To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Italian American actors or must have references showing they are Italian American actors and are notable. As discussed in the 2005 book Hollywood Italians by Peter E. Bondanella, as well as numerous other sources, Italian-American actors have made a significant impact. The Guild of Italian American Actors was founded in 1937.
Background Some Italian-American film directors of the silent film era included Robert Vignola, Gregory LaCava, Frank Borzage (Borzaga) and Frank Capra. Italian-American actors included Enrico Caruso in the cultural legitimation of American silent cinema, to Rudolph (Rodolfo) Valentino.
The American film Renaissance (New Hollywood) in the 1970s coincided with Scorsese's Mean Streets (1973) and Coppola's The Godfather (1972), Giuliana Muscio attributes this to Italian Americans becoming better educated and more affluent after World War II.
Muscio connects the prominence of Italian-American director-actors to the of traditional Italian theatre. Such director-actors include: Danny DeVito, John Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Vincent Gallo, Al Pacino, Stanley Tucci, Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Gary Sinise, Anne Bancroft, and Madonna.
List The list is organized chronologically, listing Italian American actors by birth date periods.
1880 Henry Armetta (1888–1945). movie character actor who appeared in at least 150 films, starting in silents as early as 1915. In 1938, he played in Everybody Sing with Judy Garland, Allan Jones, and Fanny Brice. In 1941, he was hilarious as the father of an Italian family shopping for beds in "The Big Store" with the Marx Brothers and Tony Martin. He appeared in at least 24 films in 1934 alone, sometimes uncredited. Eduardo Ciannelli (1888–1969) was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals Robert G. Vignola (1882–1953), born in Trivigno, Basilicata, Italy, one of the first Italian-American stars in cinema, later one of the silent screen's most prolific directors.Michael R. Pitts, Poverty Row Studios, 1929-1940: An Illustrated History of 55 Independent Film Companies, with a Filmography for Each, McFarland, 2005, p. 236
1890 Rudolph Valentino (1895–1926), nicknamed The Latin Lover, was born in Castellaneta, Apulia, Italy, and based in the United States. He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle, and The Son of the Sheik.
1900s Don Ameche (Amici) (1908–1993) 50% Italian, actor and director Peter Brocco (1903 – 1992) was an American screen and stage actor. He appeared in over 300 credits, notably Spartacus (1960) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Iron Eyes Cody (Espera Decorti) (1907–1999) son of Sicilian parents – actor, frequently played Native Americans Jerry Colonna (1904–1986) actor, entertainer, musicianLaGumina, Salvatore J., et al. (2000). The Italian American Experience: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge. . Russ Columbo (1908–1934) singer, violinist and actor, perhaps most famous for his signature tune, "You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love", and the legend surrounding his early death Lou Costello (Cristillo) (1906–1959) 62.5% Italian, 25% Irish, and 12.5% French – actor and comedian known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello Renata Vanni (1909–2004) was born in Naples, Campania, ItalyPitts, Michael R. Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films. McFarland, 2012.
1910s Robert Alda (Alfonso Roberto D'Abruzzo) (1914–1986) actor, father of Alan Alda Miriam Battista (1912–1980) daughter of Italian immigrants – child actress of the silent film era Ernest Borgnine (Borgnino) (1917–2012) Academy Award-winning actor Adriana Caselotti (1916–1997) actress known for providing the voice behind the lead character in Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Richard Conte (1910–1975) film actor Ann Corio (1914–1999) burlesque stripper and actress Alfred Drake (1914–1992) Born Alfred Capurro. Famous Broadway star of many hit musicals and plays. Dean Martin (Crocetti) (1917–1995) actor/singer, member of the Rat Pack Victor Mature (1913–1999) Italian father – film actor described as a "hunk" whose sculpted, classical features and curly hair resembled ancient Roman statues. Al Molinaro (1919–2015) son of Italian parents – actor (The Odd Couple, Happy Days)Hornickel, Mark (June 24, 2011). "Happy birthday Kenosha native Al Molinaro". Kenosha News via Facebook. Retrieved February 5, 2015. Vito Scotti (1918–1996), was an American character actor Frank Sinatra (1915–1998) his parents' Italian heritage included a Sicilian father and a mother from Liguria in northern Italy- actor and singer who many consider to be one of the finest male popular song vocalists of all time
1920s Kaye Ballard (Balotta) (1925–2019) stage and television actress Billy Barty (Bertanzetti) (1924–2000) film actor Tony Bennett (Benedetto) (1926–2023) popular music, standards, jazz singer and actor (The Oscar) Joseph Campanella (1924–2018) actorSandomir, Richard (May 17, 2018). "Joseph Campanella, 93, Ubiquitous Character Actor, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved May 9, 2019. "Joseph Anthony Campanella was born in Manhattan on Nov. 21, 1924, to Sicilian immigrant parents." Timothy Carey (Agoglia) (1929–1994) Irish father and Italian mother – film and television character actor (Peeper)de Laszlo, Alex (1996). "The Wonderful Horrible Life of Timothy Carey". Uno Mas Magazine. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2022. Richard Crenna (1926–2003) film actor (First Blood) Sergio Franchi (1926–1999) film actor and singer Yvonne De Carlo (Margaret Yvonne Middleton) (1922–2007) 25% Italian Linda Douglas (Mary Joanne Tarola) (1928–2017) her mother was a native of Alaska, born to Swedish immigrants, while her father was originally from Italy.California, County Marriages, 1850-1952. 005686327 > image 1155 of 2715; multiple county courthouses, California. Vince Edwards (Zoine) (1928–1996) actor, director, and singer Anthony Franciosa (Papaleo) (1928–2006) film/television actor, often billed as "Tony Franciosa" Vincent Gardenia (Scognamiglia) (1922–1992) stage, film, and television actor Michael V. Gazzo (1923–1995) actor and Broadway playwright Mario Lanza (Alfredo Cocozza) (1921–1959) tenor and Hollywood movie star who enjoyed success in the late 1940s and 1950s Al Lettieri (1928–1975) film/television actor (The Godfather) Peggy Mondo (1927–1991) actress known for playing roles of overweight characters Henry Silva (1926–2022) actor of Sicilian and Spanish descentDVD commentary for The Return of Mr. Moto, Mr. Moto Collection - Vol. 2, 20th Century Fox, 2007-02-13Note: Reliable sources state Silva is of Puerto Rican descent. But Silva states he is of Spanish-Sicilian heritage and specifically denies any Puerto Rican heritage in the DVD commentary for The Return of Mr. Moto.
1930s Danny Aiello (1933–2019) film/television actor Alan Alda (born 1936) actor, writer, director and political activist – father of Italian descent Anne Bancroft (Italiano) (1931–2005) Academy Award-winning actress Robert Blake (Gubitosi) (1933–2023) film actor, perhaps most famous for starring in the U.S. television series Baretta, and for being found not guilty of the murder of wife Bonnie Lee Bakley Joseph Bologna (1934–2017) film/television actor Ruth Buzzi (1936–2025), actress, singer and comedian Ron Carey (Cicenia) (1935–2007) film and television actor (Barney Miller)Hevesi, Dennis (January 19, 2007). "Ron Carey, Comic Actor, Dies at 71". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2015. John Cazale (1935–1978) film actor (The Godfather) – father of Italian descentMartin, Gavin (April 7, 2016). . Sabotage Times. Retrieved May 29, 2016. Dominic Chianese (born 1931) television actor (The Sopranos) Mary Costa (born 1930) American singer and actress, who is best known for providing the voice of Princess Aurora in the 1959 film, Sleeping Beauty. Bobby Darin (Cassoto) (1936–1973) actor, singer and one of the most popular rock and roll American teen idols of the 1950s – maternal grandfather was of Italian ancestry, unclear who Darin's biological father was James Darren (Ercolani) (1936–2024) television and film actor, television director, and singer Dom DeLuise (1933–2009) comic actor Connie Francis (Franconero) (1938–2025) actress and pop singer, known for her 1957 hit "Who's Sorry Now?" Ben Gazzara (1930–2012) son of Sicilian parents, film/television actor Joan Hackett (1934–1983) American actress of stage, television and film. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1981, Italian motherPurnick, Joyce (October 10, 1983). "Joan Hackett, 49, the actress; won 1982 Oscar nomination". The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2018. "Joan Hackett, daughter of an Italian mother and an Irish-American father..." Tony Lo Bianco (1936–2024) film and television actor (The French Connection)Panarello, Joseph F. (March 13, 2013). "BWW Interview: Tony Lo Bianco — Creating Magic with The Little Flower". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 2, 2014. Robert Loggia (1930–2015), actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Jagged Edge (1985) Garry Marshall (Masciarelli) (1934–2016) Italian-American father and part Scottish mother—actor, director, and writer – brother of Penny Marshall Sal Mineo (1939–1976) son of Sicilian parents – actor and theater director known for his Academy Award-nominated supporting performances in Rebel Without a Cause and Exodus Tony Musante (1936–2013) stage, television, and film actor Dino Natali (born 1931), stage, television, and film actor Paula Prentiss (Ragusa) (born 1938) film actress – father of Italian ancestryhttps://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800045374/bio "Paula Prentiss. Italian-American Texan" Paul Sorvino (1939–2022) actor, father of Mira Sorvino Connie Stevens (Ingoglia) (born 1938) Italian father and Irish mother – actress and singer Marlo Thomas (born 1937) Lebanese father and Italian mother Joe Viterelli (1937–2004) actor, son of Italian immigrants
1940s Tony Sirico (1942–2022) portrayed Paulie Gualtieri in The Sopranos. Marc Alaimo (born 1942) television/film actor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)http://www.lolitafatjo.com/actors/marc_alaimo.html "...son of Italian immigrants (coming from Puglia and Sicily)" Armand Assante (born 1949) Italian father and Irish mother – film/television actor (Mambo Kings)http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/filmography.html?p_id=2629 "the handsome Irish-Italian actor..." Frankie Avalon (Avallone) (born 1940) actor and teen idol in the 1950s and early 1960s Joy Behar (Josephina Ochiuto) (born 1943) actress, comedian, co-host of The Viewhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786885459 "Behar opts for thin but entertaining enough anecdotes about her Italian-American family..." "Behar describes herself as an "Italian Catholic." Robert De Niro (born 1943) 25% Italian ancestry – two time Academy Award-winning American film actor, director, producer and founder of the Tribeca Film Festival (Goodfellas)http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3645290.stm "The part-Italian actor defended the parts, saying: "The characters I play are real. So they have as much right to be portrayed as any other characters." His citizenship ceremony was postponed after objections from US-based group the Order of Sons of Italy. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, he said: "I'm part Italian, part Dutch, part French, part German and part Irish, but I probably identify more with my Italian side than any other parts. "Italy is such a great and wonderful country, I'm very proud and honoured to be asked to be a citizen.""