Vincent Gardenia

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Gardenia's portrayal of Mr. Mushnik.

Vincent Gardenia (January 7, 1922 – December 9, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor.

Gardenia was born Vincenzo Scognamiglio in Naples, Italy to Elisa and Gennaro Gardenia Scognamiglio. After emigrating to the United States as a child, he lived most of his life in Brooklyn, New York.

In 1972, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in The Prisoner of Second Avenue and in 1979 he was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Ballroom.

In film, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Bang the Drum Slowly and Moonstruck.

In television, Gardenia won the 1990 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for Age-Old Friends. Among his best remembered TV roles is his portrayal of Frank Lorenzo, Archie Bunker's neighbor on All in the Family (1973-74).

Gardenia died of a heart attack in Philadelphia in 1992, aged 70. He is interred in Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.

The section of 16th Avenue between Cropsey Avenue and Shore Parkway in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, where he lived until his death, was renamed Vincent Gardenia Boulevard in his honor.

[edit] Filmography

Year	Film	Role
1987	Moonstruck	Cosmo Castorini
1986	Little Shop of Horrors	Mr. Mushnik
1977	Fire Sale	Benny Fikus
1973	Bang the Drum Slowly	Dutch Schnell
1971	Little Murders	Mr. Newquist
1945	The House on 92nd Street	police trainee
1960	Murder, Inc.	Lawyer Laslo
1973-74	All in the Family	Frank Lorenzo
1991	Super	Big Lou Kritski
1962	A View From the Bridge	Liperi