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Dominic Chianese Biography

Film actor

Dominic Chianese is an American film actor born on February 24, 1931. He is best known for his role as Tom Hagen in the television series 'The Godfather', which brought him widespread recognition.

Believe Father I Believe Stuff Watches Wonderful I Believe In Italian Aria

Author:Dominic Chianese

“Im the kind of guy, when the marriage is breaking up, who doesnt want to yell in front of the kids. So I left, but it was very hard.”

Want Kind Hard Kids Guy Left Fronts

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I had no idea what they were saying in Italian as a child, they spoke too quickly on the radio. But I realized that language was very funny.”

Children Ideas Language Radio I Realized No Idea Spokes Italian

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I enjoyed my grandparents very much. My mother and father would always allow me to stay with them.”

Mother Father Enjoyed Grandparent Stay Positive Mother And Father

Author:Dominic Chianese

“They would wake me up when I was sleeping, and say sing a song for our friends. I had a sweet voice, I had a nice little tenor voice. God knows what I sang, but my whole family would admire me.”

Knows Littles Whole Song Voice Sleep Nice Sweet Admire God Knows Whole Family Tenors Sweet Voice

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I had to audition for the part of Jnior, and I wanted the role terribly because I knew it was a great character. This guy is a wonderful, funny, mean old guy.”

Mean Character Wanted Guy Roles Wonderful Auditions This Guy Great Character Old Guys

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I've always wanted to play Don Quixote in some way. It's a great role. I think the idealism of the man shows that hope that we have in the human breast to achieve something.”

Thinking Men Way Humans Play Shows Wanted Roles Achieve He Man Breasts Idealism

Author:Dominic Chianese

“The anger that Uncle Junior has comes from my background. My father was the son of an Italian immigrant, and I've seen the fire of the Italian temperament. It can be explosive sometimes in ways that are both funny and tragic.”

Way Sometimes Father Fire Son Anger Backgrounds Tragic Immigrants Italian Uncles Temperament Juniors Explosives

Author:Dominic Chianese

“The radio was my big influence. Comedy came from the instinctual feel I had for language.”

Feels Bigs Language Comedy Influence Radio

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I tried to become a family man. I got married, but it didn't work out. After 22 months we got an annulment. Then I married an Italian girl, which resulted in an immediate annulment. I had two annulments by the time I was 23.”

Men Two Girl Months Married Work Out Italian Family Man Italian Girl

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I went to Brooklyn College and met this beautiful Jewish girl named Merle, with dark hair, exotic looking and brilliant. So we got married and had three children.”

Children Beautiful Girl Three Dark College Hair Mets Married Brilliant Brooklyn Exotic Dark Hair

Author:Dominic Chianese

“When I started really singing I was 17, 18 years old. I used to go around trying to be a singer in the Bronx. My knees would shake but I learned by doing.”

Trying Years Used Singing Sight Singers Knees Shakes Bronx

Author:Dominic Chianese

“For TV I don't think I could have gotten a better part than Uncle Junior because of the intimacy of the character based on David Chase's brilliant writing.”

Thinking Writing Character Tvs Brilliant Intimacy Uncles Juniors Brilliant Ideas

Author:Dominic Chianese

“Uncle Junior is a criminal, which makes him a villain, so it makes people want to watch him. My whole life as an actor has been preparing for something like this.”

People Want Has Beens Whole Actors Watches Criminals Whole Life Villain Uncles Preparing Juniors

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I don't like the way Uncle Junior dresses. He loves it.”

Way Dresses Uncles Juniors

Author:Dominic Chianese

“I went on tour in the play H.M.S. Pinafore.”

Play

Author:Dominic Chianese

About the Author

Born: February 24, 1931
Known for: Film actor
Quotes: 16

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Dominic Chianese Biography

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