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His favourite food is Italian beef. Formerly an actor with an Chicago's Organic Theatre Company. His daughter, Mia, is autistic. 4/26/04: Received the lifetime achievement award at the Los Angeles Italian Film Festival. As of May 15, 2005 has appeared on "The Simpsons" (1989) a record 16 times. His character on "The Simpsons" (1989), Fat Tony, has been the subject of two inside jokes. One of Fat Tony's first appearances was in the episode where Bart becomes his errand boy. At the end of the episode, the events are turned into a TV movie, in which, we are told, Joe Mantegna is playing Fat Tony. On a much later episode, after a mafia stand-off is placated by the appearance of Maggie Simpson, everyone breaks down crying. Fat Tony remarks, "I haven't cried like this since I paid to see The Godfather: Part III (1990).". Along with Elizabeth Taylor and Mark Hamill, he is one of only three actors to play both themselves and a fictional character in "The Simpsons" (1989). He played himself in the Season Three episode "Bart the Murderer" and portrayed Fat Tony in that and fourteen other episodes of the series. His character in the "The Simpsons" (1989) was originally intended to be a one-time guest appearance in the episode "Bart The Murderer", but it became a recurring role later on in the series' run. According to the Season 3 DVD commentary track, Mantegna liked the character and wanted to voice him again. Was Robert B. Parker's personal pick to play Spenser in "Spenser: For Hire" (1985) (before Robert Urich was cast in the role). Received Honorary Doctorate in Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology on June 13, 2008. He was the commencement speaker. He was nominated for a 1974 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Principal Role for his performance in "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" at the Organic Theater Company in Chicago, Illinois. He was awarded the 1984 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play for "Glengarry Glen Ross" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Longtime personal friend of Roger Ebert.