James Russo
| James Russo | |
|---|---|
| Born |
April 23, 1953 New York City, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Spouse(s) | Bettina Russo |
| Children | Dominic Russo, Nicholas Russo |
James Vincent Russo (born 1953) is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in over 156 films in three decades.
Russo was born in New York City, New York. A graduate of New York University (NYU), he wrote and starred in the prize-winning short film, The Candy Store. Before his first break in acting, he drove for a cab company and was also a gravedigger. He was raised in Flushing, New York and spent his formative years on 156th street .
Russo's first role in his acting career was in the 1981 made-for-television movie Chicago Story. He would then go on to star in many hit films of the 1980s. His big break (but small role) came in the 1982 classic comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as a convenience store robber. In 1984, he appeared in Beverly Hills Cop as Mikey Tandino, a friend of Axel Foley who is murdered. Also in 1984, he starred in The Cotton Club, and played small-time hood Bugsy in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America. Russo's other big role was as a brutal rapist in the 1986 drama Extremities, opposite Farrah Fawcett. He also starred in the 1988 drama-suspense-thriller film Freeway.
Russo's film roles in the 1990s include State of Grace (1990), A Kiss Before Dying (1991) and My Own Private Idaho (also 1991). Russo also had roles in the 1994 Western Bad Girls, the 1997 hit films The Postman, and Donnie Brasco. In 2009 he had a small role in Michael Mann's Public Enemies as a member of John Dillinger's gang.
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