Here is the biography of Joe Mantegna:
Joe Mantegna was born in Chicago, Illinois, and has lived there since childhood. His father, Joe Sr., was a narcotics detective with the Chicago Police Department, and his mother, Louise, was the granddaughter of Papa Milano, a famous restaurateur. Joe's early love for acting began when he spent time on the set of the movie The Sting, where his father was serving as Robert Redford's bodyguard. This experience had a profound impact on him and sparked his passion for film and theater.
Joe went on to study theater and film at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he performed in numerous productions, including the student film Charlie, which was nominated for a collegiate Academy Award. After college, he was accepted into the prestigious Goodman School of Drama's Theater Program at DePaul University, where he studied with renowned acting coach Bella Itkin.
In 1988, Joe met Ben Stiller, who was in Chicago shooting the movie Next of Kin, and they collaborated on producing a short film called Elvis Stories. The film featured a series of vignettes about people who thought they had seen Elvis Presley alive and starred future stars Mike Myers, John Cusack, Jeremy Piven, Andy Dick, Ron Dean, and Stiller. The film was a commercial success, and Joe and his brother Tony formed Magnificent Mile Productions, which produced the feature film Desire in 1989.
Joe's third venture in producing was the film Shaking the Tree, which dealt with the complex relationships of three couples and starred Courtney Cox, Arye Gross, Gale Hansen, Doug Savant, and Christina Haag. Joe also played a role in the film, which was released theatrically and received critical acclaim.
After several years of producing films, Joe returned to his love of acting and began writing, producing, directing, and starring in the Broadway hit show Tony N' Tina's Wedding in 1993. The show was a huge success and ran for 17 years, becoming the longest-running show in the history of Chicago theater. Joe also produced and starred in a spin-off of the show, Joey N' Gina's Wedding, which premiered in London's West End and ran for a year.
In the 2000s, Joe and his brother opened the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA),a multi-venue entertainment complex that features a school of music, a casting center, acting programs for all ages, and extensive community outreach programs. The CCPA has sponsored and produced over 200 original productions, classic plays, and musicals, and has housed films such as The Lake House, Stranger Than Fiction, and Stolen Summer.
Joe has also acted in several films, including The Watcher, Back by Midnight, The Order, Top of the World, Submarines, and Hard Cash. In 2001, he directed Charlton Heston and his wife Lydia in the Broadway hit Love Letters. Joe has also directed and acted in several productions at the CCPA, including Bolingbroke in Richard II, The Narrator in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Thomas Mara in Miracle on 34th Street, and Weston in Curse of The Starving Class.
In 2006, Joe teamed up with John Malkovich and his company Mr. Mudd to produce the feature film Drunkboat, which was released theatrically in 2012. Joe also served as the film's music and story editor. In 2010, he starred alongside Josh Lukas in the thriller Little Murder, which is set for release in 2013. Joe is currently writing the screenplay for The Governor, which explores the downfall of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
