September 2007

Had the exciting experience of working on Showtime's Dexter, with Michael C. Hall and David Zayas. What a cool show! Thank you to Shawn Dawson, and the lovely folks at UDK Casting.

August 2007

Just finished a nice little job on NBC's new show, Journeyman with Kevin McKidd. What a great guy. He couldn't have been more gracious and friendly. The episode was directed by Laura Innes, whom I found to be very cool, hip, and kinda sexy. Anyway, it was my first time playing a priest. After growing up in 12 years of Catholic school, as well as being an altar boy, it felt strangely familiar and comforting. We shot in the authentic St. Peter's Italian Catholic Church just outside of downtown. It's a beautiful church, with really spectacular art, stained glass, and sculptures.

On a side note, the church was just down the street from the famous, (and now closed) Little Joe's Restaurant, where my Grandfather worked for many, many years. He managed the deli section, where he would sit down and have a sandwich with folks like John Wayne. The actress Jeanne Crain would come in to learn Italian from my Grandpa. All the big wigs from city hall would come there for lunch. It was quite the place. I have a lot of wonderful memories there.

Last week I worked on Days of Our Lives. I played the funeral director,
Mr. Dewitt, and that's all I can say about it. Wonderful group, lots of laughing and goofing around. But when it came time to work, man do they work. Anyone who looks down his nose at a soap actor doesn't quite understand the workload these folks carry every single day. The process is blinding. My hats off to everyone involved. Special thanks to Marnie Saitta and Mr. Ed Scott.

I've also just completed a commercial for State Farm auto insurance. I'm scheduled to shoot another spot for Alegent Health next month.

So that's the activity, kids. It feels so great to be working. Hope you all had a great Summer. See you soon.

June 2007

I'm excited to announce my new Theatrical representation, Joel Kleinman
over at Baier/Kleinman International (BKI). We've just gotten everything set up and I'm looking forward to a busy season. I'd like to thank my buddy
Guy Ale, for introducing me into this fine agency.

I have a couple of scenes in Live Free or Die Hard. The trailers look great. Can't wait to see it!

Hopefully, my Volkswagen and Office Depot commercials will be running soon. Unfortunately, the Verizon spot never made it. Too bad, it was pretty funny. Ah, the business of selling soap...

Thanks for stopping by.

Tony

January 2007

Happy New Year!

Wrapping up last year, I'm lucky to have acted with the great James Caan on his show, Las Vegas. Then I shot an episode of Standoff, as the team's behavioral science doctor. Then to finish 2006 I had the pleasure of working on Bruce Willis' latest film, Live Free or Die Hard.

Congratulations to Emilio Estevez for the Golden Globe nominations for his amazing film, Bobby. (I'm thrilled to be a member of that all-star cast!)

On a personal note, I'm proud to say that on November 25th, 2006 I earned my Private Pilot Certificate. Here's a shot of the aircraft I flew for my FAA Checkride.

(Click for a larger image.)

July 2006

Well, it's been a while, and I apologize for that.

The Commander In Chief gig turned into 3 episodes, recurring as "Reporter Oliver". I really enjoyed working on that show, and I hope in finds its way back somehow. Thanks again, Greg!

I just shot an episode of The Closer, and it was a blast. Congratulations to the lovely Kyra Sedgwick on her well deserved Emmy Nomination. I also got to work with an old buddy, Raymond Cruz. I haven't seen him in a long while, and he hasn't changed a bit. Still working on his cars and motorcycles. Still doing really good work. A good guy. I also want to say hey to the director, Rick Wallace. His patience and sweetness with me was very comforting, and made me feel like part of the group. That's not always easy when you jump on a moving train as a guest star.

I've shaken up my representation, and have a new theatrical agent. I'm now handled by The Stevens Group. It's Steve Stevens and Steve Stevens Jr., and they're really cool and interesting. Steve has written a book called King of the Sunset Strip: Hangin' With Mickey Cohen And the Hollywood Mob. The link should take you to Amazon.com. He's got a fascinating story, and knows this town as well as anyone...from many different angles. Hollywood, in the good old days. Steve Jr. also writes, directs, acts, as well as doing some roping, bronco busting and other enviable cowboy stuff. A real man, just like his papa.

Steve and Steve are very different from most people I've met in this business. So, we'll see what happens. I'm pretty excited!

On a personal note: I'd like to thank my good buddy Vinny Butkevits for continually checking in with my website. Even when I go for months without an update, he keeps checking, and I really appreciate that. Thanks, doody!

I hope this finds you all well and happy. Hopefully, I'll have some updates for you soon. Thanks. Tony

February 2006

I've just signed contracts with my brand new manager, Hazel Shallon, who heads Shallon Star Management Group. I'm very excited about working with Hazel, and hopefully I'll have a lot more activity to post here in my "What's New" section.

January 2006

I added a shot from the set of Bobby to my photos section. A big thank you to Emilio Estevez for hiring me. This movie has every star in Hollywood in it. If you click the above IMDB link, you'll see what I mean. I had a blast shooting nights at the old Ambassador Hotel, where the actual events took place. Kind of creepy, though. The hotel is half demolished, and is scheduled to be completely taken down soon. You could really feel the history of that place. I'll bet it was so glamorous back in the day. I met a new friend and Paisano on the set, a great guy named Mario Di Donato. We hit it off instantly, and spent our time giving nicknames to the background actors. Names like "Frenchy", "Irish", "Meely", and "Coco".

I'm also blessed to have started the year with a gig on Commander In Chief, thanks to Greg Yaitanes. Greg is a brilliant director, and a wonderful guy. I'm lucky to know him. It was thrilling to work with Donald Sutherland and Geena Davis. Congratulations to Ms. Davis on her Golden Globe Award!

October 2005

Well, after spending the summer up in beautiful Ventura, I'm back with new photos, renewed determination, and with 30 or so less pounds on my frame. I haven't felt this good in years! Life is good!

I'm excited to be working next week on a project written and directed by Emilio Estevez, called Bobby. I'm a big fan of his, and it's a great script. I'll definitely let you all know how it goes.

A dear friend of mine, the brilliant Michael Kostroff, has written a book called: Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor. Michael toured with the national Equity productions of The Producers, and Les Misérables. It's a great book, touching, fascinating, and hysterically funny. It's available at Amazon.com, as well as in fine book stores everywhere.

That's it for now. I hope you're all well and happy. Please check back soon. T

May/June 2005

I did something a little different recently, and it was a whole bunch of fun. I coached a buddy of mine, David Keith, on a film he did called Bottoms Up. It also stars Paris Hilton and Jason Mewes. You're not going to believe the character that David plays, and let me tell you this; he's going to steal the movie.

David and I have been friends since we worked together on Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North, a mini-series for CBS. David played Ollie, and I played his roommate at Annapolis. David's a great guy - funny, smart, and well read. He's also a musician, a director, and a writer. A really talented man.

I'll have a photo of David and me from the set posted here soon.

I'm going to be taking a little vacation coming up here shortly, so here's wishing you all a wonderful and relaxing Summer. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy life!

February 2005

Well, the Alias job was so much fun! Miss Jennifer Garner is so lovely, so sweet, and so beautiful. She lights up the set. She's also very serious about her work, which counts for a lot in my book. I think she's a wonderfully talented actor.

I also had the great fortune to work with Mr. Michael K. Williams, who is amazing. Michael made a huge splash in the role of "Omar" on the HBO series, The Wire. We hit it off immediately, sharing a similar sense of humor. He's a really funny dude. I'm tellin' ya, this guy's going to be a huge star! What's cool is that he's also really nice, with an inspiring story of how he got to where he is. Be sure to check out his website.

I was very excited to meet Joel Gray, who is also in the episode. He's one of only eight actors to have won both a Tony and an Oscar for having portrayed the same role on stage and screen ("Cabaret"). He's a legend in this business, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I was a bit star struck. His cohort in the episode is played by Paul Ben Victor, a terrific actor and a really interesting guy. I've been a fan ever since I saw his character "Steve Richards" in NYPD Blue.

Once again, I'm indebted to Greg Yaitanes for hiring me, and for making my job so easy. I think we're developing a sort of short-hand now. Here's part of one of his directions to me: "...and about 10 percent less Goombah on your reaction to Jennifer..." That cracks me up!

Below are some recent set pictures. They're also in my "Photos" section. Just click on the thumbnails to see the larger view.

January 2005

Thanks to director extraordinaire, Greg Yaitanes, this year is starting off wonderfully. I shot an episode of CSI: Miami, working with David Caruso and Jonathan Togo. They were so incredibly warm and friendly, and I can't remember when I've had more fun on a set. What really added to the experience was meeting some folks who are the real deal - Port and Field Directors, as well as Customs and Border (CBP) Officers from the Department of Homeland Security. The logistics and scope of what they do to keep us all safe is truly mind boggling, and it was fascinating to hear about some of the technology that they use in doing their jobs. It was truly an honor to meet them all.

I'm going to be working with Greg again on an episode of Alias later this week. Stay tuned. Also, I want to mention that Greg's wife Genna has taken her show, A Touch of Vegas to New York. It's a huge hit in Las Vegas, so if you're in NY, be sure to catch it. Go here for more info.

I also want to give a shout out to the most brilliant demo reel editor in this business, Mr. Paul Norton. Formerly with Jan's Video, Paul now runs his own shop, and he calls it Paul's Video Productions. Last week I brought my tape to him to add my episode of NYPD Blue. It's a huge scene, and quite frankly I didn't know how we were going to edit it down to a reasonable size and still keep its shape. Well, I sat in amazement as Paul worked his magic, and now I'm absolutely thrilled with my tape! He has a gift for what he does, and it's why no one else has ever touched my reel. Paul is still working on his website, so you can find his info on my Links page.

I hope the year is starting out well for everyone. Here's wishing us all health, love, and prosperity in 2005!

October 2004

Just a quick note: The NYPD Blue will air Tuesday, October 26th on ABC. The Cold Case will air Sunday, October 31st on CBS. Check your local listings for both. Thanks.

September 2004

An update to my NYPD Blue job. I was called back to do a partial re-shoot with additional dialogue. I'm mentioning this because the warm and friendly Bill Brochtrup was added to our scene. There is such a brightness and sparkle to his work, and he's incredibly funny too. Anyway, I think the scene works much better now. I want to thank Bill Clark, John Hyams and the rest of the gang for making me feel so comfortable on the set. It's the 5th episode of the new season, and is tentatively scheduled for October 26th.

August 2004

This has actually been a wonderful month. It began, with the help of the hippest cat you'd ever hope to meet, director Greg Yaitanes. Greg hired me for an episode of Cold Case, in which I played a corrupt INS Agent. Now, this is the 5th job I've worked on with Mr. Yaitanes. Under his direction, I've also been a CHP officer, a salmon hauling truck driver in the Yukon, and twice, a member of the press corp in the now defunct series, Skin. Greg calls me his "Utility Guy". I love that. I'm incredibly grateful to him, and feel lucky to be on his list.

On the Cold Case, a swell guy named Joel McKinnon Miller played my buddy and partner in crime. Talk about a utility guy! It's always so nice to work with a real pro. It's even nicer when someone like Joel gets a cool gig. He'll be a regular on the scheduled 2005 HBO series, Big Love with Bill Paxton. Be sure to watch for him. Here's a shot of us in front of the honey wagon. (You can also find it in my "Photos" section.)

Then the month continued with a really nice role on NYPD Blue. For this, I have to thank Mr. Scott Genkinger, who casts the show. He brought me in for a character that I wouldn't normally be seen for. I think that kind of vision is why the show continues to be one of the most interesting and dynamic shows on the air, and why it's lasted so long. Scott is a wonderful man, and sincerely thank him for this job.

In the episode, I worked with Henry Simmons and Gordon Clapp, who play Jones and Medavoy respectively. They both couldn't have been nicer, and I also had a great appreciation for the simplicity and economy of their work. It was a lesson learned.

So two big shows in one month! Let's see if I can keep this roll going.

Thanks for checking in with me. Be well, all.

July 2004

Well, I returned to the Y&R for a follow up visit with "Brittany", and I'm pleased to say that she's doing just fine. The matrix was well-anchored, the new skin had grown in the interstices as I'd hoped. (I won't get into the gap at the margin of the new growth, because I want to remain optimistic about her recovery.)

But seriously folks, I had another great time. Along with Lauren and Thad, I also got to work with John Enos, who plays Bobby Marsino. Good Guy, and I'm guessing a Paisano. I think Dr. Napolitano should do some plastic surgery work for the girls down at his club. But that's just my opinion. Fugettabowdit!

July 2004

My inimitable Doctor Robert Napolitano has returned to The Young and the Restless!
OK, maybe I'm making it sound like it's a bigger deal than it is. The lovely Marnie Saitta, who casts the show, called for me last month, and I returned for an episode in my new capacity of Plastic Surgeon. I love it! Now instead of emergency room trauma, or renal failure, I get to rub elbows with the pretty people. Speaking of pretty, the woman I am attending is Lauren Woodland, who plays Brittany Hodges. Talk about an absolute doll. She couldn't have been sweeter, or more of a delight. There were also 2 guys in the scenes with me, Thad Luckinbill (J.T.) and David Lago (Raul). Both were wonderfully gracious, and an absolute joy to work with. So that's the news for now. I should be returning in a couple of weeks to check in on Brittany's progress. I'll let you know how she's doing.

A fantasy thought: If my character were on The Sopranos, his nickname would be "Bobby Naps".

May 2004

Well, I had a great time working on Monk last month. The Cast and Crew were fantastic! Spending time with all these talented actors felt more like being a part of a theatre group. With creativity abounding, ideas flew with encouragement and enthusiasm. And may I say that Tony Shalhoub ROCKS!!! The cherry on top was the supportive and trusting direction of Randy Zisk. Now I know why the show is such a delight to watch, and why they all look like they're having so much fun...'cause they are! I had the added pleasure of working with Mykelti Williamson, who played my boss, an NYPD Captain. He couldn't have been nicer, and I think we worked well together. Really a good guy.

I also shot a commercial last month for Bob Evans Restaurants. It was lots of fun, even though I didn't get to eat any food. I play an insensitive, high-strung, upper management "suit" who really doesn't care much about his employee's feelings. I don't think it will play here in California, so if you see it running out there in the midwest, drop me a note and let me know how it looks.

That's it for now. Thanks again for stopping by.

April 2004

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been crazy busy. (Maybe, just crazy!) I'll be working with the ultra cool Tony Shalhoub next week on an episode of Monk, playing a NYPD Detective. I'm a big fan, so I'm really looking forward to it.

That's it for now. Hope everyone's healthy, happy, and well.