Armand Assante

Stampa Curricula

Armand Anthony Assante Jr. (/ɑːˈsɑːnti/; born October 4, 1949) is an American actor. He played mobster John Gotti in the 1996 HBO television film Gotti, Odysseus in the 1997 mini-series adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, Nietzsche in When Nietzsche Wept, and Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer in 1982's I, the Jury. His performance in Gotti earned him a Primetime Emmy Award and nominations for the Golden Globe Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award.

During the 1970s, Assante was a regular on two NBC soap operas, How to Survive a Marriage as Johnny McGhee and The Doctors as Mike Powers. His first film was The Lords of Flatbush (1974), although his work did not appear in the final cut of the film and the end credits misspelled his last name as Assanti. He starred in Prophecy(1975). His first on-screen role was playing Sylvester Stallone's brother in Paradise Alley and a role that brought him greater attention came in 1980's Private Benjamin as a handsome Frenchman who becomes the love interest of a U.S. soldier played by Goldie Hawn. In 1984 he portrayed the playboy violin virtuoso Maximillian Stein in the Dudley Moore comedy vehicle Unfaithfully Yours.
Assante has played a number of tough hero characters, such as his starring role as private eye Mike Hammer in the film I, the Jury (1982) as well as Mafia gangsters such as Michael Moretti in Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels. In 1990 his role as Roberto Texador in Sidney Lumet's film Q&A garnered him a Golden Globe nomination, and the following year he portrayed Bugsy Siegel in Neil Simon's The Marrying Man (1991). The following year he was seen as mafia boss Carol D'Allesandro in Hoffa (1992) starring Jack Nicholson, and crime kingpin John Gotti in the 1996 made-for-television biopic Gotti, for which he won his Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.
In addition to mafia and "tough-guy" roles, Assante has appeared in historical dramas, such as Napoleon Bonaparte in 1987's Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story opposite Jacqueline Bisset, the heroic Odysseus in The Odyssey, Friedrich Nietzsche in the film adaptation of Irving Yalom's novel When Nietzsche Wept, and as Sanchez, Queen Isabella's Minister of State, in 1492: Conquest of Paradise.
Other film appearances include one as a Cuban bandleader in The Mambo Kings opposite Antonio Banderas and in the adaptation of the science-fiction story Judge Dredd with Sylvester Stallone, his co-star in Paradise Alley. He appeared in the 2007 film American Gangster with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. He had a recurring guest star role in several episodes of NCIS, playing the international arms dealer René Benoit. He has also appeared in the 2009 horror film Smile as the mysterious Tollinger. Outside of the U.S., he has participated in several film projects and humanitarian endeavors in Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1974 The Lords of Flatbush Wedding Guest
1975 First Ladies Diaries Robards Television film
1978 Paradise Alley Lenny Carboni
Human Feelings Johnny Turner Television film
Lady of the House Ernest Television film
The Pirate Ahmed Television film
1979 Prophecy John Hawks
1980 Little Darlings Gary Callahan
Private Benjamin Henri Alan Tremont
Sophia Loren: Her Own Story Riccardo Scicolone Television film
1982 Love and Money Lorenzo Prado
I, the Jury Mike Hammer
1983 Rage of Angels Michael Moretti Television film
1984 Unfaithfully Yours Maximillian Stein
Why Me? James Stalling Television film
1986 A Deadly Business Charles Macaluso Television film
Belizaire the Cajun Belizaire Breaux
1987 Stranger in My Bed Hal Slater Television film
Hands of a Stranger Joe Hearn Television film
1988 The Penitent Juan Mateo
1989 Passion and Paradise Alfred de Marigny Television film
Animal Behavior Mark Mathias
1990 Q&A Roberto Texador
Eternity Romi/Sean
1991 The Marrying Man Bugsy Siegel
Fever Ray Television film
1992 The Mambo Kings Caesar Castillo
1492: Conquest of Paradise Sanchez
Hoffa Carl "Dally" D'Allesandro
1993 Fatal Instinct Ned Ravine
1994 Blind Justice Canaan Television film
Trial by Jury Rusty Pirone
1995 Judge Dredd Rico
Kidnapped Alan Breck Stewart Television film
1996 Striptease Lieutenant Al Garcia
Gotti John Gotti Television film
1999 The Hunley Lieutenant George E. Dixon Television film
2000 The Road to El Dorado Tzekel-Kan Voice
On the Beach Commander Dwight Towers Television film
Looking for an Echo Vince 'Vinnie' Pirelli
2001 Last Run Frank Banner
After the Storm Jean-Pierre Television film
One Eyed King Hollis "Holly" Cone
2002 Federal Protection Frank Carbone Television film
Partners in Action Jack Cunningham
2003 Tough Luck Ike
Citizen Verdict Sam Patterson
Consequence Sam Tyler
2005 Dot.Kill Charlie Daines
The Third Wish Benefactor
Mirror Wars York
Two for the Money C.M. Novian
Confessions of a Pit Fighter Argento
The Commuters Donald Television film
Ennemis Publics -
Rambam: The Story of Maimonides Yitzchak, The Inkman
2006 Funny Money Genero
Surveillance Harley
Soul's Midnight Simon
Dead Lenny Tony "Thick" Video
2007 Casanova's Last Stand Sebastian Marr
Mexican Sunrise Salvidar
California Dreamin' Captain Doug Jones
When Nietzsche Wept Nietzsche
Children of Wax Kemal
American Gangster Dominic Cattano
2008 The Man Who Came Back Amos
Shark Swarm Hamilton Lux Television film
2009 The Lost Kevin Television film
The Steam Experiment Detective Mancini
La Linea Padre Antonio
Smile Tollinger
Chicago Overcoat Stefano D'Agnostino
Death Valley Screamers: Bonnie & Clyde Casino Owner Short
The Bleeding Jake Plummer
Breaking Point Marty Berlin
2010 Shadows in Paradise Captain John "Ghost" Santo
Magic Man Taper
Killer by Nature Eugene Branch
2011 The Return of Joe Rich Uncle Dom
Jesse Dominick
Guido Lorenzo De Costa
2012 The Night Never Sleeps Inspector Romanelli
2013 Dead Man Down Lon Gordon
The Fix Vincent Short
Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn Joseph Baldano Sr.
Assumed Killer Aaron Banfield
2014 Montevideo, vidimo se! Hotchkins
Hunting the Phantom Charles Ingrim
A Fine Step Alejandro Bolivar
Charlie Mantle Inspector Bennett
In Between Engagements Alonzo
2015 Diamond Cartel Mussa
Leaves of the Tree Joe Buffa
Sicilian Vampire Vince
Kids vs Monsters Damian
Blind Pass Richard James
2016 Beyond the Game Mr. Leone
Stressed to Kill Paul Jordan
The Red Maple Leaf FBI Agent Joseph Cortez
Wasn't Afraid to Die Paul
Blowtorch Canarsie
2017 First Law Don Nowet
You Can't Have It The Man
Joe's War Dr. Galante
The Wanderers: The Quest of The Demon Hunter Louis
The Neighborhood Tucci
Power of Silence The Narrator
2018 Con Man Jack Saxon
Darc Lafique
The P.I.M.P. Armando
2019 The Brave (aka Lazarat) Frank Pedulla
General Andreas
2020 Infamous Six Dr. Albert Cioran
2021 The Match Camp Commander
2024 Oak Abe

Television series
Year Title Role Notes
1975 How to Survive a Marriage Johnny McGee Episode: "Episode #1.325"
1975–76 The Doctors Dr. Michael Powers Regular Cast
1977 Kojak Tom Ryan Episode: "Caper on a Quiet Street"
1979 Mrs. Columbo Freddie Faust Episode: "A Chilling Surprise"
1985 Evergreen Joe Friedman TV mini series
1987 Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story Napoleon Bonaparte TV mini series
1988 Jack the Ripper Richard Mansfield TV mini series
1997 The Odyssey Odysseus TV mini series
2002 Push, Nevada Mr. Smooth Episode: "The Amount"
2006 ER Richard Elliot Recurring cast: season 12, guest: season 13
2007 NCIS René 'La Grenouille' Benoit Recurring cast: season 4, guest: season 5
2008 October Road Gabriel Diaz Recurring cast: season 2
2010 Chuck Premier Alejandro Goya Episode: "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte & Coup d'Etat"
Human Target Joubert Episode: "Christopher Chance"
2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Nicolas Amaro Episode: "Padre Sandunguero"
2018–19 The Family Business Sal Dash Main cast: season 1
The Deuce Mr. Martino Guest: season 2, recurring cast: season 3
2019 General Andreas Episode: "Episode #1.2"
2022 Salvage Marines Kelkis Morturi Main cast

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
1989 Primetime Emmy Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie Jack the Ripper Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
1991 Golden Globe Awards Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture Q&A Nominated
1997 Primetime Emmy Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - Miniseries or a Movie Gotti Won
Golden Globe Awards Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Nominated
1998 Golden Globe Awards Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Odyssey Nominated
2000 Annie Awards Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production The Road to El Dorado Nominated
2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture American Gangster Nominated
In 2010, Assante received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.