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Jack Scalia

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Jack Scalia
Born
Giacomo Tomaso Tedesco

(1950-11-10) November 10, 1950 (age 74)
Occupation(s)Actor, producer, model
Years active1981–present
Spouse(s)Joan Rankin
(m. 19??; div. 19??)
(m. 1987; div. 1996)
Children2

Jack Scalia (born November 10, 1950) is an American actor. Scalia is perhaps best known for his frequent appearances in prime-time television series (both as a regular and as a guest-star) and television movies in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as feature films.

Early life

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Scalia was born Giacomo Tomaso Tedesco in Brooklyn, New York City, of Italian and Irish descent.[1] His father was former Brooklyn Dodger Rocky Tedesco.[2] His parents divorced and when his mother remarried his name was changed to Scalia.[3] In 1969 he graduated from Brentwood High School on Long Island.[4] He was drafted third by the Montreal Expos in 1971 as a pitcher. He was injured and never played in the Major Leagues.[5]

Acting career

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He began his career as a clothes model, most notably in a series of ads for Eminence briefs and Jordache jeans, both of which capitalized on his "beefcake" appeal. In 1982, to promote his TV series, The Devlin Connection, Scalia took off his shirt and posed, cigarette in hand, for a pin-up wall poster.

Scalia was a regular cast member during the final season of Remington Steele in 1987, after which he joined the cast of Dallas in the role of Nicholas Pearce, love interest to Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray). Scalia's character was killed off at the end of the 1987–1988 season when he fell to his death after being pushed from a balcony during a fight with J. R. Ewing (Larry Hagman). He returned to the series finale in a dream sequence in which he was married to Sue Ellen.

From 1989 to 1990 he starred in another TV series, the CBS crime drama Wolf.

In 1992 Scalia was cast as Detective Nico "Nick" Bonetti in the short-lived television series Tequila and Bonetti. Scalia replaced another actor in the role during production of the show's first episode. Eight years later, in 2000, Scalia reprised the role of Bonetti in a revival of the series, which was filmed and aired in Italy.

From 1994 to 1995 he starred in Pointman, a television series on the Prime Time Entertainment Network. He was an investment banker framed and convicted of fraud. When eventually cleared, Constantine "Connie" Harper becomes the owner of a Florida beach resort, Spanish Pete's, and aids people in need with the use of former prison mates and "the list".

Scalia is also known for his role as Chris Stamp on All My Children from 2001 to 2003. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actor" for his AMC role in 2002. In 2006, Scalia starred as President Halstrom in The Genius Club[6] for writer/director Tim Chey.[7] The film is about seven geniuses who must try to solve the world's problems in one night.

Charity work

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Operation American Spirit

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In 2007 Scalia co-founded Operation American Spirit with Edra Blixseth. The charity was founded to raise awareness and funding for severely injured troops and their families. In a press conference Scalia stated he started the charity in hopes of raising one hundred million dollars for wounded veterans.[8]

The group organized two 1,500-mile bike rides which took place in 2007 and 2008. The rides took place along the West Coast and were intended to raise both awareness and charitable funds for wounded veterans. The tours made stops to interact with veterans at VA hospitals. The group claimed to have raised $88,937 in 2007 and $14,490 in 2008 according to tax filings, though no charitable recipients were ever revealed.[9] According to a July 3, 2011 report by the New York Post, the IRS revoked the tax-exempt status from the "9-11-01 Lest We Forget" charitable group for failing to file a tax return in its decade of existence. That same year the Operation American Spirit charity was suspended by California authorities because of lapses in paying taxes and fees.[10]

Scalia was not the financial chair of the non-profits and told the Post he "couldn't remember who received the money collected" by the fundraising effort. His lawyer, Dennis Holahan, mentioned two charities which benefited.[11] No legal recourse has been taken against Scalia, who has maintained his innocence. Co-founder and former billionaire Tim Blixseth, however, found himself in trouble with the law on projects outside of the charity.[12]

Coalition to Salute America's Heroes

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In 2009, while filming The Black Tulip, Scalia spent time visiting servicemen and women. Since then he has been a host or speaker for various events on different military bases. He is currently an ambassador for the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes.[13][14] The Coalition is a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to making the lives of wounded veterans returning home to be better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.[15]

Scalia continues to serve warriors everywhere, including participating in the 2016 Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Memorial Parade[16] and hosting the 105th birthday celebration for WWII veteran Ray Chavez.[17] Scalia met the 104-year-old Chavez on the USS Missouri in December 2016 when he hosted an event to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor (which included the governors of Hawaii and Arizona). After the event Scalia, 9/11 firefighter Joe Torrillo, and patriotic rocker Jeff Senour came up with the ultimate honor for Chavez. On March 11, 2017, more than 600 people were treated to a patriotic concert in Chavez' honor, as the oldest living Pearl Harbor veteran was showered with presents, a four-foot cake, letters from one sitting and four past U.S. Presidents, and an outpouring of love and national media attention.[18]

In a 2017 interview on Good Day New York, Scalia talked about his multiple tours to Mosul for humanitarian missions.[19]

Personal life

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He was previously married to former model Joan Rankin[20] and to 1982 Miss Universe Karen Baldwin, with whom he has two daughters.[21]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 The Star Maker Vince Martino TV movie
1982 The Devlin Connection Nick Corsello All 13 episodes
1983 High Performance Blue Stratton All 4 episodes
1984 Amazons Lieutenant Tony Monaco TV movie
1984 Fear City Nicky Parzeno Film
1985 Hollywood Beat Detective Nick McCarren All 14 episodes
1985 Berrenger's Danny Krucek All 11 episodes
1985 The Other Lover Jack Hollander TV movie
1986 Club Med O'Shea TV movie
1987 Remington Steele Tony Roselli main cast (season 5)
1987 I'll Take Manhattan Rocco Cipriani TV mini-series
1987–1991 Dallas Nicholas Pearce 29 episodes
1989–1990 Wolf Tony Wolf All 12 episodes
1990 The Rift Wick Hayes Film
1990 After the Shock Jack Thompson TV movie
1990 Donor Dr. Eugene Kesselman TV movie
1991 Deadly Desire Frank Decker TV movie
1991 Ring of Scorpio Richard Devereaux TV mini-series
1991 Runaway Father John Payton TV movie
1992 Tequila & Bonetti Detective Nick Bonetti All 11 episodes
1992 Illicit Behavior Mike Yarnell Film
1992 With a Vengeance Mike Barcetti TV movie
1992 Lady Boss Lennie Golden TV mini-series
1993 Casualties of Love: The "Long Island Lolita" Story Joey Buttafuoco TV movie
1993 Torch Song Mike Lanahan TV movie
1993 Amore! Saul Schwartz Film
1994 Shattered Image Brian Dillon TV movie
1994 Pointman Connie Harper TV movie
1994 Stalker: Shadow of Obsession Carvella TV movie
1994 Beyond Suspicion Detective Vince Morgan TV movie
1994 T-Force Lieutenant Jack Floyd Film
1995 Pointman Connie Harper All 22 episodes
1995 Tall, Dark and Deadly Roy Calvin TV movie
1995 Touched by an Angel Max Chamberlain Episode 2.09 "The Big Bang"
1995 P.C.H. Daniel St. Germain TV movie
1996 The Silencers Rafferty Film
1996 Storybook Brandon's Father Film
1996 Dark Breed Captain Nick Saxon Film
1996 Everything to Gain Detective Michael DeMarco TV movie
1997 Under Oath Nick Hollit Film
1997 Fired Up Frank Reynolds Episode 2.05 "Total Recall"
1998 Hell Mountain Garrett Film
1998 Sweet Deception Brett Newcomb TV movie
1998 Mel Bailey Silverwood Film
1998 The Last Leprechaun Henry Barridge Film
1998 Charades Barry Film
1998 Act of War Jack Gracy Film
1999 Follow Your Heart Scott Thompson Direct to video
1999 Silent Predators Max Farrington TV movie
2000 Ground Zero Michael Brandeis Film
2000 Tequila & Bonetti (Italian remake) Detective Nick Bonetti All 14 episodes
2001 Boys Klub The Boss Film
2001–2003 All My Children Chris Stamp 153 episodes
2002 Shattered Lies Captain Sterling Film
2003 Hollywood Wives: The New Generation Michael Scorsinni TV movie
2005 Red Eye Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Charles Keefe Film
2005 McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty? Marty Caine TV movie
2005 Taylor Mark Sullivan Film
2006 End Game The President Film
2006 Honeymoon with Mom Nick Tercel Film
2006 Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep Maxwell Odemus TV movie
2006 The Genius Club The President Film
2007 Finishing the Game Agent #1 Film
2007 Nuclear Hurricane Rusty TV movie
2008 Chicano Blood Detective Samuel Direct to video
2010 Black Widow Sean McMurphy Film
2010 The Black Tulip Colonel Williams Film
2012 Jersey Shore Shark Attack Sheriff Moretti TV movie
2012 Parks and Recreation Howard Kurtzwilder Episode 5.05 "Halloween Surprise"
2012 The Dog Who Saved the Holidays Tony Rowe TV movie
2013 The Thanksgiving House John Ross TV movie
2013 The Neighbors Suave Older Man Episode 2.09 "Thanksgiving is No Schmuck Bait"
2014 Revolution Bill Harlow Episode 2.10 "The Three Amigos"
2017–2018 Saints & Sinners Nicholas McGrail 4 episodes (2.01–3.08)
2020 Chronicle of a Serial Killer Captain Anderson Film

References

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  1. ^ "Jack Scalia: The Price of Fame". (January 1983). Movie Mirror, pp. 40-43.
  2. ^ Bret, David (2015). Rock Hudson: The Gentle Giant. Raleigh, North Carolina: Lulu Press, pg. 198. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  3. ^ Konner, Linda (January 1990). "Fox in Wolf's Clothing". Playgirl, pp. 28-31.
  4. ^ Ketcham, Diane (February 12, 1995). "About Long Island: At the Repository of High School Memories". The New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  5. ^ "1971 Montreal Expos Draft Picks". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
  6. ^ "The Genius Club movie site". Retrieved December 1, 2006.
  7. ^ "Tim Chey–film writer and director". Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  8. ^ TER Staff (November 18, 2009). "Exclusive: Jack Scalia and Operation American Spirit: Noble cause or charity gone bad that left U.S. war vets on the side of the road?". The Enterprise Report. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  9. ^ TER Staff (March 23, 2010). "Update: Jack Scalia and his charity Operation American Spirit: The Money Trail". The Enterprise Report. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  10. ^ Vincent, Isabel (July 3, 2011). "All My Children actor doesn't know what happened to money raised for 9/11 victims". New York Post. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  11. ^ Vincent, Isabel (July 17, 2011). "Vets rip actor's 'no-pay' charity". New York Post. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  12. ^ Fisher, Daniel (December 18, 2014). "Former Billionaire Tim Blixseth Jailed Over Missing Funds". Forbes. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  13. ^ "Jack Scalia". Coalition to Salute America's Heroes. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  14. ^ Staff (October 13, 2014). "San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer Announces 'Road to Recovery Week' for the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes at Kick-Off Reception on Oct. 4, 2014". PR Newswire. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  15. ^ "Mission". Coalition to Salute America's Heroes. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  16. ^ "The Parade". Official Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Parade and Public Ceremony. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  17. ^ Himchak, Elizabeth Marie (March 2, 2017). "Free concert on USS Midway to honor oldest Pearl Harbor survivor". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  18. ^ Beck, Catie (March 13, 2017). "Inspiring America: Ray Chavez, Oldest Living Pearl Harbor Vet, Turns 105". NBC Nightly News. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  19. ^ Kelly, Greg; Scotto, Rosanna; Scalia, Jack (May 2017). "Jack Scalia". Fox 5. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  20. ^ Manning, Barbara (November 11, 1985). "Jack Scalia Beats Drugs but Finds a Hit Series a Much Harder Habit to Come by". People. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  21. ^ "Jack Scalia Official Website". Archived from the original on August 1, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
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