Nicholas Pileggi

Nicholas Pileggi

Pileggi in New York City, 2010
Born (1933-02-22) February 22, 1933
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Producer, author, screenwriter
Years active 1989–present
Spouse(s) Nora Ephron (1987–2012; her death)
Parent(s) Nick Pileggi
Susan (Defaslo) Pileggi
Awards Best Adapted Screenplay
1990 Goodfellas

Nicholas Pileggi (born February 22, 1933) is an American producer, author and screenwriter.

Early life

Pileggi was born and raised in New York City, the son of first-generation Italian immigrants from Calabria, Susan (Defaslo) and Nick Pileggi, a cinema musician for silent films and later a shoe store owner.[1] [2] In the 1950s he worked as a journalist for Associated Press and New York magazine, specializing in the area of crime reporting for more than 30 years[3] that would provide the background upon which he later drew as a writer of factual books and fictional films related to the Mafia.[4]

Career

Pileggi began his career as a journalist and had a profound interest in the Mafia.[5] He is best known for writing Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family (1986), which he adapted into the movie Goodfellas (1990), and for writing Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas and the subsequent screenplay for Casino (1995). The movie versions of both were co-written and directed by Martin Scorsese.[6] Pileggi also wrote the screenplay for the fictional City Hall (1996), starring Al Pacino. He served as an Executive Producer of American Gangster (2007), a biographical crime film based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, and directed by Ridley Scott. He is also the author of Blye, Private Eye (1987).[7]

Pileggi cowrote the pilot of the CBS television series Vegas, which first aired in September 2012.[8]

Personal life

Pileggi was married to fellow author, journalist, and screenwriter Nora Ephron from 1987 until her death in 2012.[9] Pileggi lives in New York City.

Nicholas had a brother Frank who was married to Charlotte Moorman and lived on top of Video Oyster at 62 Pearl Street. Frank and Charlotte founded and ran the Annual Avant Garde Festival of New York.

Partial filmography

Year Film Role Notes / Awards Won
1990 Goodfellas[10] Screenplay / Book BAFTA – Best Screenplay – Adapted (1991) Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay
1994 Loyalty & Betrayal:The Story of the American Mob[11][12] Writer –
1995 Casino[13] Screenplay / Book –
1996 City Hall[14] Written By –
2007 Kings of South Beach[15] Written By / Producer –
2007 American Gangster[16] Executive Producer –
2016 The Godmother[17] Producer –

Books

References

  1. ↑ The Guardian - Nicholas Pileggi interbiew
  2. ↑ "Nicholas Pileggi Biography", Film Reference
  3. ↑ The Guardian - Nicholas Pileggi
  4. ↑ IMDB - Nicholas Pileggi
  5. ↑ Adams, Tim (February 2, 2013). "Nicholas Pileggi: the mob, Nora Ephron's death and Vegas". The Observer.
  6. ↑ Vlastelica, Ryan (September 18, 2015). "Goodfellas turned Wiseguy’s simple prose into cinematic gold". AV Club.
  7. ↑ "BLYE, PRIVATE EYE: The Real World of the Private Detective by Nicholas Pileggi | Kirkus Reviews". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  8. ↑ Adams, Tim (2013-02-03). "Nicholas Pileggi: the mob, Nora Ephron's death and Vegas". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  9. ↑ Adams, Tim (2013-02-03). "Nicholas Pileggi: the mob, Nora Ephron's death and Vegas". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
  10. ↑ IMDB: Casino
  11. ↑ Loyalty & Betrayal: The Story of the American Mob. 1994.
  12. ↑ Loynd, Ray (July 25, 1994). "'Loyalty and Betrayal': An Inside Look at the Mafia". Los Angeles Times.
  13. ↑ IMDB: Casino
  14. ↑ IMDB: City Hall
  15. ↑ IMDB - Nicholas Pileggi credits
  16. ↑ IMDB: American Gangster
  17. ↑ IMDB: The Godmother

External links

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