Vincent Andrew Schiavelli ( ; November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television. Described as an "instantly recognizable sad-faced actor", he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome in childhood.Tom Jacobs (08 September 1991). [ACTOR SCHIAVELLI DECLARES VICTORY OVER MARFAN'S]. The Chicago Tribune, accessed 27 November 2019
Schiavelli gained fame as a character actor, mainly in supporting roles. He was a regular in the films of Miloš Forman including as Fredrickson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Antonio Salieri's valet in Amadeus (1984), Jean in Valmont (1989), Chester in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), and ABC executive Maynard Smith in Man on the Moon (1999).
His other roles include Mr. Vargas in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), John O'Connor in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1982), the Subway Ghost in Ghost (1990), Organ Grinder in Batman Returns (1992), Lanny in The X-Files episode "Humbug" (1995), Dr. Kaufman in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and Buggy Ding Dong in Death to Smoochy (2002). Schiavelli is the subject of the biographical film, (English, Many Beautiful Things) about his return to Polizzi Generosa, the historically significant ancestral village of his grandfather.
Early life Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York City to Sicilian-Americans John Schiavelli and Katherine Coco. He attended Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn. He was raised in the large Sicilian neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn, the stories and recipes of which he shared in his 1998 book Bruculinu, Remembrances of Sicilian American Brooklyn. He studied acting through the theatre program at New York University and began performing on stage in the 1960s.
Career Schiavelli's first film role occurred in Miloš Forman's 1971 production Taking Off, where he played a counselor who taught parents of runaway teens to smoke marijuana to better understand their children's experiences. Schiavelli's aptitude and distinctive appearance soon provided him with a steady stream of supporting roles, often in Forman's films, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Valmont, and the 1999 biopic Man on the Moon.
He played Mr. Vargas, the biology teacher, in the 1982 comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High, a role he reprised in the 1986 television spin-off Fast Times. He was cast in a similar role in Better Off Dead in which he played geometry teacher Mr. Kerber.
In 1987, he starred alongside Tim Conway in the short film comedy Dorf on Golf, and then Dorf and the First Games of Mount Olympus in 1988. In 1990, he played the Subway Ghost in Ghost and in 1992, he played in Tim Burton's Batman Returns as the "Organ Grinder", one of the Penguin's henchmen. He appeared as another villain in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), as a silent monk in The Frisco Kid (1979), and as John O'Connor, one of the evil Red Lectroids in 1984's The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. In 1994 he appeared in the music video for ZZ Top's "Breakaway", alongside Fairuza Balk and in 1997, was named one of America's best character actors by Vanity Fair magazine. He also made several voice appearances in the animated television show Hey Arnold!. In 2002, he played a children's television show host turned heroin addict named Buggy Ding Dong in Death to Smoochy.
His first television role came in 1972 as Peter Panama in The Corner Bar, the first sustained portrayal of a gay character on American television. His other television credits include The Moneychangers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, WKRP in Cincinnati, Benson, and Taxi as the priest who marries Latka and Simka. He appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Arsenal of Freedom" as a holographic salesman, on Miami Vice as a research scientist who conspires to steal a top-secret prototype weapon from his employer, and in an uncredited role in an episode of Punky Brewster. In 1987 he appeared as Lyle, a gangster, in the MacGyver season 2 episode "Soft Touch". In Highlander: The Series, he played Leo Atkins, a homeless Vietnam War veteran accused of murder, in the Season 1 episode "Innocent Man". In The X-Files, he played Lanny, a man with an underdeveloped conjoined twin in the Season 2 episode "Humbug".
Schiavelli was honorary co-chair of the National Marfan Foundation, an organization that serves those affected by Marfan syndrome, a condition that Schiavelli had."NMF Mourns the Loss of its Honorary Co-Chair, Vincent Schiavelli" , National Marfan Foundation. Retrieved April 10, 2011
Schiavelli also performed in a few video games, including Emperor: Battle for Dune (as Harkonnen Mentat Yanich Kobal) and as Dr. Hellman in the video game Corpse Killer.
Personal life
Schiavelli was married twice. He and his first wife, actress Allyce Beasley, were married from 1985 to 1988. They appeared together in an episode of Moonlighting, Beasley's television series. They had one son, composer Andrea Schiavelli. Vincent Schiavelli then married harpist Carol Sue Mukhalian on October 23, 1992. They remained married until his death.Robert Simonson (December 27, 2005). Vincent Schiavelli, Character Actor With Memorable Mug, Dies at 57 Playbill
Schiavelli was also a food and cookbook writer.
Death
Schiavelli died of lung cancer on December 26, 2005, at the age of 57 at his home in Polizzi Generosa, the Sicilian town near Palermo where his grandfather Andrea Coco was born, and about which he wrote in his 2002 book Many Beautiful Things: Stories and Recipes from Polizzi Generosa (). He was buried at the Polizzi Generosa cemetery.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1971Taking OffSchiavelli1974The Great GatsbyThin ManUncreditedFor Pete's SakeGrocery Clerk1975The Happy HookerMusic GuruOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestBruce Frederickson1976Next Stop, Greenwich VillageRent Party GuestUncreditedAngelsTex1977Close Encounters of the Third KindPolicemanUncredited1977Another Man, Another ChanceTrain TravelerUncredited1978An Unmarried WomanMan at Party1979Butch and Sundance: The Early DaysGuardThe Frisco KidBrother Bruno1980The Gong Show MovieMario RomaniSeed of InnocenceLeoThe ReturnProspector1981American PopTheatre OwnerChu Chu and the Philly FlashB.J.The Gangster ChroniclesJacob "Gurrah" Shapiro1982Night ShiftCarlFast Times at Ridgemont HighMr. Vargas1983The Selling of Vince D'AngeloVince's Right Hand Man1984KidcoPhil PorzinskiThe Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th DimensionJohn O'ConnorAmadeusSalieri's ValetJohnny DangerouslyRoman Moronie's Building PlannerUncredited1985Better Off DeadMr. Kerber1988Time OutReceptionist1989Cold FeetVetHomer and EddiePriestValmontJean1990PlayroomRoman HartWaiting for the LightMullinsMister FrostAngeloGhostSubway GhostPenny Ante: The Motion PictureDavidson1991Another You DentistTed & VenusPublisher1992Batman ReturnsOrgan GrinderMiracle BeachMystic1993Painted DesertHarry1994Lurking FearKnaggsCultivating CharlieMartin1995Escape to Witch MountainWaldo Fudd3 Ninjas Knuckle UpMayorLord of IllusionsVinovichTwo MuchSommelier "The Little PrincessMr Barrow1996Back to BackLeonardoThe People vs. Larry FlyntChesterIndependence DayDr. Hartmut Engel News Footage1997The Beautician and the BeastJailerTomorrow Never DiesDr. Kaufman1998Casper Meets WendyVincentLove KillsEmmetRestons groupésGaryRusty: A Dog's TaleCarney BossMiloDr. Matthew1999InfernoMr. SinghTreehouse HostageGardenerUncreditedMan on the MoonMaynard Smith, ABC ExecutiveThe Prince and the SurferBaumgartenAmerican VirginCab Driver20003 StrikesCortinoThe Pooch and the PauperWilly Wishbow2001Snow White: The Fairest of Them AllWednesdayAmerican SaintCharley Grebbini2002Hey Arnold!: The MovieMr. Bailey (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.Death to SmoochyBuggy Ding DongSolinoDirector BaldiThe 4th TenorMarcello2003Baadasssss!JerryFerrariMr. ParadiseBaggageThomas HorelickFrank Frigenti2005Miracle in Palermo!Federico IIOnce Upon a Time in PolizziHimself2006Marriage BrokerPosthumous role2007Oliviero RisingAlbino2010The PassportInspector Manuel SilveraShort film, posthumous role, final film role
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1972The Corner BarPeter Panama1978Rescue from Gilligan's IslandDimitriTelevision film1979WKRP In CincinnatiDon Pesola #1Episode: "The Contest Nobody Could Win"1980EscapeJ.W. WhiteTelevision filmWhite MamaMedicNightsideTom AdamsTelevision film1981Comedy of HorrorsGregoryThe Fall GuyMotel manager1982TaxiReverend Gorky2 Episodes1983Little ShotsSmokey JoeTelevision film1984The Ratings GameSkipNight CourtPeter DeMarco1985Lots of LuckSkinnyTelevision filmMoonlightingRodney DillonEpisode: "Next Stop Murder"OtherworldPriest Episode: "Village of the Motorpigs"Punky BrewsterMr.PiecesEpisode: "Perils of Punky"Who's the Boss?Motel Manager2 Episodes1986Remington SteeleLeon PulverEpisode: "Steele on the Air"1987MacGyverLyleEpisode: "Soft Touch"Star Trek: The Next GenerationThe PeddlerEpisode: "The Arsenal of Freedom"Bride of BoogedyLazarusTelevision film1989Miami Vice Lawrence FowlerEpisode: "World of Trouble"1991Eerie, IndianaThe DentistEpisode: "The Retainer"1992Highlander: The SeriesLeoEpisode: "Innocent Man"1993Batman: The Animated SeriesZatara (voice)Episode: "Zatanna"1995The CourtyardIvanTelevision filmBrother's DestinyDavinportAaahh!!! Real MonstersLapin Perdido, Announcer (voice)Episode: "Hats Off"The X-FilesLannyEpisode: "Humbug"1996Hey Arnold!Pigeon Man, Mr. Bailey (voice)2 episodes1998 Buffy, the Vampire SlayerEnyos2 episodes2000Sabrina, the Teenage WitchPastorEpisode: "Salem's Daughter"2005Silva Roibes
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