Vincent Gardenia Movies
During the '70s and '80s Vincent Gardenia was one of the most familiar character actors in film, television, and on the Broadway stage. Though viewers may not always have remembered his name, his sad eyes, hawk-nosed Italian-American face, short, stocky build, and distinctive often booming Brooklyn-accented voice and exaggerated gestures made him instantly recognizable.Gardenia was born Vincent Scognamiglio in Naples, Italy, but he was raised in New York from the age of two. Once in the Big Apple, his father founded an Italian-language theater troupe and it is with them that Gardenia learned his craft. When he was 14, Gardenia dropped out of school to become a full-time actor with the company. He was in the army during WWII; after his discharge he returned to work in his father's theater and in other Italian-American productions. Though he had played a bit part in the 1945 film The House on 92nd Street, Gardenia did not launch his real film career until he was in his mid-thirties and played his first major role in The Cop Hater (1958). Though most often cast as Italian-Americans or in simple ethnic roles, Gardenia was a versatile actor who could easily switch from comedic to dramatic roles in films of widely varying quality. Some of his best-known roles include that of a bartender in 1961 in The Hustler, and Dutch Schnell in Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) opposite Robert De Niro. The latter garnered Gardenia his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Gardenia's second nomination came in 1987 for his memorable portrayal of Cher's father in Moonstruck. The character actor was 70 when he played his final role in the Joe Pesci vehicle The Super (1991). Gardenia's considerable television work includes the soap opera Edge of Night, a regular role on All in the Family (during the 1973-1974 season), the short-lived series Breaking Away (1980-1981), and a semi-regular role on L.A. Law in 1990. He has also made numerous guest appearances. Gardenia died of heart failure in 1992 at the age of 70. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A by-the-books cop struggling to bust a brutal protection racket in Rome is forced to throw the rules out the window when the vicious gang attempts to cement their status by moving into the drug trade in director Enzo G. Castellari's tough-talking poliziotteschi. As the citizens of Rome continue to suffocate in the cold grip of fear, it's up to determined inspector Nico Palmieri (Fabio Testi) to take back the streets from the murderers and rapists who terrorize the population and give the cruel thugs a hard lesson in street justice. When the only language that the criminal element understands is violence, Inspector Palmieri is more than willing to communicate in terms that will get the message across. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabio Testi, Vincent Gardenia, (more)
- 1975
- PG
Detective movies and film-noir are parodied in this comedy that tells the story of a rookie detective who is hired via mail-order to find out who killed the milkman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gabriel Dell, Will Geer, (more)
- 1975
This episode was designed as the pilot for a proposed Kojak spinoff, starring Vincent Gardenia) as Lt. Kojak's former NYPD colleague Vince LaGuardia. Now working in Las Vegas, LaGuardia alerts Kojak (Telly Savalas) of his plan to extradite an elderly counterfeiter (Jeff Corey) to Manhattan. When the old man suddenly dies in his jail cell, Vince suspects foul play and launches a search for an unknown hitman. All the while, the veteran cop endeavors to balance his professional life with his personal responsibilities as surrogate father to his nephew Nick (Mike Darnell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
The family is planning a 50th birthday party for Archie. The only one unwilling to enter into the festivities is Archie himself, who feels that he is old and useless. Then he takes a peek at his birth certificate -- and is he in for a surprise. The episode's level of humor is heightened by the attitude contrast between Archie and the octogenarian couple Quigley (Burt Mustin) and Jo (Ruth McDevitt). Written by Paul Lichtman, Howard Storm, and Don Nicholl, "Archie Feels Left Out" originally aired on January 12, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1974
Hoping to keep Irene Lorenzo from indoctrinating Edith with her "liberated" notions, Archie arranges for Irene to get a job down at the loading dock. This act of left-handed generosity backfires when Irene ends up operating the forklift, a "macho" position that Archie has always coveted. Worse still -- at least as far as Archie is concerned -- Edith has joined one of those "pinko" women's groups. Written by Norman Belkin and Harriet Belkin, "Archie's Helping Hand" was first telecast on October 19, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
This drama about a man who takes the law into his own hands was wildly controversial upon first release, sparking much debate about the perceived pro-vigilante stance of the story, and established Charles Bronson as a major box office draw in the United States. Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is a liberal architect living in New York City. One day, a group of drug-crazed thugs break into his apartment while he's gone, killing his wife Joanna (Hope Lange) and brutally raping his married daughter, leaving her comatose. When the police are unable to find the culprits, Kersey arms himself and begins patrolling the streets, killing muggers and thieves as he encounters them. While his obsessive search for street justice sickens him at first, in time Kersey begins to enjoy it and becomes a hunted man himself, as Police Detective Frank Ochoa (Vincent Gardenia) tries to find the man who is doing the police's job for them, and a bit too well. Jeff Goldblum made his screen debut as one of the lunatics who attacks Joanna. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, (more)
This third film version of the 1928 Ben Hecht/Charlie MacArthur Broadway hit The Front Page was the first one permitted to utilize all the salty profanities in the original play. Director Billy Wilder cast his two favorite leading men, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, as ace reporter Hildy Johnson and ruthless newspaper editor Walter Burns, respectively. The plot of the Hecht/MacArthur play remains intact: Burns pulls every underhanded game in the book to prevent Johnson from leaving his Chicago paper to get married, and in so doing the two journalists uncover a cesspool of political corruption, centered around the planned execution of anarchist Earl Williams (Austin Pendleton). Carol Burnett has an extended cameo as Williams' tart girlfriend, Mollie Malloy. The Front Page was remade for a fourth time in 1988 as Switching Channels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, (more)
- 1973
Director Francesco Rosi returns to his recurring theme of the connections between legal and illegal exercises of power in this sensationalized account of the infamous gangster Charles "Lucky" Luciano (Gian Maria Volonte). The film examines the life of Luciano after serving nine years of his 50-year sentence in the 1930s and 1940s, after which he was pardoned and deported to Italy. Once back in Italy, Luciano travels to Naples, where he finds himself under a continuous ten-year investigation by narcotics investigator Charles Siragusa (who plays himself). Rosi uses Luciano as a clinical study, questioning his legendary status and exploring the truth behind the legend. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gian Maria Volontè, Rod Steiger, (more)
A guaranteed tear-jerker, Bang the Drum Slowly centers on professional baseball player Bruce Pearson (Robert DeNiro) and his team mate Henry Wiggen (Michael Moriarty), who supported Bruce to the bitter end after learning that the young catcher was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and would soon die. When hayseed Pearson first joined the team, he and Wiggen, the team's red-hot pitcher were oil and water. The other team members were none to thrilled to have Pearson on their team. Wiggen changes his attitude when he learns of Pearson's illness, and when the other team members find out, they too become more helpful until the inevitably teary ending. Look for popular character actor Danny Aiello in his feature film debut. The story is based on a novel by screenwriter Mark Harris and was first filmed for television. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert De Niro, Michael Moriarty, (more)
- 1973
Archie and Mike can't understand why the usually ebullient Edith is unable to get into the Christmas spirit. Only when she is alone with Gloria does Edith reveal what is preying on her mind: She thinks she may have breast cancer. It is up to next-door neighbor Irene Lorenzo to restore Edith's customary good spirits -- and she does so by making a surprising revelation of her own. Scripted by Austin and Irma Kalish from a story by Don Nicholl, "Edith's Christmas Story" was originally telecast on December 22, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
Donning a brunette wig, blonde-tressed Gloria is at first flattered and delighted when Mike is "turned on" by her new look. But her delight turns to dismay when she concludes that it is the wig, and not her, that so arouses Mike's libido. This episode poses a question previously unexplored in American television: Can it be possible for a husband to be unfaithful with his own wife? Written by Michael Ross and Bernie West, "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Wig" first aired on November 24, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
Even under normal circumstances, Archie feels threatened by his intelligent and resourceful neighbor Irene Lorenzo. When Irene challenges Archie to a high-stakes game of pool, he is so intimidated by the possibility of losing that he begs off, using a "bad back" as his excuse. Written by John Rappaport, Michael Ross, and Bernie West, this episode is a low-key spoof of the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, which had occurred only a few weeks earlier. "Archie Is Cursed" first aired on December 15, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
While Archie is out of the house, the rest of the family joins Lionel and the Lorenzos in playing Mike's new "group therapy" board game, in which the players reveal their honest opinions about the other players. Alas, Mike doesn't like what he hears when time comes for the others to vent their feelings about him. It is up to Edith, displaying wisdom above and beyond her standard "Dingbat" status, to get Mike back on the right track. Though Carroll O'Connor is largely absent from the proceedings, his appearance at the tail end of the episode provides the evening's biggest laugh. Written by Michael Ross and Bernie West, "The Games Bunkers Play" first aired on November 3, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
Gloria brings home a miniature replica of Rodin's famous sculpture "The Kiss." The erotic nature of the sculpture does not rest well with Archie, who orders Gloria to take that "dirty thing" out of the house immediately. Want to bet that this sparks another Battle Royal in the Bunker household? Also worth watching is Edith's impromptu paean to the music of Henry Mancini. Written by John Rappaport, "Archie and the Kiss" first aired on October 6, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
Archie is delighted to learn that his black neighbors, the Jeffersons, are planning to move. During a farewell party at the Bunker household, Archie finds himself deep in conversation with Henry Jefferson's contentious brother George Jefferson. Amazingly, the two men find they have a lot in common -- especially their mutual disdain for those outside their respective races. This episode came about due to Mel Stewart's departure from All in the Family to star in another sitcom, Roll Out; it also served to introduce Sherman Hemsley as George Jefferson, who would likewise eventually headline a sitcom of his own (bet you can't guess the title...). Written by Don Nicholl, "Henry's Farewell" was first broadcast on October 20, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
Season four of All in the Family commenced with an object lesson about -- what else? -- racial bigotry. Archie is up in arms over the notion of a Latino family moving into the neighborhood. In this, Archie finds himself with an unexpected ally: Henry Jefferson, his black neighbor from across the street, who is likewise averse to allowing "those people" to make their home on Houser Street. This episode served to introduce the Bunkers' new next-door neighbors, Irene and Frank Lorenzo, played by Betty Garrett (replacing Sada Thompson, who reportedly couldn't get along with series star Carroll O'Connor) and Vincent Gardenia. Written by Don Nicholl, "We're Having a Heat Wave" originally aired on September 15, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1973
In this horror movie a murderous husband gets his comeuppance when his dead wife returns to make his life a living hell. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Now that the Lorenzos have moved next door to the Bunkers, Archie has managed to come up with a whole new list of pet peeves. It especially vexes Archie that Irene and Frank Lorenzo don't seem to know their proper gender roles: Irene does the household repairs, while Frank does all the cooking -- and even sings in the kitchen. Even worse, at least as far as Archie is concerned, Irene bids fair to become Edith's new best friend. Written by Michael Ross and Bernie West, "We're Still Having a Heat Wave" first aired on September 22, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1972
Naïve Edith answers a classified advertisement requesting a pair of "fun pen pals." Before long, the Bunkers are visited by Mr. and Mrs. Rempley, a couple of middle-aged "swingers" who invite Archie and Edith to participate in a wife-swapping party. Curtis Rempley is played by Vincent Gardenia, who would soon join the All in the Family cast as Frank Lorenzo; Ruth Rempley is enacted by Rue McClanahan, on the eve of her six-year hitch as Vivian Harmon on the All in the Family spin-off Maude. Written by Lee Kalcheim, Michael Ross, and Bernie West, "The Bunkers and the Swingers" originally aired on October 28, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
- 1972
- PG
The stars of the witty TV series I Spy were reunited for this downbeat crime thriller, which takes a much darker and more violent look at the lives of two detectives for hire. Al Hickey (Bill Cosby) and Frank Boggs (Robert Culp) are a pair of private eyes who are approached by an attorney to find his girlfriend, who has gone missing. Their investigation leads them to a large sum of money from a Pittsburgh bank robbery. It seems that the woman in question has married the leader of a leftist radical group, which is now trying to find a buyer for the tainted money. An attempt to recover both the money and the girl goes awry when Hickey and Boggs infiltrate a meeting with the radicals; the girl slips away and takes the burgled cash with her. Adding to the disaster, the meeting tips off the identity of the detectives to mobsters dealing with the radicals, and the gangsters execute Hickey's wife in an effort to keep him away from their activities. Hickey and Boggs also features Rosalind Cash, Michael Moriarity, Vincent Gardenia, Isabel Sanford, and James Woods. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Cosby, Robert Culp, (more)
- 1971
- PG
This comedy is notable as the final onscreen appearance (non-speaking) of Edward Everett Horton, a staple comic supporting actor from the early '30s onward. Dick Van Dyke plays an ambitious small-town minister who rallies the whole town to meet a challenge bet by a tobacco corporation. Cooked up by the tobacco company's public relations head (Bob Newhart), the bet is an offer to pay twenty five million dollars ($25,000,000.00) to any town that can quit smoking for the required period of time. Barnard Hughes is Dr. Proctor, a heart surgeon who has to be physically restrained to prevent him from smoking. Jean Stapleton is the mayor's wife, who swells visibly as her eating replaces cigarettes. Edward Everett Horton is eloquent as the mysterious tobacco tycoon who comes to observe the chaos first-hand. There is lots of frantic action as the townsfolk try to win the prize, and the tobacco company (which has no intention of paying off the bet) works to sabotage their efforts. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pippa Scott, Bob Newhart, (more)
Actor Alan Arkin has an impressive film directorial debut with Little Murders, Jules Feiffer's bitter and moving satire (originally produced as an off-Broadway play). Elliot Gould (who also co-produced the film) plays Alfred Chamberlain -- a one time successful photographer who is now down on his luck because he began to eliminate people from his photographs. He also suffers from an inability to feel or to be passionate about anything. But then Alfred meets Patsy Newqvist (Marcia Rodd), who takes it upon herself to mold Alfred into "a strong, vital, self-assured man, that I can protect and take care of." As their relationship develops and Patsy takes Alfred to meet her parents, they suddenly bang up against the brick wall of urban violence and insensitivity. In this world of senseless killings and madness, Alfred realizes that the only way to get back into the world is to become as insane as everyone else. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould, Marcia Rodd, (more)
- 1971
Archie learns to his horror that a black family is moving across the street. As Edith, Gloria, and Mike listen with varying reactions, Archie spouts out all manner of racist venom and ethnic misapprehensions -- only to be caught short when Lionel (Mike Evans) arrives with an added tidbit of information. Vincent Gardenia, who later joined the cast as Frank Lorenzo, here portrays the extremely nervous Bowman (Best line: "Uh-uh, they're Baptists!"). Written by Don Nicholl and Bryan Joseph, "Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood" originally aired on March 2, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, (more)
Director Carl Reiner, most closely associated with the homey values of situation comedies, shocked, surprised, and (in some cases) delighted his admirers with the jet-black comedy Where's Poppa?. George Segal plays Gordon Hocheiser, a New York attorney whose love life is constantly being sabotaged by his senile mother (Ruth Gordon), who constantly asks the question of the title. (She doesn't realize Poppa is dead). Every time Gordon has a prospective bride or lover lined up, Mrs. Hocheiser gums up the works with her insane behavior. The attorney at last finds a kindred spirit in the beautiful caregiver Louise Callan (Trish VanDevere), who has likewise been a victim of someone else's eccentricities (her first husband used the conjugal bed as his own personal toilet). When Mrs. Hocheiser chases Louise away like she has all the others, Gordon begins entertaining notions of killing his mother. In desperation, Gordon begs his brother Sidney (Ron Leibman) to take his mother off his hands, which leads to several comic vignettes in deliriously bad taste. The film's incest-themed original ending (trimmed from the video version but still included in cable prints) finds Gordon climbing into bed with Mrs. Hocheiser, only to be greeted with a "Here's Poppa." The celebrated "tush scene," wherein Mrs. Hocheiser bites Gordon on his bare backside while Louise looks on in horror, packed a real wallop back in the early '70s, as did a courtroom scene involving a disgruntled hippie (Rob Reiner) and a psychotic U.S. general who graphically describes his homicidal acts against the Vietnamese. Though Carl Reiner would continue to "push the envelope" in his later films (Steve Martin as a "poor black child"? George Burns as God?) he would never again attempt anything as risky as Where's Poppa?. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Ruth Gordon, (more)
- 1969
- PG
Jenny (Marlo Thomas) is a single expectant mother who receives an offer of marriage from Delano (Alan Alda). He wants to avoid the military draft and agrees to marry Jenny despite the fact he is not the child's father, proposing for strictly practical reasons: the baby will have a name and he will escape the draft. Their scheme does not work out quite the way they had hoped, however. Problems arise when Jenny adds romance and love as an afterthought to the arrangement, and while she goes ahead and has the baby, Delano is not spared from his military obligations. As she cares for her newborn in the maternity ward, Delano sits silently and ponders his uncertain future in this routine melodrama. Vincent Gardenia plays Jenny's father, an eccentric collector of antique dentures. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlo Thomas, Alan Alda, (more)
