Famous Calabrians Of The Twenth Century A list of celebrities who are full or part calabrian decent To submit persons you wish to add to this list please send email with details to... Glilli@aol.com.
Charles Atlas (1883-1972) (Born Angelo Siciliano in Acri Calabria) For much of the 20th century Charles Atlas was America's most famous muscle man. Atlas advertisements appeared in comic books and magazines and made Atlas into a pop culture icon. .
Kay Ballard (Actress-Comedian-TV Entertainer) (born in 1926") Best remembered for her role in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In -Her most recent film is "Freaky Friday" with Jamie Lee Curtice .
Ann Bancroft (Actress) (Born "Anna Maria Italiano") Her films include The Slender Thread (1965), The Graduate (1968), The Elephant Man (1980) She won an Acadamy Award for "The Miracle Worker" in 1962.
Tony Bennett (Singer) Born Benedetto, Singer-Recording star...Gold Record awards for Such Hits as "I Left my heart in San Francisco" and many more. Both of his parents: Benedetto and Suraci came from the village of Podargoni.
Frank Bonacci(Decollatura Calabria) led a tireless effort for UMWA recognition. After union recognition in the 1930s, Bonacci became the first Italian-American elected to the Utah House of Representatives.
John Corigliano(Villa San Giovanni) John Corigliano, concert master of the New York
Philamonic Orchestra for 25 years; previously concert master of the NBC Symphony under Toscanini. Born in NYC around 1904, the youngest child of immigrants. He is the father of John Corigliano, born NYC in 1938, noted American classical composer, Ghost of Versailles, Symphony #1 Of Rage and Remembrance, The Red Violin, Clarinet Concerto, Violin Concerto, String Quartet,etc., etc, and winner of the Grammy award, Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award.
Tomie De PaolaAuthor of children books Among the many stories that Tomie has written the best known of his works in this genre is the Strega Nona series that relate the tales of the wise and gleeful Italian witch in Calabria, Italy, and her sidekick Big Anthony who constantly gets into trouble and The Legend of the Old Befana .
Angelo DundeeOne of the best boxing trainers of our time (Boxing Hall 0f fame). He and brother Chris Dundee trained such great boxers as "Mohamed Alli" Sugar Ray Leonard and many more. .
Connie Francis (Born Concetta Rose Marie Francanero) in 1938 in the Italian section of Newark, the granddaughter of Italian immigrants from Avellino and Calabria.Her first big hit, "Who's Sorry Now" in 1958, sold a million records " .
Salvatore Robert FroiolAuthor of I Venti Corni (The Twenty Horns) a novel which takes place in Calabria. .
Dalidà (stage name) -- Iolanda Gigliotti Celebrated Star of Italian song
of this century. Originally from Serrastretta.
John Gagliardi Football Coach (b. November 1, 1926) Head Football coach at Saint John's University. He is college football's career coaching victories leader with 443 wins.; In 1993, the NCAA began awarding the Gagliardi Trophy to the most outstanding player in Division III. On August 11, 2006, Gagliardi became the first active head coach to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame;
Donna Gigliotti nbsp;Oscar winner for producer of the film "Shakespeare In Love." HaSaint John's.
s numerous film credits and has produced a number of films, mostly
for Miramax Pictures.
Lou Gigliotti nbsp;Three time SCCA WORLD CHALLENGE auto racing champion. Born in NY. Family is from Adami (Decollatura) Owner of LG Motorsports. Car designer and constructor...
Barbara Grizzuti HarrisonTravel Author.Both here parents were from "Oriolo Calabria". Her most popular book was "Italian Days" .
Nick Mancuso (Actor) Born May 29, 1948 in Mammola, Calabria. Birthname: Nicodemo Antonio Massimo Mancuso. Immigrated with parents and sister to Toronto Canada in 1956. Most noted as the Star of two television series "Stingray" and "Matrix". His impressive career continues today, with new movies and TV rolls.
Joe Manchin III ((D)Governor) of West Virginia. He was born and raised in Farmington, Marion County WV. He has great pride in his ancestors who migrated from San Giovanni in Fiore in the provence Reggio Calabria.
Al Molinaro(Actor) Appeaared In many successfull TV sitcoms, Best known for his rolls as Murray the Cop in the Odd Couple, and Al in Happy Days. His father was from Marano Marchesato or Marano Principato, Cosenza, and settled in Kenosha, WI in the late 1800s/early 1900s
Lou MonteEntertainer.Rightfully called the "King of Italian-American Hit Records for the better part of thirty years, 1950s through the 70s. His best known recordings are... Pepino The Italian Mouse, Lazy Mary, The Dark Town Strutters Ball and Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey.
Armando Orlando historian specializing in Calabrian History. Born and educated in Italy, over the last 20 years, he has written numerous books on Calabrian history.
Mary Amabile PalmerAncestry from "Bova Superiore". Author Cookbook "Cucina di Calabria" Treasured Recipes and Family Traditions from Southern Italy .
Leon Panettapresident Clinton's Chief of Staff, has ancestry from the villages of Gerace and Siderno in the provence of Reggio Calabria.
Joe Pass (1929-1994) (Jazz Musician) Born "Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua" in New Brunswick, New Jersey was considered by many to be the best Jazz Guitarist of his time through the 1950s and 60s.
George Pataki (New York Governor ) Governor Pataki was born on his family farm in Peekskill NY. He is a 1967 graduate of Yale University and a 1970 graduate of Columbia Law. His family immigrated from Reggio Calabria. .
Joe Paterno Long time successful football coach at Penn State, whose father was from Ischia, Calabria.
.
Regis PhilbinStar of the TV varity show "Regis and Kelly" (Formerly Regis and Kathy Lee) whose family came from an arberesh village near Tiriolo, CZ. .
Frank Rizzo Mayor of
Philadelphia. Rizzo was elected mayor in 1971 and 1975 .
Phil Rizzuto(Baseball Hall of famer) Rizzuto was a long time star Shortstop for the NY Yankees
.
Mark Rotella Author Stolen Figs, And Other Adventures in Calabria
.
Steven Segalthe kickboxing actor, whose mother's family, Ferro, was from Cosenza, Calabria. Popular movie actor, staring in many action movies.
Frank Phillip StellaA 1958 graduate from Princeton, the 62-year-old Malden-born painter ranks among America's most famous living artists.
Gay Talese (Roots Maida, Catanzaro) Author Writter of many books to do with Calabria. One of his very best is "Unto the Sons" which is an excellent family history of a famous Calabrian-American author--both in Calabria and in the US.
Daniel J. TravantiAnother popular actor of movies and tv is Daniel J. Travanti from Kenosha Wisconsin, Emmy Award-winning actor best known for his role as Capt. Frank Furillo in Hill Street Blues (1981–87).
Stanley Tucci (Actor)
Best known for his staring role in the movie "The Big Night" which he also wrote and co-directed. He is also Author of "Cucina & Famiglia" a cookbook of his families recipes.
Gianni Versace 1946-1997 (Fashion Designer)
Born in Reggio Calabria Gianni Versace became One of the most famous fashion designers of our time. He was often called Fashion's Last Emperor. Since his death in 1997, his sister "Donatella Versace" has taken over Gianni's fashion business and has been praised from all quarters.
Harry Warren (Song Writter)
Born Salvatore Guaragna" in Brooklyn, New York, the eleventh son of twelve children of impoverished Calabrian immigrants, he wrote such great hits as "Lullaby of Broadway "We're in the Money" "Chatanooga Choo Choo" "Serenade in Blue" "Jeepers Creepers" and "That's Amore. Harry won an Academy Award for "The Gold Diggers of 1935." and another for" On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe.
. Have names to add? To Submit Additional Names of Famous Calabrians...Click Here
