Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci is an American Academy Award-winning actor, comedian and singer.
Pesci, an Italian American, was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Mary, who worked part-time as a barber, and Angelo Pesci, a forklift driver for General Motors and bartender. By the time Pesci was 5, he was appearing in plays in New York. A few years later, at 10, he was a regular on a television variety show called "Startime Kids," which also featured Connie Francis.
Pesci started out working as a barber in the 1960s, following in his mother's footsteps. He released an album entitled Little Joe Sure Can Sing under the pseudonym Joseph Richie, accompanied by a band that included good friend and future fellow actor Frank Vincent. Pesci played guitar for Joey Dee and the Starliters, and was an extra in Dee's film "Hey, Let's Twist!", where he made his film debut.
His breakthrough as an actor came in 1980 alongside Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's boxing film Raging Bull. Subsequently, he performed with De Niro in the films Once Upon A Time In America (in which he was cast at the behest of his friend De Niro), Goodfellas (for which he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), and Casino. The pairing became famous enough to inspire a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live, called "The Joe Pesci Show". (The real Pesci and De Niro would eventually make a surprise appearance in one episode). Pesci hosted Saturday Night Live on October 10, 1992. During the monologue, he restored a picture of Pope John Paul II, which was torn by Sinead O'Connor on the previous broadcast.
Pesci co-starred in Home Alone (1990), playing one of two bumbling burglars (along with good friend, Daniel Stern) who attempt to rob the house of the character played by Macaulay Culkin. In 1992, he appeared in Home Alone 2.
He also played the non-gangster role of David Ferrie in JFK and finally My Cousin Vinny released in 1991 and 1992 respectively. He appeared in three Lethal Weapon films as the sleazy but likeable Leo Getz.
In 1998 he released an album called Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You which spawned the single "Wise Guy". In 1999, Pesci announced his retirement from acting to pursue a musical career and to enjoy life away from the camera. Pesci returned to acting when he did a cameo in De Niro's 2006 film The Good Shepherd. Pesci is slated to star in the 2009 drama Love Ranch, alongside Helen Mirren.
Pesci has been married three times, the first to Claudia Martha (Marty) Haro, with whom he has a daughter, Tiffany. Pesci has been linked with companion Angie Everhart, but rumours that they are engaged have so far yet to be confirmed. Comedian George Carlin prays to him because "he's a good actor"