Steve Buscemi Biography
Summary
"Steven Vincent Buscemi" (born December 13, 1957) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated American actor and film director.
Early life
Buscemi was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Dorothy, who worked as a hostess at Howard Johnson's, and John Buscemi, a sanitation worker and Korean War veteran. Buscemi's father was Italian American and his mother Irish American. He has three brothers: Jon, Ken and Michael. Buscemi was raised Catholic. He graduated in 1975 from Valley Stream Central High School in Valley Stream, New York, a school which he attended with writer Edward Renehan and actress Patricia Charbonneau. In high school, Buscemi wrestled for the varsity squad and participated in the drama troupe, at that time directed by Mr. Lynne C. Lappin. (Buscemi's 1996 film "Trees Lounge", in which he not only starred but served as screenwriter and director, is set in and was largely shot in his childhood village of Valley Stream. 'Mr. Buscemi, who was born in Valley Stream, will screen "Trees Lounge," about an unemployed mechanic, the first film that he has written, directed and starred in.') Buscemi briefly attended Nassau Community College before moving to Manhattan to enroll in the Lee Strasberg Institute. In the early 80's Buscemi also served as a firefighter for four years with the FDNY. On March 4th 2005, Buscemi returned to his old high school where he was presented the Distinguished Alumni Award as part of the school's 75th anniversary celebration.
Career
Acting
Buscemi is an associate member of the experimental theater company The Wooster Group. Buscemi's character roles include Mr. Pink in "Reservoir Dogs", Garland Greene in "Con Air", Rockhound in "Armageddon", Donny in "The Big Lebowski" and Carl Showalter in "Fargo". Although usually a supporting actor, he has had critical success as a lead actor, particularly in his role as Seymour in "Ghost World". Buscemi often plays characters that are neurotic and paranoid. He has appeared in a number of films by the Coen Brothers, wherein he tends to die in a grisly, prolonged or unexpected manner. He frequently provides comic relief in Adam Sandler films such as "Billy Madison", "The Wedding Singer", "Big Daddy" and "Mr. Deeds". Buscemi played a nemesis to Sandler and Kevin James in the comedy "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry". He also has worked with Quentin Tarantino, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Jim Jarmusch and Robert Rodriguez on various occasions.
In 2003, Buscemi made a brief celebrity guest appearance as himself on the long-running FOX animated television show "The Simpsons" in the episode 'Brake My Wife, Please'. Most recently, Buscemi provided the voice for Dwight, a bank robber who Marge promises to visit in jail if he turns himself in to the authorities. This episode, entitled 'I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' originally aired on October 14, 2007.
In 2004, Buscemi joined the cast of "The Sopranos" as Tony Soprano's cousin and childhood friend, Tony Blundetto. Buscemi had previously contributed to the show as director of the third season episode 'Pine Barrens'. He appeared in the third episode of Season 6, as a doorman in heaven (portrayed as a country club) in Tony Soprano's dream. He returned to direct the episode ' Mr. and Mrs. John Sacrimoni Request', the fifth episode of Season 6.
In 1995, Buscemi played suspected cop-shooter Gordon Pratt in the episode 'End Game' at the end of a three-episode arc of "Homicide: Life on the Street". He also had a role as Phil Hickle, Ellen's father and older Pete's guidance counselor, in "The Adventures of Pete and Pete", as well as guest-starring in "Miami Vice" in 1986. Buscemi was rumored to be considered for the role of The Scarecrow in Joel Schumacher's proposed fifth installment of the "Batman" franchise, "Batman Triumphant", before Warner Bros. cancelled the project.
In 2004, Buscemi appeared in the music video for Joe Strummer's cover of the Bob Marley track 'Redemption Song'. The video is shot after Strummer's death, and Buscemi appears alongside of a graffiti portrait of Strummer.
Directing
Buscemi worked extensively as a director, currently helming (and starring in) the feature film, "Interview". He directed "Trees Lounge" (1996), "Animal Factory" (2000), and "Lonesome Jim" (2005). In addition to feature films, he directed episodes of the television shows "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "The Sopranos", as well as two episodes of HBO's prison-drama series "Oz", entitled 'U.S. Male' and 'Cuts Like a Knife'.
Personal life
The day after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Buscemi went to his old firehouse to volunteer for recovery work at Ground Zero. That week, he worked 12 hour shifts digging through the rubble, while refusing to do interviews or have his picture taken.
In April 2001, while shooting the film "Domestic Disturbance" in Wilmington, North Carolina, Buscemi was slashed and badly scarred on his face while intervening in a bar fight between his friend Vince Vaughn, screenwriter Scott Rosenberg and a local man, Timothy Fogerty, who allegedly instigated the brawl.
During his profile on the show "Inside the Actors Studio", director John Waters said that he and Buscemi bear an uncanny resemblance to each other, to the point where Waters sent out Christmas cards with a picture of 'himself' which was actually Buscemi dressed as him. He also (somewhat jokingly) noted that should a movie ever be made about Waters' life, Buscemi has agreed to star as Waters in the film.
Buscemi has one son, Lucian, with his wife Jo Andres.
External links
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Steve Buscemi.
