Ray Liotta
Ray Liotta | |
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Liotta at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival
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Born | Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
December 18, 1954
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
Alma mater | University of Miami |
Occupation | Actor, film producer, voice actor |
Years active | 1978–present |
Spouse(s) | Michelle Grace (1997–2004; divorced) |
Partner(s) | Catherine Hickland (2007–2011). Jacy Nittolo (at the time of his death) |
Children | 1 |
Raymond Allen "Ray" Liotta Italian: [liˈɔtta] (December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022) was an American actor, film producer, and voice actor. He was best known for his portrayals of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas (1990) and Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams (1989). He won an Emmy Award and was nominated for Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.
Contents
Early life
Liotta was born in Newark, New Jersey and adopted at the age of six months by Mary, an appointed township clerk,[1] and Alfred Liotta,[2][3] an auto parts store owner, personnel director, and the president of a local Democratic club.[1][4] His adoptive parents both unsuccessfully ran for local office.[5] He had a sister, Linda Liotta, who is also adopted.
Liotta said he knew he was adopted as a young child and did a show and tell report on it for kindergarten.[6] Liotta located his biological mother in the 2000s.[6] His adoptive parents were of Italian and Scottish ancestry, respectively. After research and talks with his biological mother, he learned he was part Scottish.[7][8][9][10][11] He had one half brother, five half sisters, and a full sister.[12]
Liotta was raised Roman Catholic, although his family was not very religious.[13] Liotta said the family went to church and he received first communion and was confirmed, but the family did not pray much. He occasionally used prayer in his daily life.[13]
Liotta's parents were both Democrats, but he identified as a Republican. Liotta attended parades handing out flyers for his father's run for Township Committee.[6]
He graduated from Union High School[14] in 1973 in Union, New Jersey where he grew up.[7]
Liotta graduated from the University of Miami, where he received a degree in Fine Arts in 1978 and studied acting with Robert "Buckets" Lowery.[15] He performed in musicals such as Cabaret, Dames at Sea, Oklahoma, and Sound of Music, during college, especially in his first year of acting studies.[16]
Career
After college, Liotta moved to New York City. He got a job as a bartender at the Shubert theaters and landed an agent within six months.[7]
One of Liotta's earliest roles was as Joey Perrini on the soap opera Another World; he appeared on the show from 1978 to 1981. He quit the show so he could try his luck in the film industry, and moved to Los Angeles. He made his film debut in a sexual assault scene with Pia Zadora and a garden hose in the 1983 cult classic The Lonely Lady. His first major acting role was Something Wild (1986),[6][8] which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination.[17] In 1989, he costarred alongside Kevin Costner in the fantasy/drama film Field of Dreams— Liotta portrayed Shoeless Joe Jackson, the ghost of the famed baseball player. His voice over line, "If you build it, he will come", is #39 on the American Film Institute's list of 100 movie quotes.
In 1990, Liotta portrayed real-life mobster Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's film Goodfellas.[7]
In 1992, he costarred as a psychopathic cop alongside Kurt Russell and Madeleine Stowe in the thriller Unlawful Entry. He appeared in a leading role in the sci-fi/action film No Escape. Liotta earned critical praise for his turn in James Mangold's film Cop Land, starring alongside Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, and Harvey Keitel. In 1998, he received critical praise for his performance in Phoenix playing a compulsive gambler.
In addition to his film roles, Liotta portrayed singer Frank Sinatra in the 1998 TV movie The Rat Pack (for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination), he provided the voice of Tommy Vercetti for the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and appeared in the television drama ER in 2004, playing Charlie Metcalf in the episode "Time of Death".[18] The ER role earned Liotta an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" (Liotta would later spoof himself and his Emmy win in Bee Movie). Liotta starred in the 2006 CBS television series Smith, which was pulled from the schedule after three episodes, and in 2012 Liotta appeared as himself in a purely vocal role for the "What a Croc!" episode of the Disney Channel comedy series Phineas & Ferb.[18]
Liotta played the father of drug dealer George Jung in the 2001 Johnny Depp film Blow and, in the following year, appeared as Det. Lt. Henry Oak in the Joe Carnahan-directed film Narc,[18] a role that led to an Independent Spirit Award nomination and a Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards nomination for Best Supporting Male.
He then reunited with director James Mangold in 2003, alongside John Cusack and Alfred Molina, in the dark horror-thriller Identity. In 2005, he narrated Inside the Mafia for the National Geographic Channel. He later appeared in Smokin' Aces — reuniting with Narc director Carnahan — in which he portrayed an FBI agent named Donald Carruthers in one of the lead roles.[18]
Liotta appeared with John Travolta in the movie Wild Hogs, in Battle in Seattle as the city's mayor, and in Hero Wanted as a detective alongside Cuba Gooding Jr.. He also appeared in Crossing Over, co-starring Harrison Ford. Liotta played Detective Harrison in the 2009 Jody Hill comedy Observe and Report as Seth Rogen's nemesis from the local police. In 2011, he starred in The Son of No One, opposite Channing Tatum and, for the first time in his career, Al Pacino.[18]
In 2004, Liotta made his Broadway debut opposite Frank Langella[19] in the Stephen Belber play, Match.[20][21]
In the 2010s, Liotta appeared in Date Night, with Steve Carell, Charlie St. Cloud with Zac Efron, the independent drama Snowmen, and The River Sorrow, which stars Liotta as a detective alongside Christian Slater and Ving Rhames. He starred alongside Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini in the 2012 Andrew Dominik film Killing Them Softly[22] and the 2013 Ariel Vromen film The Iceman features Liotta as the character of Roy DeMeo.[23] He had a supporting role in Muppets Most Wanted (2014).[18]
In 2014, Liotta played a preacher in the faith-based film The Identical.[16][24] He had a supporting role in crime drama film Revenge of the Green Dragons, executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
Liotta starred in the Western miniseries Texas Rising for The History Channel in 2015. Other projects include Kill the Messenger with Jeremy Renner, Stretch with Chris Pine and a David Guetta video.[24]
In June 2015, Liotta narrated the AMC Networks series called The Making of the Mob: New York.[25]
Personal life
Liotta married actress Michelle Grace in February 1997 after they met at her former husband (Mark Grace)'s professional baseball game.[26] The couple co-starred in The Rat Pack, in which Liotta played Frank Sinatra and Grace played Judith Campbell Exner. They have a daughter.[7] The couple divorced in 2004.[1][7]
From his experience shooting the Western, Texas Rising, Liotta continued horseback riding. He said, "I was obsessed with riding horses [on the show]. I love it now. I've never had a hobby. It might be my new hobby. Just love it, everything about them. Horses are unbelievable: Smart, loyal -- and moody, [laughing] which I can relate to."[6]
On February 19, 2007, Liotta was arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his Cadillac Escalade into two parked vehicles in Pacific Palisades.[27] He pled no contest.[28]
Death
Liotta was working on a film Dangerous Waters in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic when he died in his sleep on May 26, 2022, at the age of 67.[29] At the time of his death, he was engaged to Jacy Nittolo.[30]
Filmography
Film
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | Hardhat and Legs | Family | Television film |
1981 | Crazy Times | Johnny "Wizard" Lazarra | Television film |
1983 | The Lonely Lady | Joe Heron | |
1986 | Something Wild | Ray Sinclair | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated: Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (3rd place) Nominated: New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor (3rd place) |
1987 | Arena Brains | The Artist | Short film |
1988 | Dominick and Eugene | Eugene "Gino" Luciano | |
1989 | Field of Dreams | 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson | |
1990 | Goodfellas | Henry Hill | |
1991 | Women & Men 2: In Love There Are No Rules | Martin Meadows | Television film |
1992 | Article 99 | Dr. Richard Sturgess | |
1992 | Unlawful Entry | Officer Pete Davis | Nominated: MTV Movie Award for Best Villain |
1994 | No Escape | Capt. J.T. Robbins | |
1994 | Corrina, Corrina | Manny Singer | |
1995 | Operation Dumbo Drop | Capt. T.C. Doyle | |
1996 | Unforgettable | Dr. David Krane | |
1997 | Turbulence | Ryan Weaver | |
1997 | Cop Land | Det. Gary "Figgsy" Figgis | |
1998 | Phoenix | Harry Collins | Also co-producer |
1998 | The Rat Pack | Frank Sinatra | Television film Nominated: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
1999 | Muppets from Space | Gate Guard # 1 | Cameo |
1999 | Forever Mine | Mark Brice | |
2000 | Pilgrim | Jack | |
2000 | A Rumor of Angels | Nathan Neubauer | |
2001 | Hannibal | Paul Krendler | |
2001 | Heartbreakers | Dean Cummano / Vinny Staggliano | |
2001 | Blow | Fred Jung | |
2002 | Narc | Det. Lt. Henry Oak | Also producer Nominated: Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male Nominated: Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor |
2002 | John Q | Chief Gus Monroe | |
2002 | Ticker | FBI Agent | Short film |
2002 | Point of Origin | John Leonard Orr | Television film |
2003 | Identity | Samuel Rhodes | |
2004 | The Last Shot | Jack Devine | |
2004 | Control | Lee Ray Oliver | Direct-to-DVD |
2005 | Revolver | Dorothy Macha | |
2005 | Slow Burn | Ford Cole | Also co-executive producer |
2006 | Even Money | Tom Carver | |
2006 | Take the Lead | Executive producer | |
2006 | Local Color | John Talia Sr. | |
2006 | Comeback Season | Walter Pearce | |
2006 | Smokin' Aces | Donald Carruthers | |
2007 | Wild Hogs | Jack Blade | |
2007 | In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale | Gallian | |
2007 | Battle in Seattle | Mayor Jim Tobin | |
2007 | Bee Movie | Himself (voice) | |
2008 | Hero Wanted | Det. Terry Subcott | |
2009 | Crossing Over | Cole Frankel | |
2009 | Observe and Report | Det. Harrison | |
2009 | Powder Blue | Jack Doheny | |
2009 | La Linea | Mark Shields | Also executive producer |
2009 | Youth in Revolt | Lance Wescott | |
2010 | Crazy on the Outside | Gray | |
2010 | Date Night | Joe Miletto | Uncredited |
2010 | Snowmen | Reggie Kirkfield | |
2010 | Chasing 3000 | Adult Mickey | |
2010 | Charlie St. Cloud | Florio Ferrente | |
2011 | The Details | Peter Mazzoni | |
2011 | The Son of No One | Captain Marion Mathers | |
2011 | All Things Fall Apart | Dr. Brintall | |
2011 | Street Kings: Motor City | Marty Kingston | Direct-to-DVD |
2011 | The River Murders | Jack Verdon | |
2011 | Field of Dreams 2: Lockout | Roger Goodell | Short film |
2011 | Breakout | Jim | |
2011 | The Entitled | Richard Nader | |
2012 | Wanderlust | Himself | Cameo |
2012 | Killing Them Softly | Markie Trattman | |
2012 | Breathless | Sheriff Cooley | |
2012 | The Iceman | Roy DeMeo | |
2012 | The Place Beyond the Pines | Deluca | |
2012 | Yellow | Afai | |
2012 | Bad Karma | Molloy | |
2012 | Dear Dracula | Count Dracula (voice) | Direct-to-DVD |
2012 | Abominable Christmas | Abominable Dad (voice) | Television film |
2013 | The Devil's in the Details | Dr. Robert Michaels | |
2013 | Pawn | Man in the Suit | |
2013 | Suddenly | Todd Shaw | |
2014 | Better Living Through Chemistry | Jack Roberts | |
2014 | Muppets Most Wanted | Big Papa | |
2014 | The Identical | Reece Wade | |
2014 | Sin City: A Dame to Kill For | Joey | |
2014 | Revenge of the Green Dragons | Michael Bloom | |
2014 | Stretch | Himself | |
2014 | Kill the Messenger | John Cullen | |
2015 | Flock of Dudes | Uncle Reed | |
2015 | Go with Me | ||
2016 | Alone | Mr. Ancillia | Post-production |
2016 | Sticky Notes | Jack | Post-production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1980–1981 | Another World | Joey Perrini #2 | 8 episodes | |
1983 | St. Elsewhere | Murray | Episode: "Rain" | |
1983 | Casablanca | Sacha | 5 episodes | |
1984 | Mike Hammer | Tony Cable | Episode: "Kill Devil" | |
1985 | Our Family Honor | Officer Ed Santini | 10 episodes | |
1995 | Frasier | Bob (voice) | Episode: "Frasier Grinch" | |
2001 | Family Guy | Zack (voice) | Episode: "Brian Does Hollywood" | |
2001–2002 | Just Shoot Me! | Himself | 2 episodes | |
2004 | ER | Charlie Metcalf | Episode: "Time of Death" Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Prism Award for Best Performance in a Drama Series Episode |
|
2006–2007 | Smith | Bobby Stevens | 7 episodes | |
2008 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Trevor (voice) | Episode: "What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" | |
2010 | Hannah Montana Forever | Principal Luger | Episode: "Hannah Montana to the Principal's Office" | |
2011 | The League | Mr. Hudabega | Episode: "Yobogoya!" | |
2012 | Phineas and Ferb | Himself (voice) | Episode: "What A Croc!" | |
2012 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Jason | Episode: "Wasilla Hills Cop" | |
2014 | The Money | George Archer | Pilot | |
2015 | Texas Rising | Lorca | 5 episodes Nominated: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
|
2016 | Shades of Blue | Lieutenant Bill Wozniak | ||
2016 | Modern Family | Himself | Episode: "Playdates" Cameo |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Tommy Vercetti (voice) | G-Phoria Award for Best Male Voice Performance Spike Video Game Awards for Best Performance by a Human |
2013 | Call of Duty: Black Ops II | Billy Handsome (voice) | Mob of the Dead DLC |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Match | Mike | Broadway |
Music videos
Year | Title | Album | Role |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | "Lovers on the Sun" | Listen by David Guetta | The Villain |
2015 | "Bloodstream"[31] | × by Ed Sheeran and Rudimental[32] |
References
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ray Liotta. |
- Ray Liotta at the Internet Movie Database
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- Pages with reference errors
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- 1954 births
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- American adoptees
- American male film actors
- American male soap opera actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute alumni
- Male actors from New Jersey
- People from Newark, New Jersey
- People from Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
- American people of Italian descent
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- University of Miami alumni
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