Vincent Schiavelli

Vincent Schiavelli
Schiavelli and then wife actress Allyce Beasley on September 20, 1987
Born	Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (1948-11-11)November 11, 1948 Brooklyn, New York
Died	December 26, 2005(2005-12-26) (aged 57) Polizzi Generosa, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Cause of death	Lung cancer
Other names	Vince Schiavelli
Occupation	Actor, food writer
Years active	1971–2005 1993−2005 (writing)
Spouse(s)	Allyce Beasley (August 4, 1985 – 1988; divorced; 1 child) Carol Mukhalian (October 23, 1992 – 2005; his death; 1 child)

Vincent Andrew "Vince" Schiavelli (November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor, journalist and food writer noted for his work on stage, screen, and television, often described as "the man with the sad eyes." He was notable for his numerous supporting roles. Schiavelli was also well known for his height, standing 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m). He often attributed his unique facial appearance and great height to Marfan syndrome.

Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Sicilian-American family. He attended Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School as a teen. He studied acting through the theatre programme at New York University. He began performing on stage in the 1960s.

Schiavelli's first film role occurred in Miloš Forman's 1971 production Taking Off, in which he played a counselor who taught parents of runaway teens to smoke marijuana in order to better understand their children's experiences. Schiavelli's aptitude and distinctive angular appearance soon provided him with a steady stream of supporting roles, often in Miloš Forman 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 Mr. Kerber, a geometry teacher.