Louis DiGiaimo (1938 – December 19, 2015) was an American casting director and film producer. He was one of the casting directors of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and went on to help cast multiple films each for directors William Friedkin, Barry Levinson and Ridley Scott. He also produced Mike Newell's Donnie Brasco alongside Levinson and, in 1998, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series for Levinson's television series Homicide: Life on the Street.

Biography Early life and career DiGiaimo spent his childhood in Paterson, New Jersey. He graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University and worked as an accountant before embarking on a career as a casting director. His big break came in 1968 when he met director Martin Ritt, who was preparing to shoot the mafia drama The Brotherhood, starring Kirk Douglas. DiGiaimo's manner in seeking out both actors and non-actors for The Brotherhood impressed Ritt, and the director hired him to work on the film. DiGiaimo went on to make his debut as a principal casting director on a far more successful mafia picture, Francis Ford Coppola's Academy Award-winning The Godfather.

In between The Brotherhood and The Godfather, DiGiaimo worked with director William Friedkin for the first time on The French Connection, though his work on the film went uncredited. He reunited with Friedkin soon thereafter, this time as a principal casting director on the renowned horror hit The Exorcist. DiGiaimo cast several more films, including the 1975 releases Breakheart Pass and Farewell, My Lovely, before reteaming with Friedkin for The Brink's Job and yet again for Cruising. He was also casting director on Brian G. Hutton's The First Deadly Sin, which features Frank Sinatra in his last starring role.

Collaborations with Barry Levinson DiGiaimo's first collaboration with Barry Levinson was on the 1984 baseball drama The Natural, for which DiGiaimo provided additional casting services. Levinson later recruited DiGiaimo as the primary casting director of his films Tin Men, Good Morning, Vietnam, Rain Man, Jimmy Hollywood, and Sleepers. DiGiaimo also handled additional casting on Levinson's Avalon.

When Levinson was developing the drama series Homicide: Life on the Street for NBC, he brought in DiGiaimo to handle the casting. For his work on Homicide, DiGiaimo received three consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series, winning the award in 1998. DiGiaimo and Levinson also worked together as producers on Mike Newell's crime drama Donnie Brasco (for which DiGiaimo was also casting director) and the Levinson-directed An Everlasting Piece.

Reuniting with Friedkin, collaborations with Ridley Scott, and more Ten years after they last worked together on Cruising, DiGiaimo and Friedkin reteamed again for the director's 1990 horror film The Guardian. DiGiaimo also returned to the Exorcist franchise that year (albeit without Friedkin) as casting director of The Exorcist III, written and directed by the original film's writer, William Peter Blatty. Friedkin enlisted DiGiaimo's services one last time for the 1994 basketball drama Blue Chips.

Ridley Scott first called upon DiGiaimo to help him cast his 1991 film Thelma & Louise. For this film, it was DiGiaimo who pushed for a then-relatively unknown Brad Pitt to be cast in the role of J.D. Pitt landed the part, and his work in the film helped jump-start his career. The success of this initial union led to DiGiaimo casting Scott's next five films: 1492: Conquest of Paradise, White Squall, G.I. Jane, the Academy Award-winning Gladiator, and Hannibal.

Other directors whose movies DiGiaimo helped cast include John Frankenheimer (52 Pick-Up), Luis Llosa (Sniper), Brian Gibson (The Juror), Sidney Lumet (Gloria), Luis Mandoki (Trapped), and Richard Donner (16 Blocks). He also produced Bob Giraldi's independent film Dinner Rush. His final film as casting director was Nick Stagliano's Good Day for It, released in 2011.

Death A 42-year resident of Oakland, New Jersey, DiGiaimo died there on December 19, 2015, due to complications from a stroke. He was 77 years old.

Filmography He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted. Film Year Film Notes 1997 Donnie Brasco 2000 Dinner Rush An Everlasting Piece Final film as a producer

As casting director

Year Film Notes 1972 The Godfather A Separate Peace 1973 Cops and Robbers The Exorcist 1975 Rancho Deluxe Farewell, My Lovely Russian Roulette 92 in the Shade Breakheart Pass 1977 Sorcerer 1978 The Brink's Job 1980 Cruising The First Deadly Sin 1982 Vigilante 1984 A Stroke of Genius 1985 Porky's Revenge! Invasion U.S.A. Stiffs 1986 52 Pick-Up 1987 Tin Men Deadly Illusion Good Morning, Vietnam 1988 Red Scorpion Rain Man 1989 The Package Indio Hell High 1990 The Guardian The Exorcist III The Exorcist III: Legion Director's cut 1991 Indio 2: The Revolt Thelma & Louise Year of the Gun 29th Street 1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise Mom I Can Do It 1993 Sniper Trauma New York Undercover Cop Wilder Napalm 1994 Blue Chips Jimmy Hollywood 1995 Sons of Trinity Under Siege 2: Dark Territory 1996 The Juror White Squall Sleepers 1997 Donnie Brasco The Brave G.I. Jane 1998 Meschugge 1999 Gloria Black and White 2000 Gladiator Luckytown 2001 Hannibal 'R Xmas One Eyed King 2002 Trapped 2004 Blueberry 2006 Bandidas 16 Blocks Brother's Shadow 2007 The Poet Made in Brooklyn 2009 Baby on Board 2010 For Love Alone 2011 Good Day for It

Casting department

Year Film Role 1973 From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Extras casting The Seven-Ups 1975 Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York Additional casting 1981 Nighthawks 1982 Monsignor Casting: New York 1983 Easy Money Additional castingExtras casting 1984 The Natural Additional casting 1986 The Money Pit Extras casting Off Beat Additional casting 1987 84 Charing Cross Road Extras casting: New York 1988 Married to the Mob Additional casting Homeboy Extras casting 1989 Cookie 1990 Amazon Casting consultant Avalon Additional casting 1991 Missing Pieces Extras casting 1993 The Young Americans Casting: US 1998 The Nephew

Television Year Title Notes 2000 Falcone 2007 Fort Pit Television pilot

As casting director

Year Film Notes 1974−75 Movin' On 1975 Strike Force Television film 1981 CBS Afternoon Playhouse 1985 Out of the Darkness Television film 1985−87 Night Heat 1989 Ocean 1992 In the Shadow of a Killer Television film 1993 Beyond the Law Television film 1997 The Hunger 1998 Tower of the Firstborn Television film 1998−99 Soldier of Fortune, Inc. 1993−99 Homicide: Life on the Street 1999 The Hoop Life 2000 Homicide: The Movie Television film Falcone 2001 Nero Wolfe Boss of Bosses Television film The Big Heist Television film

References

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