Ray Liotta
Born	December 18, 1954 (1954-12-18) (age 52) Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Awards Emmy Awards Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series 2005 ER

Ray Liotta[1] (pronounced Lee-oh-ta) (born December 18, 1954) is an Emmy Award winning & Golden Globe-nominated American actor. He is well known for his roles in the films Something Wild, Field of Dreams, Goodfellas, Cop Land, Narc, and Smokin' Aces.

Biography

Early life

Liotta was born in Newark, New Jersey and was adopted at age six months by Alfred Liotta, the president of a local Democratic club, and Mary, an appointed township clerk. Both of his adoptive parents unsuccessfully ran for local office. Despite his surname, he is not of Italian descent;[2] his last name was changed to Liotta after his adoption. In 1973, he graduated from Union High School in Union, New Jersey. In 1992, he was inducted into their Hall of Fame. While living in Union, Ray briefly worked at an A & P supermarket. Liotta studied acting at the University of Miami, where he performed at the university's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre.

Career

He is well known for having skin the texture of a "decorative Autumn squash." One of Liotta's earliest roles was as Joey Perrini on the daytime program Another World. He appeared on the show from 1978 to 1981. In 1987, he earned a Golden Globe nomination[3] for his portrayal of a volatile ex-con in Jonathan Demme's film Something Wild (1986) In 1990, Liotta portrayed real-life mobster Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's film Goodfellas. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

In addition to his film roles, Liotta provided the voice of Tommy Vercetti for the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. (When asked why he lent his voice to the video game, he bluntly replied, "I did it for the money." [citation needed]) He also narrated Inside the Mafia for the National Geographic Channel. In 2005, Liotta had a memorable guest appearance on the television drama ER playing Charlie Metcalf in the episode Time of Death. The role earned him an Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series". He starred in the 2006 CBS television series Smith, which was pulled from the schedule after only three episodes had aired. He later appeared in Smokin' Aces, portraying an FBI agent named Donald Carruthers in one of the lead roles.

Liotta will appear in the movie Battle on Seattle in the role of the city mayor and in Hero Wanted playing a detective alongside Cuba Gooding Jr.. He will also appear in Crossing Over, co-starring Sean Penn and Harrison Ford. He is currently filming Night Job with Mickey Rourke.

Personal life

Liotta married actress Michelle Grace in February 1997. They met on the set of the television movie The Rat Pack, in which Liotta played Frank Sinatra and Grace played Judy Campbell. Their daughter, Karsen, was born in December 1998. The couple divorced in 2004. Liotta currently resides in Pacific Palisades, California and is dating actress Catherine Hickland.

On February 17, 2007, Liotta was arrested in the Highlands of Pacific Palisades after crashing his Cadillac Escalade into two parked cars on Palisades Drive, approximately one-half mile from his residence on Chastain Parkway. He was charged with a misdemeanor DUI. Liotta was released on $15,000 bail and a court date will be planned for March 2007. Liotta was alone in his car, and no one was injured in the crash.[4] [5]

Quotes

"I've only seen Goodfellas three times. The first time I didn't even feel like I was in it. I was numb and overwhelmed by it all. I was looking at what they did with the camera. By the third time I got a feel for it. But to this day when it's on TV or something… I don't watch myself. Some actors can do that, but I cannot. I don't think you can be objective."
      -Liotta in a March 2007 Interview with Maxim [6]

Partial filmography

• The Lonely Lady (1983), Joe Heron
• Something Wild (1986), Ray Sinclair
• Dominick and Eugene (1988), Eugene 'Gino' Luciano
• Field of Dreams (1989), Shoeless Joe Jackson
• Goodfellas (1990), Henry Hill
• Article 99 (1992)
• Unlawful Entry (1992), Officer Pete Davis
• Corrina, Corrina (1994), Manny Singer
• No Escape (1994), Captain J.T. Robbins
• Operation Dumbo Drop (1995), Captain T.C. Doyle
• Turbulence (1997), Ryan Weaver
• Cop Land (1997), Gary 'Figgsy' Figgis
• Phoenix (1998)
• The Rat Pack (1998) (TV), Frank Sinatra
• Muppets From Space (1999), Gate Guard
• Hannibal (2001), Paul Krendler
• Heartbreakers (2001), Dean Cumanno
• Blow (2001), Fred Jung
• The Hire: Ticker (2001), FBI Agent
• Narc (2002), Detective Lt. Henry Oak
• John Q (2002), Chief Gus Monroe
• Point of Origin (2002), John Orr/Aaron
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), voice of Tommy Vercetti
• Identity (2003), Rhodes
• Control (2004), Lee Ray Oliver
• Revolver (2005), Dorothy Macha
• Comeback Season (2006), Walter Pearce
• In the Name of the King (2006), Gallian
• Smokin' Aces (2007), Donald Carruthers
• Wild Hogs (2007), Jack Del Fuego
• Slow Burn (2007), Ford Cole
• Battle in Seattle (2007), Mayor Jim Tobin

Footnotes

External links

• Ray Liotta at the Internet Movie Database.
• Ray Liotta at the Notable Names Database.
• University of Miami: Famous Alumni.
• Fan Appreciation