82-83 season; Lisa
Sutton as Officer Robin Tataglia; and Ken Olin as Det. Harry Garibaldi.
HOLLYWOOD BEAT/ABC/1985
*(Jay Acavone/costar) Det. Jack Rado, an Italian-American Los Angeles Police
Department working undercover in Hollywood with Irish partner, Det. Nick
McCarren.
HOMEFRONT/ABC/1991-92
*(Giuliani Santini/costar) Gina Sloan, a young pregnant Italian war bride who
traveled to a small Ohio town to wait for the return of her soldier husband.
Unfortunately, Gina's husband is killed overseas and she is forced to contend
with Michael's wealthy parents who did not approve of their son's decision to
marry a foreigner. A concentration camp tattoo on Gina's left arm revealed the
letter and numerals "A98578".
HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET/NBC/1993-99
**(Jon Polito) Det. Steve “Salami Head” Crosetti, Italian police officer
assigned to the homicide division "Murder Police" at the inner city precinct in
Fells Point, Baltimore. MD. Crosetti’s character who died (suicide?) in December
1994 is based on a white Irish Baltimore detective Tery McLarney. Other cast
included Jon Seda as Detective Paul Falsone (introduced during the 6th season)
and Lt. Al “Gee” Giardello, a tough-talking Black Sicilian who supervised the
detectives. Lt. Al “Gee” Giardello’s Black character is based on white Italian
Baltimore police detective Lt. Gary “Dee” D’Addario. Giancarlo Esposito played
Special FBI Agent Mike Giardello (Lt. Al Giardello’s estranged son introduced
during the 1998-99 season).
HOT L BALTIMORE/ABC/1975
**(Charlotte Rae) Mrs. Bellotti, Italian-American resident of a dilapidated
inner city hotel in Baltimore. Her 26-year-old prankster, son Moose was often
heard but never seen on-screen.
HOUSTON KNIGHTS/CBS/1987-88
*(Michael Pare/costar) Joey LaFiamma, a tough Italian-American policeman who
joined the Houston police force working with partner Levon Lundy, a seasoned
Texas cop. Joey had been the target of a syndicate hit after his interference
with the Chicago mob. His uncle used his underworld connections to keep him
alive with the stipulation that Joey never return to the Windy City.
HUDSON STREET/ABC/1995-96
*(Tony Danza) Tony Canetti, divorced Italian-American police detective living in
Hoboken, New Jersey who begins a romance with Melanie Clifford, a liberal
newspaper reporter recently assigned to the police beat.
I, CLAUDIUS/BBC/1976 (Miniseries)
*(Derek Jacobi) Claudius, feeble, stuttering, yet intelligent member of the
royal family in 1st century Rome around the time of Christ whose character
observes the rise of Rome's emperors until he himself is elected to sit upon the
Roman throne (a position later held by Nero). Other cast included Brian Blessed
as Octavian (renamed Augustus when he becomes Rome's first emperor); Sian
Phillips as Livia, Octavian's scheming wife; John Hurt as Caligula, the depraved
and insane Emperor; John Paul as Agrippa; Christopher Guard as Marcellus;
Frances White as Julia; George Baker as Tiberius; David Robb as Germanicus,
Patrick Stewart as Sejanus; Patricia Quinn as Livilla; and James Faulkner as
Herod.
THE JACK PAAR SHOW/NBC/1957-62
**(Pat Harrington, Jr.) Guido Panzini, an heavy-accented Italian golf
officianado with a penchant for exaggeration. This ethnic character appeared
during the 1959-62 seasons of this late night talk variety show. Pat Harrington
reprised his Italian accent to play dog expert Guido Panzini on episode No. 20
"The Bow Wow Affair" (2-15-65) of the espionage drama THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E/NBC/1964-68.
JESSICA NOVAK/CBS/1981
**(Andrew Rubin) Phil Bonelli, Italian-American field cameraman who assisted KLA-TV
Channel 6 reporter Jessica Novak produce on-air spots for her Los Angeles-based
program "Close-Up News."
JESSIE/ABC/1984
*(Tony Lo Bianco) Det. Alex Ascoli, Italian-American police officer who
interacted with Dr. Jessie Hayden, a staff psychiatrist assigned to a Southern
California police department.
JESUS OF NAZARETH/CBS/2000 (Miniseries)
**(Gary Oldman) Pontius Pilate, Roman procurator of Judea, Samaria and Idumaea
who condemned religious zealot Jesus Christ to be crucified.
JESUS OF NAZARETH/NBC/1977 (Miniseries)
**(Rod Steiger) Pontius Pilate, Roman procurator of Judea, Samaria and Idumaea
who issued the orders to crucify religious zealot Jesus Christ. Directed by
Franco Zefferelli, this eight-hour bible-based miniseries was shot in Tunisia
and Italy.
THE JIMMY DURANTE SHOW/NBC/CBS/1954-57
*(Jimmy Durante) James "Jimmy" Francis Durante, Italian-American comedian with
the big nose ("Schnozzola") who starred on this popular comedy variety program
whose setting was a small nightclub called Club Durant. At the end of each
weekly performance, Jimmy paused to say "And Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever
you are" and then slowly exit offstage following a pathway made from overhead
spot lights. Mrs. Calabash was Jimmy's first wife. Comedian Ernie Kovacs once
did a parody of this classic ending. Walking like Jimmy Durante, Ernie moved
away from the cameras and proceeded to walk through pools of lights. As he
stepped into the last pool of light, he fell out of sight through a trap door.
Jimmy Durante also appeared as a regular on the musical/variety shows ALL STAR
REVUE/NBC/1950-53; BUICK CIRCUS HOUR/NBC/1952-53; THE COLGATE COMEDY
HOUR/NBC/1953-54; TEXACO STAR THEATER/NBC/1954-55; and JIMMY DURANTE PRESENTS
THE LENNON SISTERS/ABC/1969-70. He suffered a stroke in 1972 (leaving him
wheelchair bound) and died in 1980.
JOANIE LOVES CHACHI/ABC/1982-83
*(Scott Baio/costar) Charles "Chachi" Arcola, an Italian-American cousin of the
Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli, first introduced on the HAPPY DAYS series during
the 1977 season. In this spinoff series Chachi moved back to Chicago with his
mother, Louisa (Ellen Travolta) and his now stepfather Al Delvecchio (Al
Molinaro), who opened and Italian restaurant. Joanie, his girlfriend and
childhood sweetheart followed Chachi back to Chicago where they formed a rock
and roll band which included Winifred Freedman as Chachi's cousins, Annette;
Robert Peirce as Bingo, the drummer; and Derrel Maury as Mario. Art Metrano
appeared as Uncle Rico, Mario's father who was the group's sleazy agent. When
the series was cancelled the Chachi and Al Delvecchio characters returned to
HAPPY DAYS the following season.
JOE AND SONS/CBS/1975-76
*(Richard Castellano) Joe Vitale, an Italian-American sheet metal worker (ran a
screw press) and widower who lived with his two teenage sons, Nick (Jimmy Baio)
and Mark (Barry Miller) in Hoboken, New Jersey.
JOE AND VALERIE/NBC/1978-79
*(Paul Regina) Joe Pizo, an Italian-American disco dancer living in Brooklyn,
New York who romances a clothing store/cosmetics salesgirl named Valerie
Sweetzer. The cast also featured Robert Costanzo as Joe's widowed father, Vince
Pizo, a plumbing store owner; Donna Ponterotto as Thelma Medina; and David
Elliot as Paulie Barone.
JOE'S LIFE/ABC/1993
*(Peter Onorati) Joe Gennaro, Italian-American aircraft plant worker who becomes
a "Mr. Mom" when he is laid off from his management position. To make ends meet,
he works as a chef at his big brothers Stan's (George DiCenzo) restaurant. Also
featured were Mary Page Keller as Sandy Gennaro, Joe's wife; Morgan Nagler as
Amy Gennaro, their 14-year old daughter; Robert Hy Gorman as Paul Gennaro, their
12-year-old son; Spencer Klein as Scotty Gennaro, their seven-year-old son; Mimi
Kennedy as Barbara Gennaro, Stan's wife, Barbara; Danny Masterson as Leo Gennaro,
Stan and Barbara's 16-year-old son; and Al Ruscio as Frank Ruscio.
JOHNNY BAGO/CBS/1993
*(Peter Dobson) Johnny Tenuti, a small-time Italian hood who got framed for
murder, stole a Winnebago Camper from a deceased old man attending a fishing
tournament (hence Johnny's new identity "Johnny Bago"); and took off for parts
unknown with the mob and his shrewish ex-wife turned parole officer, Beverly
Florio (Rose Abdoo), hot on his trail. Also featured were Anna Berger as Ma
Tenuti, Johnny's mother who got letters from her son while he was on the lamb;
Michael Gazzo as Don Roselli; the New York City crime boss whose son, Chico
Roselli was allegedly killed by Johnny Tenuti; and Richard Romanus as Vinnie,
Johnny's cousin who actually killed Chico and blamed Johnny for the dirty deed.
JOHNNY STACCATO/NBC/ABC/1959-60
*(John Cassavetes) Johnny Staccato, a jazz pianist of Italian descent who
supplemented his income by working as a private investigator in New York City.
Also featured was Eduardo Ciannelli as Waldo, owner of Waldo's the MacDougal
Street club in Greenwich Village where Johnny hung out and met most of with his
clients.
JUST FRIENDS/CBS/1979
**(Lou Criscuolo) Milt D'Angelo, the Italian-American owner of the Beverly Hills
Fountain of Youth Health Spa that employed Susan Hughes, the series main
character. Also featured were Liz Torres as Milt’s wife, Miranda; and Albert
Insinnia as Milt's son, Angelo D'Angelo.
JUST SHOOT ME/NBC/1997-2003
**(Enrico Colantoni) Elliott DiMauro, a kindhearted but klutzy balding
Italian-American photographer who shoots fashion layouts for the New York-based
Blush magazine. Rhoda Gemignani appeared as Rhoda DiMauro, Elliott’s mother.
Enrico Colantoni was born in Toronto, the youngest of two sons of Italian
immigrants
KAREN/ABC/1975
*(Karen Valentine) Karen Angelo, a single woman of Italian descent who worked
for a citizen's action group called Open America in Washington, D.C.
KINGSTON: CONFIDENTIAL/NBC/1977
**(Art Hindle) Tony Marino, a young Italian-American reporter working for R. B.
Kingston, a senior journalist for the San Francisco-based Frazier News Group.
KNIGHTWATCH/ABC/1988
*(Benjamin Bratt) Tony Maldonado, ex-gang member of Italian descent who headed
the Knights of the City, a controversial volunteer community-watch program (a la
"The Guardian Angels") designed to fight street crime and keep the city safe.
KOJAK/CBS/1973-78
**(Vince Conti) Det. Rizzo, Italian-American police officer working with Lt.
Theo Kojak, a plainclothes detective of Greek descent working at the 13th
Precinct in the Manhattan South division of the New York Police Department.
KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER/ABC/1974-75
*(Simon Oakland/costar) Tony Vincenzo, a dyspeptic Italian-American editor
working at Chicago's Independent News Service who supervised crime reporter Carl
Kolchak, a wisecracking journalist who usually returned from his assignments
with unbelievable tales of vampire, werewolves, etc.
A - E / F - K / L - M
/ N - Z
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