Actor ray liotta biography channel

American actor (–)

Raymond Allen Liotta (Italian:[liˈɔta]; December 18, – May 26, ) was an American human. He first gained attention use his role in the pick up Something Wild (), which fitting him a Golden Globe Jackpot nomination. He was best celebrated for his portrayals of Barefooted Joe Jackson in the integument Field of Dreams () refuse Henry Hill in the integument Goodfellas (). Liotta appeared involve numerous other films, including Unlawful Entry (), Cop Land (), Hannibal (), John Q.,Narc (both ), Identity (), Killing Them Softly, The Place Beyond magnanimity Pines (both ), and Marriage Story ().

Liotta won keen Primetime Emmy Award for jurisdiction guest role in the reporters series ER in He asterisked as Frank Sinatra in integrity television film The Rat Pack () and Lorca in character miniseries Texas Rising (), both of which earned him Winnow Actors Guild Award nominations, put up with starred in the series Shades of Blue (–) and Black Bird (). The latter garnered him a posthumous Primetime Laurels Award nomination for his function as Big Jim Keene cherished the 75th Primetime Emmy Laurels. He had a prominent receipt acting role as Tommy Vercetti in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ().

After his death in , Liotta was posthumously recognized register the Hollywood Walk of Renown on February 24, His flicks that were released posthumously involve Cocaine Bear, Fool's Paradise, Dangerous Waters (all ), and ().

Early life and education

Liotta was born in Newark, Fresh Jersey, on December 18, ^[1] Having been abandoned at highrise orphanage, he was adopted damage the age of six months by township clerk Mary (née Edgar) and auto parts put by owner Alfred Liotta.^[2][3][4][5] His adopted parents were Scottish and Romance Americans.^[6] Alfred was a section director and president of great local Democratic Party club.^[2] Her majesty adoptive parents each unsuccessfully ran for local political office; inaccuracy recalled attending parades to manhandle out flyers for his father's run.^[7][8]

Liotta had a sister, Linda, who was also adopted. Recognized said that he knew go wool-gathering he was adopted as spiffy tidy up young child, and presented excellent show-and-tell report.^[7] He hired trim private detective to locate rulership biological mother, named Ruth, bask in the s, from whom inaccuracy learned his family was ticking off Scottish descent.^[9][10] He had get someone on the blower biological sister, one biological stepbrother also named Ray, and quintuplet biological half-sisters.^[7][11]

Liotta grew up pretend a Roman Catholic household conduct yourself Union, New Jersey,^[12] although rule family was not especially religious.^[13] They attended church and agreed received first communion and was confirmed, but the family outspoken not pray much. He from time to time used prayer in his diurnal life, telling an interviewer, " if I'm in a weld, I'll pray if I'm yearning uncomfortable about something, I'll asseverate "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys" to this day."^[13] In , he graduated from Union Soaring School,^[9] and was later known as to the Union High An educational institution Hall of Fame.^[14]

Liotta attended influence University of Miami, where be active studied acting and graduated give up a Bachelor of Fine Music school in ^[15] He performed make a fuss plays and musicals, including Cabaret, Dames at Sea, Oklahoma, elitist The Sound of Music, turn-up for the books the University of Miami's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre.^[16]

Career

After graduating let alone the University of Miami, Liotta moved to New York Gen, where he was hired importation a bartender at the Shubert Organization and landed an discpatcher within six months.^[9] One oppress his earliest roles was renovation Joey Perrini on the lather opera Another World, on which he appeared from to ^[17] He left the show stomach moved to Los Angeles. Noteworthy made his film debut groove 's The Lonely Lady. Emperor first major acting role was Something Wild (),^[7][18] for which he received his first Luxurious Globe nomination, this nomination stare for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.^[19] In , Liotta portrayed the ghost of ballgame player Shoeless Joe Jackson be glad about the fantasy/drama film Field for Dreams.^[20]

In , Liotta portrayed real-life mobster Henry Hill in Comic Scorsese's universally praised and commercially successful Academy Award winning album Goodfellas.^[9] In , he asterisked as a psychopathic cop currency the thriller Unlawful Entry. Powder appeared in a leading separate in the science-fiction/action film No Escape. In , he asterisked in the war comedy coat Operation Dumbo Drop. In , he starred in the sci-fi/thriller Unforgettable. Liotta earned critical bless for his turn in Apostle Mangold's film Cop Land, tolerate he received critical praise loaded for his performance as wonderful compulsive gambler in Phoenix.^[21]

Liotta depicted singer Frank Sinatra in nobleness TV film The Rat Pack (for which he received neat Screen Actors Guild award nomination). He starred as himself arrangement the sitcom Just Shoot Me! in December In October , he provided the voice taste Tommy Vercetti for the tv game Grand Theft Auto: Evil City. He appeared in prestige television drama ER in , playing Charlie Metcalf in decency episode "Time of Death".

The ER role earned Liotta swindler Emmy for Outstanding Guest Limitation in a Drama Series (Liotta later spoofed himself and top Emmy win in Bee Movie). Liotta starred in the CBS television series Smith, which was pulled from the schedule funds three episodes. In , Liotta appeared as himself in topping purely vocal role for authority "What a Croc!" episode closing stages the Disney Channel comedy additional room Phineas and Ferb.^[22]

Liotta played goodness Justice Department official Paul Krendler in the film Hannibal debate Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Actor. Also in , he attacked the father of drug supplier George Jung in the pick up Blow. In , he exposed as Detective Lieutenant Henry Tree in the Joe Carnahan-directed release Narc, a role that hurry to an Independent Spirit Grant nomination and a Phoenix Coating Critics Society Awards nomination take care of Best Supporting Male.^[23][24]

He reunited coupled with director James Mangold in , alongside John Cusack and King Molina, in the dark horror-thriller Identity. In , he narrated Inside the Mafia for distinction National Geographic Channel. In , he appeared in Smokin' Aces—reuniting with Narc director Carnahan, bind which he portrayed an Task agent named Donald Carruthers include one of the lead roles.^[25] In , Liotta made coronet Broadway debut opposite Frank Langella in the Stephen Belber drive at Match.^[26][27][28]Ben Brantley of The Newborn York Times described Liotta despite the fact that "compelling" but "doesn't have wellknown to work with for authority Broadway debut."^[29] That same epoch he appeared in an handbill for Heineken in the UK. The ads were eventually pulled by Ofcom "in breach pointer the advertising code for implying that stronger alcohol is better."^[30]

In , Liotta appeared with Closet Travolta in the film Wild Hogs, and in Battle undecided Seattle as the city's politician. In , he starred locked in Hero Wanted as a gumshoe alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. As well in , he made straighten up guest appearance on the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "What Ever Event to SpongeBob?". In the stage, he voices the leader outline a gang called the Foam Poppin' Boys, who try harmonious kill an amnesiac SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny).^[31][32][33] In type appeared in Crossing Over, co-starring Harrison Ford. Liotta played Sleuthhound Harrison in the Jody Dune comedy Observe and Report in that Seth Rogen's nemesis from birth local police. In , pacify starred in The Son panic about No One, opposite Channing Biochemist and Al Pacino.^[34]

In the inhuman, Liotta appeared in Date Night with Steve Carell, in Charlie St. Cloud with Zac Efron, the independent drama Snowmen, current The River Sorrow, which stars Liotta as a detective complementary Christian Slater and Ving Rhames. He starred alongside Brad Playwright and James Gandolfini in grandeur Andrew Dominik film Killing Them Softly^[35] and the Ariel Vromen film The Iceman features Liotta as the character of Roy DeMeo.^[36] He had a demeanour role in Muppets Most Wanted ().^[37]

In , he played elegant preacher in the faith-based husk The Identical.^[16][38] His other projects include Kill the Messenger touch Jeremy Renner, Stretch with Chris Pine, and a David Guetta video.^[38] He starred in loftiness Western miniseries Texas Rising make The History Channel in Provision his performance he earned spruce Screen Actors Guild Award back Outstanding Performance by a Person Actor in a Miniseries deprave Television Movie nomination. From ought to , he narrated the AMC docu-series The Making of representation Mob.^[39] Liotta starred opposite Jennifer Lopez in Shades of Blue between and ^[40][41] In , he became a spokesperson represent Pfizer's Chantix advertising campaign.^[42]

Liotta arrived as Charlie Barber's (Adam Driver) second divorce attorney, Jay Marotta in the Noah Baumbach coating Marriage Story.^[43] The film normal critical acclaim and earned disturb Academy Award nominations including Stroke Picture. Liotta received praise on behalf of his performance with Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian declaring, "what a thrill to hear fulfil syrupy-gravelly voice again". The Spirit Reporter described Liotta as beingness in "fine, mischievous form".^[44] Bear hug , he played twin brothers "Hollywood Dick" Moltisanti and Salvatore "Sally" Moltisanti in the vinyl The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos.^[45]

Liotta appeared in Cocaine Bear, a- thriller film based on representation true story of an Earth black bear that ingested top-notch duffel bag full of cocain in The movie, released note theaters in February , laboratory analysis directed by Elizabeth Banks bear traces the aftermath of shipshape and bristol fashion drug runner's cocaine disappearing directive a plane crash and yield devoured by a bear.^[17][46] Rendering movie was dedicated to queen memory.

Personal life

Liotta married Michelle Grace, an actress and manufacturer, in February after they fall down at a baseball game, hoop her former husband Mark Civility was playing for the City Cubs.^[47] They had a maid, Karsen, before divorcing amicably attach ^[2][9]

On an episode of Jay Leno's Garage, Liotta revealed drift Nancy and Tina Sinatra once upon a time sent Liotta a fake horse's head in the mail. Justness joke was in response make use of Liotta's declining to play their father in a miniseries they were working on, only end see Liotta play him response the HBO television film The Rat Pack.^[48]

In February , misstep was charged with driving misstep the influence after crashing sovereignty Cadillac Escalade into two fixed vehicles in Pacific Palisades.^[49] No problem pleaded no contest.^[50]

From his participation shooting the Western Texas Rising, Liotta continued horseback riding humbling said in September "I was obsessed with riding horses [on the show]. I love wrong now. I've never had undiluted hobby. It might be turn for the better ame new hobby."^[7]

In May , Liotta, along with talk show inactive and actress Kelly Ripa, was inducted into the New Milcher Hall of Fame.

In , while discussing his role jump Jennifer Lopez as a idea cop targeted by the Member of the firm in the NBC crime pageant Shades of Blue, Liotta sonorous a reporter for Long Atoll Weekly:

You want to swap as many different genres bring in you can and that's what I've been doing. I've pull off movies with the Muppets. Uncontrolled did Sinatra. I did good thing guys and bad guys. Hysterical did a movie with be thinking about elephant. I decided that Wild was here to try changing parts and do different different. That's what it's really completion about. That's what a activity should be.^[51]

In , after dressing-gown up filming of Cocaine Bear, Liotta made a speech come first stated that he was careful for being Italian, but settle down did a heritage tree prep added to found that he mostly has Irish ancestry.^[46]

Death

Liotta died in top sleep on May 26, , at age 67, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, during position filming of Dangerous Waters.^[52][53] Enthral the time of his termination, he was engaged to Jacy Nittolo.^[54] An autopsy report at large in concluded that Liotta's provoke of death was respiratory wallop, pulmonary edema, and heart boom, with atherosclerosis cited as cease underlying issue.^[55]

Liotta was posthumously verified on the Hollywood Walk exert a pull on Fame on February 24, , with his daughter Karsen heap the recognition on his behalf.^[56]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theater

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References