Tony Darrow

Last updated
Tony Darrow
Born
Anthony Borgese

(1938-10-01) October 1, 1938 (age 84)
Occupation(s)Actor ·screenwriter

Tony Darrow (born Anthony Borgese; October 1, 1938) is an American actor and screenwriter known for his roles in Goodfellas , Bullets Over Broadway , The Sopranos , and others.

Contents

Early life

Darrow was born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn. As a teenager, he gravitated towards show business, entering and winning talent shows while working odd jobs.

Career

After ten years of singing in nightclubs, Darrow received an offer to appear in Street Trash in which he played a mobster. Several months after Street Trash, Darrow was contacted by the film director Martin Scorsese. It turned out that Scorsese had seen Street Trash and wanted him to audition for a role in Goodfellas . He was successful and was cast as the owner of the Bamboo Lounge, Sonny. Darrow was also in the Woody Allen films Bullets over Broadway , Mighty Aphrodite , Deconstructing Harry , Small Time Crooks and Sweet and Lowdown .

In 1999, Darrow played a large role in Analyze This with Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal. Later the same year, he appeared in Mickey Blue Eyes with Hugh Grant and secured another role as mobster Larry Barese in the HBO hit series The Sopranos (1999–2007). More recently, Darrow starred in the independent film Lynch Mob.

Personal life

In June 2009, Darrow was charged with extortion in a 2004 incident. Along with Gambino crime family soldier Joseph "Joey Boy" Orlando and associate Giovanni "Johnny" Monteleone, Darrow was accused of ordering the maiming of a man in Monticello, New York, who owed money to a loan shark. [1] Darrow and Orlando both pleaded guilty in federal court to these charges in February 2011, in exchange for a sentence of up to 33 months. However, Monteleone cooperated with the FBI. At sentencing, Darrow's attorney successfully argued that Darrow's history of community service, medical condition, and lack of prior criminal history warranted a sentence of house arrest, followed by a period of probation. Orlando was sentenced to 51 months in prison and Darrow received six months of house arrest. [2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 Street Trash Nick Duran
1990 Goodfellas Sonny Bunz
1994Men LieHot Dog Customer
1994 Bullets Over Broadway Aldo
1994 Who Do I Gotta Kill? Tony Bando
1995 Mighty Aphrodite Boxing Trainer
1997The North EndNunzio
1997 Deconstructing Harry Camera Operator
1998 Celebrity Moving Man in Loft
1999 Analyze This Moony
1999 Mickey Blue Eyes Angelo
1999 Sweet and Lowdown Ben
2000 Small Time Crooks Tommy
2003Crooked LinesJimmy Pico
2005Searching for Bobby DRalph Argano
2009Lynch MobBoss Giavanni
2010 One Angry Man Bobby
2011 Kill the Irishman Mikey Mendarolo
2013 Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn Patsy Pirati
2014 Friends and Romans Frankie Fusso
2014Mafia HeavenStevie Matzoball
2019 The Brawler Tommy
2019Offstage ElementsCarlo Capozzoli
2021Made in ChinatownAl Capella
2022Killin SmallzTony
2022MickiPop
2022Desert DickAntonio Vereterratucci
2023The Families FeudNicky Knuckles

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991–2002 Law & Order Various roles3 episodes
1992 Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story NardiTelevision film
1993The Good PolicemanSal Rubino
1994 New York Undercover VinnieEpisode: "Garbage"
1995 The Wright Verdicts Alberto CostanzaEpisode: "Sins of the Father"
1996 Swift Justice Vietor6 episodes
1997 Dellaventura VictorEpisode: "Dreamers"
1999–2007 The Sopranos Larry Barese 15 episodes
2003Last LaughUptown DonnieTelevision film
2012 Person of Interest CaparelliEpisode: "Flesh and Blood"
2017The Uncle Gerry ShowBobby RoccoTelevision film
2021–presentGravesendThe Underboss6 episodes

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References

  1. John Marzulli (2009-06-06). "'Sopranos', 'GoodFellas' actor Anthony Borgese a.k.a. Tony Darrow charged with trying to extort money". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09.
  2. "Ex-mob goon who beat up man as favor to 'Goodfellas' actor turns rat, gets probation". The New York Times. November 22, 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2017.