Anthony Borgese (born October 1, 1938), better known by his stage name Tony Darrow, is an American actor. He is known for his roles in Goodfellas, Bullets Over Broadway, The Sopranos, and others.

Early life

Darrow was born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn. As a teenager, he gravitated towards show business, entering and winning talent shows while working odd jobs.

Career

After ten years of singing in nightclubs, Darrow received an offer to appear in Street Trash in which he played a mobster. Several months after Street Trash, Darrow was contacted by the film director Martin Scorsese. It turned out that Scorsese had seen Street Trash and wanted him to audition for a role in Goodfellas. He was successful and was cast as the owner of the Bamboo Lounge, Sonny. Darrow was also in the Woody Allen films Bullets over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite, Deconstructing Harry, Small Time Crooks and Sweet and Lowdown.

In 1999, Darrow played a large role in Analyze This with Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal. Later the same year, he appeared in Mickey Blue Eyes with Hugh Grant and secured another role as mobster Larry Barese in the HBO hit series The Sopranos (1999–2007). More recently, Darrow starred in the independent film Lynch Mob.

Personal life

In June 2009, Darrow was charged with extortion in a 2004 incident. Along with Gambino crime family soldier Joseph "Joey Boy" Orlando and associate Giovanni "Johnny" Monteleone, Darrow was accused of ordering the maiming of a man in Monticello, New York, who owed money to a loan shark. Darrow and Orlando both pleaded guilty in federal court to these charges in February 2011, in exchange for a sentence of up to 33 months. However, Monteleone cooperated with the FBI. At sentencing, Darrow's attorney successfully argued that Darrow's history of community service, medical condition, and lack of prior criminal history warranted a sentence of house arrest, followed by a period of probation. Orlando was sentenced to 51 months in prison and Darrow received six months of house arrest.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links