He was born on November 10, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York. After he studied acting at New York University's School of the Arts, he quickly landed a role in Milos Foreman's Taking Off (1971), and his career in the movies seldom dropped a beat. Seriously, to not recognize Schiavelli's presence in a movie or television episode for the last 30 years means you don't watch much of either medium, for his tall, gawky physique (a towering 6'6"), droopy eyes, sagging neck skin, and elongated chin made him a casting director's dream for offbeat and eccentric parts.
But it wasn't just a striking presence that fueled his career, Schiavelli could deliver the fine performances. Foreman would use him again as one of the mental ward inmates in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); and he was hilarious as the put-upon science teacher, Mr. Vargas in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982); worked for Foreman again as Salieri's (F. Murray Abraham's) valet in Amadeus (1984); unforgettable as an embittered subway ghost who taunts Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990); downright creepy as the brooding organ grinder in Batman Returns (1992); worked with Foreman one last time in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996); and was a dependable eccentric in Death to Smoochy (2002). Television was no stranger to him either. Although he displayed a gift for comedy playing Latka's (Andy Kaufman) confidant priest, "Reverend Gorky" in a recurring role of Taxi, the actor spent much of his time enlivening shows of the other worldly variety such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, Tales from the Crypt, The X Files, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
In recent years, Schiavelli curtailed the acting, and concentrated on writing. He recently relocated to the Sicilian village of Polizzi Generosa, where his grandparents were raised. He concentrated on his love of cooking and in 2002, wrote a highly praised memoir of his family's history as well as some cooking recipes of his grandfather's titled Many Beautiful Things. He is survived by two children.
by Michael T. Toole
