Dominic Chianese

Dominic Chianese (purnounced Kee-on-eh-see) (born February 24, 1931 in Bronx, New York) is an American actor and performer. He is perhaps best known as Soprano family patriarch Corrado Soprano otherwise known as "Uncle Junior" on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos, a role that netted him two Emmy Award nominations.

Chianese worked as a bricklayer with his father and attended night school during the 1950s, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Speech and Theater from Brooklyn College in 1961. His earliest stage work occurred in 1952 with a Gilbert and Sullivan repertory company of singers, actors, and musicians called The American Savoyards, under the direction of Dorothy Raedler.

After a decade of doing theatre, both in college and off-Broadway shows, Chianese attended his first professional acting class at HB Studios, with renowned teacher Walt Witcover in Manhattan. Acting became Chianese's passion, along with musical theater. His first Broadway show was Oliver! in 1965. Since then he has worked at regional theatres, off-Broadway and on Broadway all through the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. To supplement income in the dry periods, he sang and played rhythm guitar in saloons and restaurants. Chianese's first television credit was due to George C. Scott recommending him for his acclaimed series East Side, West Side. In 1974, Francis Ford Coppola cast him as "Johnny Ola" in The Godfather, Part II, which set a film career in motion, culminating with several films (and plays) with Al Pacino.

Before getting the call for Godfather II, Chianese was working for the Drug Commission of New York State as a recreational worker in a rehab center. He was teaching guitar to women who were serving time for drug-related crimes.

Chianese is a musician, having released a CD (fittingly titled "Hits") in 2000, where he sings American and Italian songs. He even performed Salvatore Cardillo's sentimental classic "Core 'ngrato" ("Ungrateful Heart"), on the third-season finale of The Sopranos.

His manager is Brian Liebman, who is also the manager of soap opera star Mark Consuelos.

He is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominic_Chianese