Leonardo Cimino

Leonardo Cimino (November 4, 1917 – March 3, 2012) was an American film, television and stage actor who in 1937 appeared in the original stage production of Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock. Cimino's most well known roles are in the 1983 science fiction miniseries, V as Abraham Bernstein and the 1987 feature film The Monster Squad as the "Scary German guy."

Leonardo Cimino
Cimino in the Mad Dog Coll trailer
Born(1917-11-04)November 4, 1917
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 3, 2012(2012-03-03) (aged 94)
Woodstock, New York, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1936–2008
Spouse(s)Sharon Powers
Awards

Life and career

Born in Manhattan, Cimino was the son of Andrea and Leonilda Cimino. His father was a tailor. Cimino was initially interested in pursuing a career as a violinist, and studied the instrument at the Juilliard School when he was a teenager. While studying the violin he became interested in acting and dancing, and began studying those as well.[1] In 1936, at the age of 18, he made his professional stage debut in a supporting role in the world premiere of Gladys Bronwyn Stern's Middle Man in Suffern, New York which starred actor Ernest Truex.[2] It wasn't until a decade later, however, that Cimino would become dedicated full-time to an acting career. During the late 1930s and early 1940s he studied acting, directing and modern dance at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.[1]

After the outbreak of World War II, Cimino joined the United States Army in 1942. He notably participated in the invasion of Normandy, landing with the second wave on June 6, 1944.

After returning to the United States in 1945 he continued to study the performing arts at the Neighborhood Playhouse; notably studying dance with Martha Graham. In 1946 he made his Broadway debut in a revival of Cyrano de Bergerac which starred and was directed by José Ferrer. It was the first of many projects that Cimino would collaborate with Ferrer on.[1] He went on to appear in nearly 20 Broadway productions over the next four decades, including a 1962 adaptation of E. M. Forster’s Passage to India and a 1985 revival of The Iceman Cometh. In 1976 he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his performance of the role of Jim in Arthur Miller's A Memory of Two Mondays.

Cimino also appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions during his career, notably winning an Obie Award in 1958 for his portrayal of Smerdyakov in The Brothers Karamazov. He frequently appeared Off-Broadway in Shakespeare plays at the Public Theater, including Egeon in The Comedy of Errors (1975) alongside Ted Danson and Danny DeVito. He also appeared in productions in Regional theatres across the United States during his career. In 1970 he was awarded the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in The Man in the Glass Booth at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Cimino made many guest appearances on TV shows, including Naked City, Kojak, The Equalizer and Law & Order. In 1981 and 1982, he played Alexei Vartova on ABC's soap opera Ryan's Hope.

Cimino died on March 3, 2012, of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home in Woodstock, New York.[1]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1961Mad Dog CollWickles - Bar Owner
1961The Young SavagesMr. RugielloUncredited
1964Quick, Let's Get MarriedDr. Paoli
1969StilletoAllie FargoUncredited
1970Cotton Comes to HarlemTom
1972Come Back, Charleston BlueFrank Mago
1973JeremyCello Teacher
1975The Man in the Glass BoothDr. Alvarez
1980Hide in Plain SightDon Angelo Venucci
1980Stardust MemoriesSandy's Analyst
1982Amityville II: The PossessionChancellor
1982MonsignorThe Pope
1984DuneThe Baron's Doctor
1987The Monster SquadScary German Guy
1987MoonstruckFelix
1988The Seventh SignHead Cardinal
1989Penn & Teller Get KilledErnesto
1990Q&ANick Petrone
1990The FreshmanLorenzo
1991Hudson HawkCardinal
1993ClaudeDaddy V.J.
1993Household SaintsMario, a Storyteller
1995WaterworldElder
1999Cradle Will RockVTA - Man in Line
200118 Shades of DustConnie Broglio
2001HannibalSammie(scenes deleted, available on home video releases)
2001MadeLeo
2007Before the Devil Knows You're DeadWilliam(final film role)

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1949The Big StoryTyler1 episode
1958Armstrong Circle Theatre1 episode
1958Naked CityShellshock1 episode
1959The Phil Silvers ShowBandit #31 episode
1959The DuPont Show of the Month1 episode
1959BrennerMr. Jackson1 episode
1960Armstrong Circle TheatreJoe March1 episode
1960The Witness1 episode
1960The DuPont Show of the Month1 episode
1960Naked CityJohnny1 episode
1961Give Us Barabbas!CalebTV movie
1961The Power and the GloryTV movie
1961Way OutNightime Murderer1 episode
1961Route 66Vendor1 episode
1961Naked CityMiklos Konya1 episode
1961Naked CityJulio Varraco1 episode
1962Naked CityAlberto Russo1 episode
1963Naked CitySid Kitka1 episode
1963The DefendersRalph Kinderman1 episode
1965For the PeopleLeBlanc1 episode
1966ABC Stage 67Dino1 episode
1973Honor Thy FatherSam DeCavalcanteTV movie
1974KojakRuby Kabelsky2 episodes
1976KojakCordick1 episode
1976Arthur Hailey's the MoneychangersBen Rossellimini-series, 1 of 4 episodes
1980A Time for MiraclesItalian PriestTV movie
1980Rappaccini's DaughterRappacciniTV movie
1981Ryan's HopeAlexei Vartova10 episodes
1983V (1983 miniseries)Abraham Bernsteinmini-series, 2 of 2 episodes
1983Cocaine and Blue EyesOrestes AnatoleTV movie
1983Will There Really Be a Morning?Adolph ZukorTV movie
1984One Life to LiveAntonescu1 episode
1986The EqualizerThomas Marley Sr1 episode
1989The EqualizerDoctor Molinari2 episodes
1989The Days and Nights of Molly DoddOrambello Johnson1 episode
1991Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus FaraceTV movie
1994M.A.N.T.I.S.Benny Cruikshank1 episode
1996Law & OrderCostello1 episode
1997The HungerNero1 episode
1998Witness to the MobNeil DellacroceTV movie
2000Law & OrderTommy Valducci1 episode

References
  1. Daniel E. Slotnik (March 10, 2012). "Leonardo Cimino Dies at 94; Distinctive Actor". The New York Times.
  2. "MIDDLE MAN' SEEN BY SUFFERN AUDIENCE; Ernest Truex Is Star in New G.B. Stern Play as County Theatre's Season Closes". The New York Times. September 8, 1936.
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