Neil Giuntoli

Neil Giuntoli (born 1959)^[1] is an American actor active since 1987, whose most famous role was in Child's Play (1988).^[2] Giuntoli is also the author and lead actor of the play Hizzoner, a fictional account of former Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley.^[3] The play received the longest run ever granted to a production at Chicago's Prop Theater and was critically well received.^[4]

General Biography

Giuntoli is an American actor and a native of Chicago. He is the great-great-great nephew of Anton Cermak,^[5] a former mayor of Chicago. He grew up on Chicago's north side and attended Francis W. Parker High School, after which he joined the Navy and was stationed in Korea as a translator. Upon returning to the United States Giuntoli joined the burgeoning Chicago theater community as an actor and later as a playwright. After a number of very successful productions Giuntoli moved to Los Angeles where he pursued roles in film and television. In television he is best known for his roles as Brody in Seinfeld, Florus Workman in "The Jeff Foxworthy Show",^[6] and the gunfighter Billy Quintaine in the Tales from the Crypt episode "Showdown". He is best known on the big screen for playing the role of Jigger in The Shawshank Redemption, as well as starring in the cult-classic horror film Child's Play. He is also the author and lead actor of the play Hizzoner, a fictional account of former Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley.

Stage Work

Giuntoli began working on the stage in Chicago in the early 1980s. Among his early roles were parts in "A Dozen Idiots" at The Performers Arena" and "The Jonah Complex" with David Shepard - through which Giuntoli came to work at The Prop Thtr along with founders Scott Vehill and Stefan Brun where he starred in "Answers", "The Chinese Wall" and "Metamorphosis". In 1986, he wrote and starred in his first original play, "Smoke Mountain" with video directed by John McNaughton. He went on to write and star in "Crate Dweller",^[7] his critically acclaimed play about an angry racist who lives in a crate in a junk yard. Giuntoli's big theatrical break came when he was offer the lead role in "Road" at Chicago's noted Organic Theater Company, which was founded by director, Stuart Gordon. Soon after this he moved to Los Angeles to make movies. Twenty years later, commissioned by Scott Vehill of Prop Thtr, in 2006 Giuntoli returned to Chicago to star in his original bio-play, "Hizzoner", which takes place on the last day in the life of Chicago's iconic mayor, Richard J. Daley. The play, directed by Stefan Brun received the longest run ever to be granted to a production at Chicago's Prop Theater and was a commercial and critical success. It ran through 2009.^[5]

Filmography

Eddie Caputo, Child's Play, United Artists, 1988
Shorty, Next of Kin, Warner Bros., 1989
Sergeant Jack Bocci, Memphis Belle, Warner Bros., 1990
Scully, The Borrower, Cannon, 1991
Snyder, CrissCross (also known as Alone Together), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1992
Sammy, Leather Jackets, 1992
Jigger, The Shawshank Redemption, Castle Rock, 1994
Hellfire gunner, Waterworld, Universal, 1995
Trailer park manager, Up Close & Personal, Touchstone, 1996
Title role, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part II, 1996 Maljack Productions, 1998
The Wetonkawa Flash, 1999
Mac, Palmer's Pick Up, Winchester Films, 1999
Television Appearances
Series
(As Neil Gray Giuntoli) Donny, a recurring role, Wiseguy, CBS, 1990
Brody, Seinfeld (The Little Kicks), NBC, 1996
Florus Workman, The Jeff Foxworthy Show (also known as Somewhere in America), NBC, 1996-1997
Movies
(As Neil Gray Giuntoli) Dutch Schultz, The Revenge of Al Capone (also known as Capone), NBC, 1989
Sam Scoggins, A Killer among Us, NBC, 1990^[8]

References

External links

• Neil Giuntoli at the Internet Movie Database