Vincent Schiavelli, selected in 1997 by Vanity Fair as one of the best character actors in America, had made over 120 film and television appearances. He studied acting at NYU's Theatre Program. Aside from his acting career, Vincent was the author of three cookbooks, and has written numerous articles on food for magazines and newspapers. In 2001, he received the James Beard Journalism Award.
Vince got his role as a TV exec in Man on the Moon from his few appearances with Andy Kaufman on Taxi. Was frequently cast in Milos Forman films Son, with Allyce Beasley, Andreas. His grandfather, whom he grew up with, was a cook for an Italian baron before moving to the United States. Vincent spoke fluent Sicilian. Studied at the New York University School of the Arts in 1969 and 1970. His character Peter Panama on The Corner Bar was the first sustained gay character on American network television. [2001] Vincent directed a theater piece in Sicily based on nine traditional fables. Six of the eight actors were Sicilian, and everything was authentic down to the local dialect. After the production, Vincent went out on stage with the actors and was met with a five-minute storm of wild flowers from the audience. During his high school years in Brooklyn (1962 - 1966), he was the star of all the Drama Society's presentations, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Appeared in two different, completely unrelated productions in which he played a hit man targeting a character played by Teri Hatcher: the television series MacGyver and Tomorrow Never Dies. Italian-American. Wrote three cookbooks and many food articles for magazines and newspapers, possibly inheriting his love for cooking from his grandfather who had been a cook for an Italian baron. Appeared in Batman Returns and The Adventures of Batman & Robin: The Animated Series. Made many guest appearances on local Sicilian TV talk shows. Making him self very popular, with "the locals", by speaking Sicilian in proper dialect during his interviews. Owed his distinctive appearance largely to Marfan syndrome, from which he suffered. He was an honorary co-chairman of the National Marfan Foundation until his death.