Dominic Chianese (born February 24, 1931) in Bronx, New York, is an Italian-American actor and performer. One of his most famous roles is that of Soprano family patriarch Uncle "Junior" Soprano on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos, a role that netted him two Emmy Award nominations.
Chianese worked as a bricklayer with his father and attended night school during the 1950s, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Speech and Theater from Brooklyn College in 1961. His earliest stage work occurred in 1952 with a Gilbert and Sullivan repertory company of singers, actors and musicians called The American Savoyards, under the direction of Dorothy Raedler.
After a decade of doing theatre, both in college and off broadway shows, Chianese attended his first professional acting class at HB Studios, with renowned teacher Walt Witcover in Manhattan. Acting became Chianese's passion, along with musical theater. His first Broadway show was Oliver in 1965. Since then he has worked at regional, off Broadway and on Broadway all through the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. To supplement income in the 'dry' periods, he sang and played rhythm guitar in saloons and restaurants. Chianese's first television credit was due to George C. Scott recommending him for his acclaimed series East Side, West Side. In 1974, Francis Ford Coppola cast him as "Johnny Ola" in The Godfather, Part II, which set a movie career in motion, culminating with several movies (and plays) with Al Pacino.
Before getting the call for Godfather II, Chianese was working for the Drug Commission of New York State as a recreational worker in a rehab center. He was teaching guitar to women who were serving time for drug-related crimes.
Chianese is a talented musician, having released a CD (fittingly titled "Hits") in 2000, where he sings American and Italian songs. He even performed Salvatore Cardillo's sentimental classic Core 'ngrato ("Ungrateful Heart"), on the third-season finale of The Sopranos.
