- Vinny Vella
Vinny Vella (born Vincent Franco Vellacerra on
October 3 ,1950 inNew York City ) is an actor and part time comedian.Early Life
A native New Yorker whose father raced at Madison Square Garden to win enough money to buy a scale for the pushcart he sold fish from, then earning enough to open a fish store. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E0D8113CF93AA15751C0A9629C8B63| New York Times article] ] [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/nyregion/thecity/29gear.html?pagewanted=3&_r=2| New York Times mention] ]
Career
Most known for the role of "Artie Piscano" in
Martin Scorsese 's Casino. He has also been the subject of a 67-minute documentary called "Hey, Vinny", completed in2000 by directorJohn Huba .He also played Jimmy Petrille on the HBO "
The Sopranos ".In New York City he hosts a public access tv show on MNN, the Vinny Vella show [ [http://www.mnn.org/en/aggregator/sources/5| Manhattan Neighbourhood Network] ]
In 2008, he is in two upcoming films.
Partial Filmography [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068633/| Vinny Vella at IMDB] ]
*Chasing the Green (
2008 )....Vincent [ [http://www.chasingthegreen.com/cast1.html| Cast list for Chasing the Green] ]
*The Roadhouse (2008 ) .... "Old Sal"
*Spy (2005 ) ....Harry 'Red' Dellarose
*In the Cut (2003) ....Concerned Bystander
*Coffee and Cigarettes (2003 ) ....Vinny
*The Bakery (2003 ) ....Vinny
*Analyze That (2002 ) ....Mello
*High Times' Potluck (2002 ) ....Vinny
*Kissing Jessica Stein (2001 ) ....Cab Driver
*Wannabes (2000 ) ....Carmine
*Ghost Dog (1999 ) ....Sammy the Snake
* (1999 ) ....Vinnie
*Rounders (1998 ) ....Card Player at KGB's
*Destination Anywhere (1997 ) ....Angry Window Man
*Sausages (1997 ) ....Luigi
*Casino (1995 ) ....Artie PiscanoPersonal Life
He is married to the former Margaret Ann Hernandez; they have one son, Vincent Franco Vellacerra, Jr.
Vella was at one time the "Mayor of Elizabeth Street" [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/nyregion/thecity/08mayor.html?ei=5088&en=201d5bf3c33f4978&ex=1317960000&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all| New York Times mention] ]
In 2007, he opened his own pizzeria in Brooklyn, NY. [ [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/runninscared/archives/2007/11/post_2.php| Village Voice] ] [ [http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/05/06/2008-05-06_former_sopranos_actor_vinny_vellas_pizze.html| New York Daily News] ]
In June 2008 Vella was involved in controversy around a lottery ticket according to some sources threatened to sue over it. [ [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a101701/sopranos-star-threatens-to-sue-lottery.html?imdb| Digital Spy Article] ]
References
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