Leonardo Cimino (November 4, 1917 – March 3, 2012) was an American film, television and stage actor who in 1937 appeared in the original stage production of Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock. Cimino's most well known roles are in the 1983 science fiction miniseries, V as Abraham Bernstein and the 1987 feature film The Monster Squad as the "Scary German guy".
Life and career Born in Manhattan, Cimino was the son of Andrea and Leonilda Cimino. His father was a tailor.
Cimino was initially interested in pursuing a career as a violinist, and studied the instrument at the Juilliard School when he was a teenager. While studying the violin he became interested in acting and dancing, and began studying those as well. In 1936, at the age of 18, he made his professional stage debut in a supporting role in the world premiere of Gladys Bronwyn Stern's Middle Man in Suffern, New York which starred Ernest Truex. It was not until a decade later, however, that Cimino would become dedicated full-time to an acting career. During the late 1930s and early 1940s he studied acting, directing and modern dance at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.
After the outbreak of World War II, Cimino joined the army in 1942. He notably participated in the invasion of Normandy, landing with the Mission Boston second wave on June 6, 1944.
After returning to civilian life in 1945, he continued with performing arts at the Neighborhood Playhouse; notably studying dance with Martha Graham. In 1946 he made his Broadway debut in a revival of Cyrano de Bergerac which starred and was directed by José Ferrer. It was the first of many projects in which Cimino would collaborate with Ferrer. He went on to appear in nearly 20 Broadway productions over the next four decades, including a 1962 adaptation of E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India (play) and a 1985 revival of The Iceman Cometh. In 1976 he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his performance of the role of Jim in Arthur Miller's A Memory of Two Mondays.
Cimino also appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions during his career, notably winning an Obie Award in 1958 for his portrayal of Smerdyakov in The Brothers Karamazov. He frequently appeared Off-Broadway in Shakespeare plays at the Public Theater, including Egeon in The Comedy of Errors (1975) alongside Ted Danson and Danny DeVito. He also appeared in productions in Regional theatres across the United States during his career. In 1970 he was awarded the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in The Man in the Glass Booth at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.
Cimino made many guest appearances on top TV programs, to include Naked City, The Defenders, The Doctors, Kojak, Ryan's Hope, The Equalizer and Law & Order. In 1981 and 1982, he played Alexei Vartova on ABC's soap opera Ryan's Hope.
He died on March 3, 2012, due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at his home in Woodstock, New York at the age of 94.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1961Mad Dog CollWickles - Bar Owner1961The Young SavagesMr. RugielloUncredited1964Quick, Let's Get MarriedDr. Paoli1969StilettoAllie FargoUncredited1970Cotton Comes to HarlemTom1972Come Back, Charleston BlueFrank Mago1973JeremyCello Teacher1975The Man in the Glass BoothDr. Alvarez1980Hide in Plain SightDon Angelo Venucci1980Stardust MemoriesSandy's Analyst1982Amityville II: The PossessionChancellor1982MonsignorThe Pope1984DuneThe Baron's Doctor1987The Monster SquadScary German Guy1987MoonstruckFelix1988The Seventh SignHead Cardinal1989Penn & Teller Get KilledErnesto1990Q&ANick Petrone1990The FreshmanLorenzo1991Hudson HawkCardinal1993ClaudeDaddy V.J.1993Household SaintsMario, a Storyteller1995WaterworldElder1999Cradle Will RockVTA - Man in Line200118 Shades of DustConnie Broglio2001 Hannibal Sammie (scenes deleted, available on home video releases)2001MadeLeo2007Before the Devil Knows You're DeadWilliam(final film role)
Television Year Title Role Notes1949The Big StoryTyler1 episode1958Armstrong Circle Theatre 1 episode1958Naked CityShellshock1 episode1959The Phil Silvers ShowBandit #31 episode1959The DuPont Show of the Month 1 episode1959BrennerMr. Jackson1 episode1960Armstrong Circle TheatreJoe March1 episode1960The Witness 1 episode1960The DuPont Show of the Month 1 episode1960Naked CityJohnny1 episode1961Give Us Barabbas!CalebTV movie1961The Power and the Glory TV movie1961Way OutNighttime Murderer1 episode1961Route 66Vendor1 episode1961Naked CityMiklos Konya1 episode1961Naked CityJulio Varraco1 episode1962Naked CityAlberto Russo1 episode1963Naked CitySid Kitka1 episode1963The DefendersRalph Kinderman1 episode1965For the PeopleLeBlanc1 episode1966ABC Stage 67Dino1 episode1973The DoctorsTennessee Eddie Hawkins1973Honor Thy FatherSam DeCavalcanteTV movie1974KojakRuby Kabelsky2 episodes1976KojakCordick1 episode1976Arthur Hailey's the MoneychangersBen Rossellimini-series, 1 of 4 episodes1980A Time for MiraclesItalian PriestTV movie1980Rappaccini's DaughterRappacciniTV movie1981Ryan's HopeAlexei Vartova10 episodes1983V (1983 miniseries)Abraham Bernsteinmini-series, 2 of 2 episodes1983Cocaine and Blue EyesOrestes AnatoleTV movie1983Will There Really Be a Morning?Adolph ZukorTV movie1984One Life to LiveAntonescu1 episode1986The EqualizerThomas Marley Sr Episode: "Counterfire"1989The EqualizerDoctor Molinari1989The Days and Nights of Molly DoddOrambello Johnson1 episode1991Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace TV movie1994M.A.N.T.I.S.Benny Cruikshank1 episode1996Law & OrderCostello1 episode1997The HungerNero1 episode1998Witness to the MobNeil DellacroceTV movie2000Law & OrderTommy Valducci1 episode
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