Tony Darrow

Tony Darrow
Born
Anthony Borgese

(1938-10-01) October 1, 1938 (age 86)
Occupation(s)Actor · screenwriter

Tony Darrow (born Anthony Borgese; October 1, 1938) is an American actor and screenwriter known for his roles in Goodfellas, Bullets Over Broadway, The Sopranos, and others.

Early life

Darrow was born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn. As a teenager, he gravitated towards show business, entering and winning talent shows while working odd jobs.

Career

After ten years of singing in nightclubs, Darrow received an offer to appear in Street Trash in which he played a mobster. Several months after Street Trash, Darrow was contacted by the film director Martin Scorsese. It turned out that Scorsese had seen Street Trash and wanted him to audition for a role in Goodfellas. He was successful and was cast as the owner of the Bamboo Lounge, Sonny. Darrow was also in the Woody Allen films Bullets over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite, Deconstructing Harry, Small Time Crooks and Sweet and Lowdown.

In 1999, Darrow played a large role in Analyze This with Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal. Later the same year, he appeared in Mickey Blue Eyes with Hugh Grant and secured another role as mobster Larry Barese in the HBO hit series The Sopranos (1999–2007). More recently, Darrow starred in the independent film Lynch Mob.

Personal life

In June 2009, Darrow was charged with extortion in a 2004 incident. Along with Gambino crime family soldier Joseph "Joey Boy" Orlando and associate Giovanni "Johnny" Monteleone, Darrow was accused of ordering the maiming of a man in Monticello, New York, who owed money to a loan shark.[1] Darrow and Orlando both pleaded guilty in federal court to these charges in February 2011, in exchange for a sentence of up to 33 months. However, Monteleone cooperated with the FBI. At sentencing, Darrow's attorney successfully argued that Darrow's history of community service, medical condition, and lack of prior criminal history warranted a sentence of house arrest, followed by a period of probation. Orlando was sentenced to 51 months in prison and Darrow received six months of house arrest.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Street Trash Nick Duran
1990 Goodfellas Sonny Bunz
1994 Men Lie Hot Dog Customer
1994 Bullets Over Broadway Aldo
1994 Who Do I Gotta Kill? Tony Bando
1995 Mighty Aphrodite Boxing Trainer
1997 The North End Nunzio
1997 Deconstructing Harry Camera Operator
1998 Celebrity Moving Man in Loft
1999 Analyze This Moony
1999 Mickey Blue Eyes Angelo
1999 Sweet and Lowdown Ben
2000 Small Time Crooks Tommy
2003 Crooked Lines Jimmy Pico
2005 Searching for Bobby D Ralph Argano
2009 Lynch Mob Boss Giavanni
2010 One Angry Man Bobby
2011 Kill the Irishman Mikey Mendarolo
2013 Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn Patsy Pirati
2014 Friends and Romans Frankie Fusso
2014 Mafia Heaven Stevie Matzoball
2019 The Brawler Tommy
2019 Offstage Elements Carlo Capozzoli
2021 Made in Chinatown Al Capella
2022 Killin Smallz Tony
2022 Micki Pop
2022 Desert Dick Antonio Vereterratucci
2023 The Families Feud Nicky Knuckles

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991–2002 Law & Order Various roles 3 episodes
1992 Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story Nardi Television film
1993 The Good Policeman Sal Rubino
1994 New York Undercover Vinnie Episode: "Garbage"
1995 The Wright Verdicts Alberto Costanza Episode: "Sins of the Father"
1996 Swift Justice Vietor 6 episodes
1997 Dellaventura Victor Episode: "Dreamers"
1999–2007 The Sopranos Larry Barese 15 episodes
2003 Last Laugh Uptown Donnie Television film
2012 Person of Interest Caparelli Episode: "Flesh and Blood"
2017 The Uncle Gerry Show Bobby Rocco Television film
2021–present Gravesend The Underboss 6 episodes

References

  1. ^ John Marzulli (2009-06-06). "'Sopranos', 'GoodFellas' actor Anthony Borgese a.k.a. Tony Darrow charged with trying to extort money". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2009-06-09.
  2. ^ "Ex-mob goon who beat up man as favor to 'Goodfellas' actor turns rat, gets probation". The New York Times. November 22, 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2017.