Tony Lip

Tony Lip
Vallelonga in 2010
Born
Frank Anthony Vallelonga

(1930-07-30)July 30, 1930
DiedJanuary 4, 2013(2013-01-04) (aged 82)
OccupationActor
Years active1972–2008
SpouseDolores Venere (died 1999)
Children2, including Nick Vallelonga

Frank Anthony Vallelonga Sr. (July 30, 1930 – January 4, 2013), better known by his stage name Tony Lip, was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi in the HBO series, The Sopranos. Lip portrayed real-life Bonanno crime family mobster Philip Giaccone in Donnie Brasco, and real-life Lucchese crime family mobster Francesco Manzo in Goodfellas. It was at the Copacabana nightclub that he first met Francis Ford Coppola and Louis DiGiaimo, leading to a small role in The Godfather, his film debut. He also co-wrote the book Shut Up and Eat! (2005).

His life in the early 1960s, when he was the driver and bodyguard for the black classical pianist Don Shirley, was dramatized in the 2018 film Green Book, in which he was portrayed by Viggo Mortensen.[1] The film won numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Picture.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference SI was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Reed, Betsy (February 24, 2019). "Green Book wins Oscar for best picture". theguardian.com. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved November 2, 2023. Green Book has won the Oscar for best picture(...)