Danny Aiello passed on December 12th at the age of 86
The long-time American actor, Danny Aiello, who was most known for his work in Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing and Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo, passed away in New Jersey on 12th December at the age of 86 after a brief illness.
The actor born on 20 June 1933 in Manhattan in a poverty-stricken environment, has worked in a variety of projects spread across movies, theatre, and television. He debuted in the entertainment world in the early 1970s with Robert De Niro’s ‘Bang The Drum Slowly’ after briefly serving the army and working as a baggage clerk and nightclub bouncer to support himself and his family. He soon got his first prominent role in Louis LaRusso’s 1975 play Lamppost reunion as a New Jersey Barman. Aiello was frequent skits and off-Broadway plays where he displayed his raw talent. He made cinematic history when as Tony Rosato in The Godfather: Part II, he improvised the famous line, “Michael Corleone says hello!”
Credit: Do The Right thing/ Screencap
His splendid work as the Pizza Parlous owner Salvatore “Sal” Fragione in Do The Right Thing, earned the actor an Oscar nomination for the Best Supporting Actor. That character had put him on the map and since then he became a regular to the show business. It was his raw intensity and commanding screen presence that brought him into the notice of directors and he slowly climbed his way up from minuscule roles to some important ones as his career progressed.
Leaving behind a celebrated legacy of more than 100 films and TV appearances, his other notable works includes a role of abusive husband in Woody Allen’s 1985 film ‘The Purple Rose of Cairo,’ an aging mafia in 1997 Television miniseries ‘The Last Don,’ and a role as the befuddled fiancé of a character played by Che in Norman Jewison’s 1987 ‘Moonstruck’. The actor had even expanded his career to music in 2004 when he released his first single, “All of Me,” along with an album.
The condolences for the actor poured from every corner after the heart-breaking news. The American singer, Cher, calling him a great actor and even a better comedic actor, remembered all the laughs that the two shared while working with him. Mia Farrow paying her tribute to the late actor tweeted that it was a joy and honour for her to work with him. Spike Lee, the director who gave him the biggest break of his career, took Instagram to express his sadness on the demise of his very dear friend.
It is a very sad day for the entertainment industry that lost one of its strongest performers. Our condolences are with the family. May Danny rest in peace.