Perhaps best known for his loveable sitcom personas, Tony Danza
is indisputably one of America 's most popular performers. Having
starred on some of television's most beloved and long-running series,
Danza has also established himself as a veritable stage and screen
star, as well as a respected producer.
For two seasons, Tony has played an attorney, Joe Celano, in the
CBS dramatic series, “Family Law” opposite a stellar ensemble cast
that includes Kathleen Quinlan, Chris McDonald and Dixie Carter.
Danza recently recorded a single entitled “The House I Live In,” which
was originally performed by Frank Sinatra and featured in a 1945
Academy award winning short film.
Danza most recently received critical acclaim for his portrayal
of ‘Rocky the bartender' in the Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's “The
Iceman Cometh” opposite Kevin Spacey in its much anticipated return
to Broadway at the Brook Atkinson Theater. Prior to that, Danza
made his Broadway debut in Arthur Miller's Tony award winning play “A
View From The Bridge.”
Last year, Danza received an Emmy-nomination for his performance
on David E. Kelly's award-winning series “The Practice” in which
he portrayed ‘Tommy Silva,' a shrewd, charismatic and street-smart
attorney who fashioned himself a “man of the people.”
Born and raised in Brooklyn , Danza received a wrestling scholarship
to the University of Dubuque in Iowa , where he earned a Bachelor's
degree in History Education. Following college, he was discovered
by producer Stu Sheslow at a boxing gymnasium in New York . Sheslow's
discovery led producer James Brooks to cast Danza in the critically
acclaimed series “Taxi,” earning him a place in television history.
Following his five-year run on “Taxi,” Danza starred in the ABC
comedy series “Who's the Boss?” for eight seasons and also directed
multiple episodes.
On the small screen, Danza's credits include a critically applauded
performance opposite George C. Scoot and Jack Lemmon in Showtime's
remake of the film classic “12 Angry Men” directed by William Friedkin.
Danza was also recently seen in the Disney/ABC television movies “The
Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon” and “Noah,” He
also starred in the ABC comedy series “Hudson Street' and NBC's “The
Tony Danza Show” both for which he also served as executive producer.
Danza's other television credits include starring in the HBO feature-film, “The
Girl Gets Moe” with Michael Madsen; Showtime's “Northshore Fish,” co-starring
Peter Riegert and Mercedes Ruehl; and the CBS television movie “Deadly
Whispers” opposite Pamela Reed.
On the big screen, Danza starred in Walt Disney's “Angels in the
Outfield” with Danny Glover; “She's Out Of Control;” Frank Rainore's
acton-drama “A Brooklyn State of Mind” with Vincent Spano, Danny
Aiello and Maria Grazia Cucinotta; an independent film for Josh
Evans entitled “Ganster Glam” which co-starred William McNamara,
Frank Whaley and Natasha Wagner; and Nick Gomez's “Illtown” with
Michael Rapaport and Lili Taylor.
Danza also wrote, directed and starred in the short film inspired
by personal events entitled “Mama Mia.” For his theatrical debut
in “Wrong Turn at Lungfish,” Danza earned an Outer Critic's Circle
Award nomination.
Realizing a dream, Danza continues to garner accolades performing
his song and dance stage show, which he debuted in Atlantic City
to sold-out audiences in 1995. He has since played engagements
on the legendary Las Vegas strip, at New York 's famed Rainbow
and Stars as well as many other major venues across the country.
In 1998, Danza had the honor of headlining with the national symphony
orchestra at “A Capitol Fourth,” a national Fourth of July concert
broadcast live on PBS from the west lawn of the U.S. Capital in
front of 400,000 people. The thespian also recently made a stop
at New York 's famed Carnegie Hall to perform for Skitch Henderson's
80 th birthday. He was last seen hosting the 2001 “Miss America
Pageant” in Atlantic City .
With the formation of his productions company, Katie Face Productions,
Danza is actively involved in all forms of television, including
production of the highly rated specials “Before They Were Stars.”