Joe Mantegna

Joseph Anthony "Joe" Mantegna, Jr. (born November 13, 1947) is an American actor, producer, writer, director, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos (1986),The Godfather Part III (1990), Forget Paris (1995), and Up Close & Personal (1996). He currently stars in the CBS television series Criminal Minds as FBI Special Agent David Rossi. Mantegna has gained Emmy Award nominations for his roles in three different miniseries: The Last Don (1997),The Rat Pack (1999), and The Starter Wife (2007). He has also served as executive producer for various movies and television movies, including Corduroy (1984), Hoods (1998), and Lakeboat (2000) which he also directed. For television, Mantegna has starred in the short lived series First Monday (2002) and Joan of Arcadia (2003–2005). Since the 1991 episode "Bart the Murderer," Mantegna has had a recurring role on the animated comedy series The Simpsons as mob boss Fat Tony, reprising the role in The Simpsons Movie (2007). Additionally, he played Robert B. Parker's fictional detective Spenser in three made-for-TV movies between 1999 and 2001. --- An Italian American, Mantegna was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947 to Maryann Novielli, a shipping clerk from Acquaviva delle Fonti Italy, and Joseph Anthony Mantegna, Sr., who worked in insurance sales and died in 1969 of tuberculosis. Mantegna was raised Catholic and attended J. Sterling Morton High School East in Cicero, Illinois. He studied acting at the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University in from 1967 to 1969. While still a young man in Chicago, he played bass in a band called The Apocryphals which later played with another local group The Missing Links, who went on to form the band Chicago. Mantegna is still very close to the original members of Chicago, and keeps in touch with his old band mates as well. Mantegna made his acting debut in the 1969 stage production of Hair and debuted on Broadway in Working (1978). He also helped write Bleacher Bums, an award-winning play which was first performed at Chicago's Organic Theater Company, and was a member of its original cast. He had a small role in the movie Xanadu which was cut, although since his name is in the film's credits Mantegna gets residuals for the film. Mantegna won a Tony award for his portrayal of Richard Roma in David Mamet's play Glengarry Glen Ross. He has had a long and successful association with Mamet, appearing in a number of his works. Mantegna made his feature film debut in Medusa Challenger (1977). He played womanizing dentist Bruce Fleckstein in Compromising Positions (1985). Other early movies include co-starring roles in The Money Pit (1986), Weeds (1987), and Suspect (1987). He also starred in the critically acclaimed movies House of Games (1987) and Things Change (1988), both written by Mamet. He and Things Change co-star Don Ameche received the Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival. --- Mantegna married Arlene Vrhel on December 3, 1975. Their oldest daughter Mia was born on June 5, 1987 after an emergency C-section performed to save the child’s life. Mia was born three months after her umbilical cord became infected. At birth, she weighed one pound and 13 ounces, and spent her first few months in intensive care. A few years later, they noticed that her ability to speak was as limited as her attention span. After having her evaluated by a neurologist, they received the diagnosis. Mia has autism. She is high functioning and well aware of her condition. She also has a wealth of support in her family who ensure that she’s involved in the world as much as possible. Her father’s career as an actor has played a part in her development, as well. Two and a half years later, they gave birth to Gina, who later had her name changed to Gia when she turned eighteen years old. Gia, an actress, first appeared alongside her father in "Uncle Nino" in 2003 as his character's daughter "Gina". She appeared with her father again in Criminal Minds (still under the name Gina Mantegna), as one of the victims in the Season 3 episode "3rd Life." Arlene owns a Chicago-themed restaurant in Burbank, California named Taste Chicago.