Michael Badalucco


Actor

About

Also Known As
Mike Badalucco
Birth Place
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Born
December 20, 1954

Biography

After graduating from the State University of New York at New Paltz (where he met and acted with John Turturro), former altar boy Michael Badalucco joined Local 52, his father's union, and began working in the movies as a prop man. His first big break came when Robert De Niro saw him (and Turturro) in an off-Broadway production of a Sam Shepard play, leading to a small speaking role in "...

Family & Companions

Brenda Heyob
Wife
Nurse. Married c. 1997.

Notes

"I had already read for a smaller role in the pilot of 'The Practice', but after Michelle [Pfeiffer] talked highly of me ... David wrote my character into the series. But I feel the good Lord had me in mind for this role, because I could not think of a better one in which to present my particular talents." --Michael Badalucco quoted in Daily News, May 3, 1998

"Acting is a craft. It's very special to be part of a tradition dating back to Greece, and while it might not be the oldest profession, at its best it affirms the nature and ideals of the human experience and the hearts of others." --Badalucco quoted in Daily Variety, March 3, 2000

Biography

After graduating from the State University of New York at New Paltz (where he met and acted with John Turturro), former altar boy Michael Badalucco joined Local 52, his father's union, and began working in the movies as a prop man. His first big break came when Robert De Niro saw him (and Turturro) in an off-Broadway production of a Sam Shepard play, leading to a small speaking role in "Raging Bull" (1980). His acting career was slow to take off, however, and over the next decade and a half he continued to work behind-the-scenes, often doing double duty by playing bit roles for directors like John Badham and Nora Ephron.

Dark-haired and slightly pudgy, Badalucco had the perfect "look" for the character bits as policemen, drivers, food workers and other assorted blue collar personnel in which he was cast. College buddy Turturro, however, came to the rescue by casting him as the garrulous middle brother in an Italian family of construction workers in Turturro's directorial debut, "Mac" (1992). Badalucco shone in the role, particularly in a humorous monologue about the importance of a man's charisma and size in his appeal to women. He brought the same gifts to the thankless role as the oldest virgin in his neighborhood in the uneven comedy "The Search for One-Eyed Jimmy" (lensed in 1993; released in 1996). While playing yet another cop in "One Fine Day" (also 1996), Badalucco caught the attention of star Michelle Pfeiffer who in turn recommended him to her husband, writer-producer David E Kelley. Badalucco had auditioned for a small role in "The Practice" (ABC, 1997-2004), one of Kelley's proposed legal dramas. But after Pfeiffer's intervention, Kelley tailored the part of Jimmy Berluti to the actor's unique gifts. Introduced as a slightly shifty, scrappy lawyer with questionable morals and little courtroom experience, the character has gradually shifted to one of the moral centers of the staff in part because of Badalucco's natural charm. He went on to portray the notorious 'Son of Sam' killer David Berkowitz in Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" (1999) and offered a fine cameo as George ("don't call me Baby Face") Nelson in the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000). The following year, he reteamed with the Coens to play a barber in the noirish drama "The Man Who Wasn't There."

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

The Rules Don't Apply (2016)
Dynamite: A Cautionary Tale (2015)
Fading Gigolo (2014)
Heebie Jeebies (2013)
The Resident (2011)
Bewitched (2005)
2 B Perfectly Honest (2004)
Eugene/Gene
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Frank [Raffo]
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Summer of Sam (1999)
You've Got Mail (1998)
Path to Paradise: The Untold Story of the World Trade Center Bombing (1997)
State Trooper
Commandments (1997)
Detective
Love Walked In (1997)
The Sunshine Boys (1997)
The Deli (1997)
Lesser Prophets (1997)
One Fine Day (1996)
Two If by Sea (1996)
Basquiat (1996)
The Search For One-Eye Jimmy (1996)
Clockers (1995)
Mixed Nuts (1994)
The Professional (1994)
Mathilda'S Father
Men Lie (1994)
The Saint Of Fort Washington (1993)
Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
Juice (1992)
Night And The City (1992)
Mac (1992)
Jungle Fever (1991)
The Hard Way (1991)
Switch (1991)
Miller's Crossing (1990)
Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
Raging Bull (1980)
Soda fountain clerk

Producer (Feature Film)

Christmas Story (2009)
Co-Executive Producer
Who is Norman Lloyd? (2007)
Producer

Art Department (Feature Film)

Mixed Nuts (1994)
Assistant Property Master
Slow Dancing In The Big City (1978)
Assistant Set Dresser

Film Production - Construction/Set (Feature Film)

Used People (1992)
Props
The Hard Way (1991)
Props Assistant
The Godfather, Part III (1990)
Props
She-Devil (1989)
Props
Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
Props

Cast (Special)

ABC 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003)
A Merry Mickey Celebration (2003)
ABC's Christmas in Aspen (2002)
Narrator
Intimate Portrait: LisaGay Hamilton (2002)
The 2001 Radio Music Awards (2001)
Performer
2001 Creative Arts Emmy Awards (2001)
Presenter
The 1999 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (1999)
Presenter
The 79th Annual Miss America Pageant (1999)
SAG Awards Show (1999)
Presenter

Life Events

1964

His trips with father to movie sets led to him posing for a photograph that was used in "Fail-Safe", starring Henry Fonda

1978

First feature credit as a set dresser assistant on "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground", directed by John G Avildsen

1979

Worked as a prop man on Woody Allen's "Manhattan"

1980

Had first speaking role in a film in Scorsese's "Raging Bull", starring De Niro

1984

Acted in Allen's "Broadway Danny Rose"

1985

Played bit role as a guy from Brooklyn in Susan Seidelman's "Desperately Seeking Susan"; Turturro also appeared

1988

Worked as props assistant and played a small role of a cop in "Bright Lights, Big City"

1989

Worked as a prop man on Seidelman's feature "She-Devil"

1991

Had bit role and served as property for John Badham's "The Hard Way"

1992

Acted in Turturro's directorial debut, "Mac"

1993

Appeared in "Sleepless in Seattle", credited as Mike Badalucco

1994

Acted and worked as assistant properties master for Ephron's "Mixed Nuts"; to date, last behind-the-scenes credit

1996

Had co-starring role in "The Search for One-Eye Jimmy" (filmed in 1993)

1996

Worked with Michelle Pfeiffer on "One Fine Day"; played small role of a cop

1997

TV series debut as a regular playing attorney Jimmy Berluti on the ABC drama series "The Practice"; Pfeiffer had recommended the actor to her husband David E Kelley, the series creator and chief writer; Kelley tailored the role especially for the actor

1997

Played Eric the Soda Man in John Andrew Gallagher's "The Deli"

1999

Cast as David Berkowitz, the 'Son of Sam' killer, in Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam"

2000

Offered nice cameo as bank robber George Nelson in the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

2001

Reteamed with the Coen brothers to play a barber in the period drama "The Man Who Wasn't There"

Family

Joseph Badalucco
Father
Property man, set dresser.
Jean Badalucco
Mother
Joe Badalucco
Brother
Stuntman, property man, actor.

Companions

Brenda Heyob
Wife
Nurse. Married c. 1997.

Bibliography

Notes

"I had already read for a smaller role in the pilot of 'The Practice', but after Michelle [Pfeiffer] talked highly of me ... David wrote my character into the series. But I feel the good Lord had me in mind for this role, because I could not think of a better one in which to present my particular talents." --Michael Badalucco quoted in Daily News, May 3, 1998

"Acting is a craft. It's very special to be part of a tradition dating back to Greece, and while it might not be the oldest profession, at its best it affirms the nature and ideals of the human experience and the hearts of others." --Badalucco quoted in Daily Variety, March 3, 2000