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| caption = Liotta at the [[2012 Cannes Film Festival]]
| caption = Liotta at the [[2012 Cannes Film Festival]]
| image_size =
| image_size =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1930|12|18}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|12|18}}
| birth_name = Raymond Allen Liotta
| birth_name = Raymond Allen Liotta
| birth_place = [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]], New Jersey, U.S.
| birth_place = [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]], New Jersey, U.S.

Revision as of 16:52, 3 July 2012

Ray Liotta
Liotta at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival
Born
Raymond Allen Liotta

(1954-12-18) December 18, 1954 (age 69)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Miami
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present
Spouse(s)Michelle Grace
(1997 – 2004; divorced)
ChildrenKarsen Liotta

Raymond Allen "Ray" Liotta (born December 18, 1954) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. He has won an Emmy Award and been nominated for a Golden Globe Award. He is also known for starring as the protagonist, Tommy Vercetti in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Early life

He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and was adopted at the age of six months by Mary Liotta, an appointed township clerk, and Alfred Liotta, an auto parts store owner, personnel director, and the president of a local Democratic club.[1] Both of his parents unsuccessfully ran for local office.[2] Liotta had believed his biological parents were of Scottish and Italian descent,[3] but eventually reunited with his biological mother and discovered that she is not of Italian descent.[4][5] In 1973, Liotta graduated from Union High School in Union, New Jersey, and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1992. Liotta studied acting at the University of Miami, where he performed at the university's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre.

Career

One of Liotta's earliest roles was as Joey Perrini on the soap opera Another World. He appeared on the show from 1978 to 1981. He infamously made his film debut sexually assaulting Pia Zadora with a garden hose in the cult classic The Lonely Lady. In 1987, he earned his first Golden Globe nomination"HFPA – Awards Search". 1.hfpa.org. Retrieved July 7, 2009. for his portrayal of volatile ex-con Ray Sinclair in Jonathan Demme's film Something Wild (1986). In 1989, he costarred, along with Kevin Costner, in the fantasy/drama film, Field of Dreams. Liotta portrayed Shoeless Joe Jackson, the ghost of the famed baseball player. In 1990, Liotta portrayed real-life mobster Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's film Goodfellas. In 1992, he costarred, along with Kurt Russell and Madeleine Stowe, in the thriller Unlawful Entry as a psychopathic cop. He also had a leading role in Sci-Fi/Action film No Escape. Liotta would earn more critical praise for his turn in James Mangold's film Cop Land, starring alongside Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel. In 1998, he received critical praise for his performance as the compulsive gambling but decent policeman Harry Collins, in the crime film, Phoenix.

In addition to his film roles, Liotta portrayed singer Frank Sinatra in the 1998 TV movie The Rat Pack (for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination) and provided the voice of Tommy Vercetti for the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. That same year he appeared as Det. Lt. Henry Oak in the Joe Carnahan-directed film Narc, receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination and a Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards nomination for Best Supporting Male, a praised performance that many critics considered to be Liotta's career best. He then reunited with director James Mangold in 2003 alongside John Cusack and Alfred Molina in the dark horror-thriller Identity, remembered for its very unique and clever twist. He also narrated Inside the Mafia for the National Geographic Channel in 2005. Liotta had a memorable guest appearance that year on the television drama ER playing Charlie Metcalf in the episode "Time of Death". The role earned him an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series". Liotta would later spoof himself and his Emmy win in Bee Movie. He starred in the 2006 CBS television series Smith, which was pulled from the schedule after only three episodes had aired. He later appeared in Smokin' Aces (reuniting with Narc director Joe Carnahan), portraying an FBI agent named Donald Carruthers in one of the lead roles. He appeared with John Travolta in the movie Wild Hogs and with Johnny Depp in the 2001 film Blow, portraying the father of drug dealer George Jung.

Liotta has appeared in Battle in Seattle as the city's mayor, and in Hero Wanted playing a detective alongside Cuba Gooding Jr.. He was also in Crossing Over, co-starring Harrison Ford. Liotta played Detective Harrison in the 2009 Jody Hill comedy Observe and Report as Seth Rogen's nemesis from the local police. In 2011, he starred in The Son of No One, opposite Channing Tatum and for the first time in his career, Al Pacino.[6] He told ABC's Good Morning America in 2001 that he was offered the role of Tony Soprano by series creator David Chase but turned it down to focus on movies.

Liotta's recent movies include Date Night with Steve Carell, Charlie St. Cloud with Zac Efron, the independent drama Snowmen, and The River Sorrow, which stars Liotta as a detective alongside Christian Slater and Ving Rhames.

Personal life

Liotta married actress Michelle Grace in February 1997. They met at her ex-husband's (Mark Grace) baseball game; they also co-starred in The Rat Pack, in which Liotta played Frank Sinatra and Grace played Judith Campbell Exner. Their daughter, Karsen, was born in December 1998. The couple divorced in 2004. Liotta currently resides in Pacific Palisades, California.

A baseball pitcher bearing his name is currently in the Kansas City Royals system.[7]

As part of his contract for starring in In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale as Gallian, Liotta had permission to keep all wizard robes donned for the film.

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1983 The Lonely Lady Joe Heron
1986 Something Wild Ray Sinclair Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated: Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1988 Arena Brains The Artist Short film
1988 Dominick and Eugene Eugene "Gino" Luciano
1989 Field of Dreams Shoeless Joe Jackson
1990 Goodfellas Henry Hill
1992 Article 99 Dr. Richard Sturgess
1992 Unlawful Entry Officer Pete Davis Nominated: MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
1994 No Escape Capt. J.T. Robbins
1994 Corrina, Corrina Manny Singer
1995 Operation Dumbo Drop Capt. T.C. Doyle
1996 Unforgettable Dr. David Krane
1997 Turbulence Ryan Weaver
1997 Cop Land Det. Gary "Figgsy" Figgis
1998 Phoenix Harry Collin Also Co-Producer
1998 Forever Mine Mark Brice
1999 Muppets from Space Gate Guard # 1
2000 Pilgrim Jack
2000 A Rumor of Angels Nathan Neubauer
2001 Hannibal Paul Krendler
2001 Heartbreakers Dean Cummano
2001 Blow Fred Jung
2002 Narc Det. Lt. Henry Oak Also producer
Nominated: Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
Nominated: Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
2002 John Q Chief Gus Monroe
2002 Ticker FBI Agent Short film
2002 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure Tuck Voice only
2003 Identity Rhodes
2004 The Last Shot Jack Devine
2004 Control Lee Ray Oliver Direct-to-video
2005 Revolver Macha
2006 Comeback Season Walter Pearce
2007 Slow Burn Ford Cole
2007 Even Money Tom Carver
2007 Smokin' Aces Donald Carruthers
2007 Wild Hogs Jack
2007 Bee Movie Himself Voice only
2008 Local Color John Talia Sr.
2008 In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale Gallian
2008 Battle in Seattle Mayor Jim Tobin
2008 Hero Wanted Det. Terry Subcott
2008 Chasing 3000 Adult Mickey
2009 Crossing Over Cole Frankel
2009 Powder Blue Jack Doheny
2009 Observe and Report Det. Harrison
2009 La Linea Mark Shields Also executive producer
2009 Ticket Out Jim
2010 Youth in Revolt Lance Wescott
2010 Crazy on the Outside Gray
2010 Date Night Joe Miletto
2010 Charlie St. Cloud Florio Ferrente
2010 Snowmen Reggie Kirkfield
2011 Street Kings: Motor City Marty Kingston
2011 The River Murders Jack Verdon
2011 The Entitled Richard Nader
2011 Son of No One Dito Montiel
2011 All Things Fall Apart Dr. Brintall
2012 The Place Beyond the Pines Deluca
2012 Killing Them Softly Markie Trattman post-production
2013 The Iceman Roy DeMeo in production
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1978–1981 Another World Joey Perrini #2
1980 Hardhat and Legs Family CBS Television movie
1983 St. Elsewhere Murray Episode: "Rain"
1983 Casablanca Sacha
1984 Mike Hammer Tony Cable Episode: "Kill Devil"
1985 Our Family Honor Officer Ed Santini
1990 Women and Men: Stories of Seduction Jerry Damon HBO television movie
1991 Women & Men 2: In Love There Are No Rules Martin Meadows HBO television movie
1995 Frasier Bob Episode: "Frasier Grinch"
1998 The Rat Pack Frank Sinatra Television movie
Nominated: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
2001 Family Guy Zack Episode: "Brian Does Hollywood"
2001–2002 Just Shoot Me Himself Episode: "Christmas? Christmas!"
Episode: Liotta? Liotta!"
2002 Point of Origin John Leonard Orr/Aaron HBO television movie
2004 ER Charlie Metcalf Episode: "Time of Death"
Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series
Prism Award for Best Performance in a Drama Series Episode
2006–2007 Smith Bobby Stevens
2008 WhoBob WhatPants? Trevor (voice) Television special
2010 Hannah Montana Forever Principal Luger Guest appearance
2011 The League Guest appearance
2012 Phineas and Ferb Himself Guest appearance, Episode "What A Croc!"

References

  1. ^ "Ray Liotta Biography (1955?-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  2. ^ "Ray Liotta". Movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  3. ^ Joan Tarshis and Richard Mclaren. "SMOKE 09/01 – Ray Liotta is praised as one of the best actors of all times. – One-on-one with Ray Liotta". Smokemag.com. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  4. ^ "Ray Liotta Is Glad He Met His Biological Mother – Starpulse Entertainment News Blog "he discovered he isn't Italian and that he has a half-brother."". Starpulse.com. October 6, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  5. ^ Keier, Helen (March 1, 2001). "IGN: Interview with Ray Liotta "I myself am adopted, so I'm not Italian"". IGN. Retrieved ) July 7, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "Observe and Report". Observeandreport.com. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
  7. ^ "Liotta one of the Sox Goodfellas". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
Video games
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Tommy Vercetti Voice Over
G-Phoria Award for Best Male Voice Performance
1975–1986
1989–2019
2020–present

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