Of Goodfellas and Good Actors
By Jay de Leon

The gangster film has been a staple genre’ since moviemaking started. We acknowledge old-time actors like Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney for pioneering and popularizing this genre’.

In this article, I am featuring favorite actors who have given memorable performances portraying gangsters, mobsters, wiseguys, or just plain thugs. Some of them have starred in blockbuster films featuring mob figures, such as The Godfather, Casino or Goodfellas. Others made their mark in performances in TV shows like The Sopranos or Untouchables.

Some of these actors are true craftsmen and have portrayed characters on both sides of the law as well as other characters. On the flip side, some have made a living portraying mostly the cinematic mobster or wiseguy. Either way, these actors have turned in mesmerizing performances of the mobster. Some of the characters may have been sympathetic, some unsympathetic or downright despicable, but always unforgettable.

Donnie Brasco, as Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero (1997)
Carlito’s Way, as Carlito Brigante (1993)
The Godfather Trilogy, as Michael Corleone  (1990-1992)
Scarface, as Tony Montana (1983)

By the time Al Pacino made it big as Don Michael Corleone in The Godfather, he had already made his bones as Tony Montana in the ultra-violent Scarface many years earlier. I happen to like his sympathetic portrayal of the almost-benign, loyal mobster “Lefty” Ruggiero in Donnie Brasco. Whether as a crazed, inept or powerful mobster, Al Pacino’s character is no fugazy.

Bugsy, as Ben “Bugsy” Siegel (1991)
Bonnie and Clyde, as Clyde Barrow (1967)

At one time, Warren Beatty was one of the more colorful characters in Hollywood—brother to a famous actress (Shirley MacLaine), Lothario to the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood, and actor, director or producer of films that were either hits or bombs, or both, such as Ishtar, Reds, Dick Tracy, Bulworth, etc. He did make a great hood in two great movies, and I did like his early film Splendor in the Grass with Natalie Wood.

Casino, as Nicky Santoro (1995)
A Bronx Tale, as Carmine (1993)
Goodfellas, as Tommy DeVito (1990)
Once Upon a Time In America, as Frankie Minaldi (1984)

Above the Law, as Kurt Zagon (1988)
Code of Silence, as Luis Camacho (1985)
Sharky’s Machine, as Billy Score (1981)

Capitalizing on his prominent cheekbones and gimlet eyes that give him a natural villainous look, Henry Silva has played the psychotic, exotic “heavy” to dozens of celluloid heroes including Frank Sinatra in Manchurian Candidate, Burt Reynolds in Sharky’s Machine, Chuck Norris in Code of Silence and Steven Seagal in Above the Law.

Strangely enough, early in his career, he played hero in many spaghetti westerns he made in Europe, where he was a box-office star in the mold of Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson. He still makes acting forays to Europe, and is reputed to speak Spanish and Italian fluently. Now that would be treat, to have Henry Silva threaten you in Italian.

Boss of Bosses (TV movie), as Paul Castellano (2001)
Analyze This, as Primo Sidone (1999)
A Bronx Tale, as Sonny (1993)

Starting in show business, Chaz Palminteri found that his Italian looks, ethnic qualifications and New York upbringing helped tremendously. That inspired him to write the autobiographical A Bronx Tale, in which he depicted his tough childhood in great detail, which included witnessing gangland slayings.

The kid in the movie is named Calogero, which is Palminteri’s given first name. The movie, directed by Robert DeNiro and starring DeNiro and Palminteri, was both a box office and critical hit and made Palminteri a star. Though typecast, his roles are strong and he enjoys mostly lead billing.

FRANK VINCENT

The Sopranos (TV Series), as Phil Leotardo (2004-2006)
Grand Theft Auto : Liberty City Stories, as the voice of Salvatore Leone (2005)
Casino, as Frank Marino (1995)
Goodfellas, as Billy Batts (1990)

Frank Vincent has appeared in over fifty movies, and has set the pace as one of cinema's most versatile character actors, as a mobster, that is, either getting whacked by or whacking the best of them including the likes of De Niro and Pesci.

He is so popular now that he is doing TV series (The Sopranos) and appearing on video games, in television commercials and rock music clips with artists including DMX, T-Boz and Hype Williams. Who said crime does not pay?

The Sopranos (TV Series), as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bompensiero (1999-2006)
The Last Don (TV Mini-series), as Fuberta (1997)
Gotti, as Angelo Ruggiero (1996)
Carlito’s Way, as Copa Wiseguy (1993)

You know you have reached the big time when you can get away with a “nom de guerre” or street name like “Big Pussy” on prime time on cable. Even with a name like Vinny from New York with the requisite Italian-American dark features, Pastore was a slow starter with the cinematic wiseguy gig.

But since becoming “Big Pussy” and Tony Soprano’s right-hand man in the TV series The Sopranos, Vincent has been unstoppable. He is now doing movies with bigger goomba roles and even comedies, commercials including a high-profile Pepsi campaign and voices in animated features.

Revolver, as Macha (2005)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, as the voice of Tommy Vercetti (2002)
Goodfellas, as Henry Hill (1990)

Ray Liotta has that psychotic, sweaty look, as if he is always hiding something. That might have earned him the part of Henry Hill in Goodfellas, whose success brought him wide popularity and lead billing in future films. His good looks, incidentally, are Swedish, and his Italian name is from his adoptive parents. Either way, he is a made man as far as Italian-American gangster actors are concerned.

The George Raft Story, as George Raft (1961)
Portrait of a Mobster, as Legs Diamond (1961)
The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond, as Jack “Legs” Diamond (1960)

With his good looks, jet-black, slicked-back hair and dancer’s moves, Ray Danton looked every part the suave, oily but dangerous mobsters he portrayed. Ray Danton appeared in many TV shows in the 50’s, then in many minor screen roles. His most well-remembered role was as the vicious prohibition gangster Jack Diamond in the superb The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond in 1960.

Goodfellas, as Paul Cicero (1990)

Going over his acting credits, I am struck by two things. One, Paul Sorvino has had more cop roles than gangster roles. Two, Paul Sorvino is a superlative, versatile actor who has done a lot of good work.

The Untouchables (TV Series), as Frank Nitti (1959)

Bruce Gordon’s filmography spans 40 years and includes innumerable guest appearances on TV shows and co-starring roles in several films you might even recognize like Ishtar (1987) and Piranha (1978). However, his claim to cinematic fame is definitely his recurring role as mobster Frank Nitti, the Enforcer, nemesis of G-Man Eliot Ness (played by Robert Stack) in the TV series The Untouchables.

Hoods, as Angelo Martinelli (1998)
The Last Don I and II (TV Mini-series), as Pippi De Lena (1997-1998)
Bugsy, as George Raft (1991)
The Godfather Part III, as Joey Zasa (1990)

Joe Mantegna has an impressive resume in both film and theatre, being both a Tony and Emmy award winner. Mantegna’s varied career includes being the voice of Fat Tony on The Simpsons, writing off-Broadway plays and narrating Oscar-nominated documentary films. To us gangster film buffs, he will always be family--the slick, vicious designated killer for the mob in both Mario Puzo’s works, The Godfather and The Last Don.

Rod Steiger’s film career has spanned six decades now, and he is still going strong. He has played everybody from Benito Mussolini to Pontius Pilate to Police Chief Bill Gillespie in the movie In the Heat of the Night (1967) which won him the Best Actor Oscar.

I saw the movie Al Capone as a kid when it came out in the theatres, and so, with apologies to Robert DeNiro and others, Rod Steiger will always be Alphonse Capone for me.

There you have it, a veritable who’s who in the annals of portrayal of la famiglia, be it the mob, the Prohibition hoods, La Cosa Nostra, or just the crew in Brooklyn. The genre’ will always be with us and these actors’ strong performances will always remind us of a time and a way of life that may not have been all that savory, sometimes tragic and plaintive but unforgettable nevertheless.