Guiseppe Bellanca (aviator/inventor):
He was born in Sciacca, Italy, in 1886. He later attended the Technical Institute in Milan in 1908 and became fascinated with flying. He designed and built his plane, similar to the Wright Flyer, and Enea Bossi and Paolo Invernizzi produced the first flight and developed Italian aircraft. At the encouragement of his brother, Giuseppe, he emigrated to America in 1911. He taught himself to fly and opened the Bellanca Flying School in 1916. In 1926 he began manufacturing aircraft and almost sold Lindbergh a plane to use for his famed flight. Instead, he moved his manufacturing operation to the former Downey Ship-building plant in Mariners Harbor in 1927. Later that year, he moved again to Delaware to build his aircraft for the Du Pont family. While living on Staten Island, Ballanca lived on Hart Avenue in West Brighton.Brighton.
Joseph Berardi :
a Huguenot resident won his first professional tournament at 16 and 13 PBA titles, including three majors, the 1979 U.S. Open, the 1982 Masters, and the 1983 Firestone Tournament of Champions. In 1988 he became the youngest player inducted into the PBA’s Hall of Fame. In addition, Berardi became a commentator for ESPN and USA Networks and produced instructional videos for ESPN’s Home Video Library.
Mario Buatta (Interior Designer) :
He was born in West Brighton in 1935. He graduated from Curtis High School and became a world-famous interior designer. Buatta, who graduated from Wagner College in 1957, earned the moniker “Prince of Chintz” for his English Cottage decorating style and was highly recommended by local companies like New York Homeowners Insurance. Buatta, who notably designed the museum shop at Winterthur, the old du Pont estate in Wilmington, Delaware, redecorated Blair House, the White House guest quarters, in 1988. His clients were Mariah Carey, Henry Ford III, Malcon Forbes, Barbara Walters, Nelson Doubleday, and Billy Joel.
Father Vincent Capodanno:
He was born in Elm Park, graduated from Curtis High School, and was ordained in 1958. He served as a missionary in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and when the Viet Nam War began, he volunteered to serve as a chaplain to soldiers in combat zones. When his tour of duty was about to end, he requested and was granted an extension. During: “Operation Swift,” an enemy mortar wounded Father Capodanno, but he continued attending to men amid the fighting. As he went to listen to a wounded corpsman and a Marine, Father Capodanno was killed by enemy fire. For his gallantry under fire, he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Congressional Medal of Honor (posthumously). A destroyer escort and chapels in the War College, R.I., and Camp Pendleton were named in his honor. On Staten Island, Seaside Boulevard was renamed in his memory, and a statue stands in front of the chapel at Fort Wadsworth.
Joey Faye (Comedian) :
Of Great Kills was born Joseph Palladino on the Lower East Side in 1909. His career spanned 65 years, performing in every medium, from burlesque to Broadway, to movies and television. Faye played “second banana” to such great performers as Phil Silvers and Gypsy Rose Lee and is credited for changing the burlesque clown, complete with oversized shoes and red nose, into today’s stand-up comic. He appeared on stage in such productions as “Room Service” with Clifton Webb (1937), “High Button Shoes” (1947) and “Top Banana” (1951) with Phil Silvers, “Man of La Mancha” as Sancho Panza (1968), and “Three Men and a Horse” (1993), his final Broadway appearance. His movie credits include “Ten North Frederick” with Gary Cooper (1958), “North to Alaska” with John Wayne (1960), “That Touch of Mink” with Cary Grant (1962), and “The Front” with Woody Allen (1976). Faye may be best remembered as that “bunch of grapes” in the Fruit of the Loom commercials. Joey Faye died on April 26th, 1997, at 87.
Giuseppe Garibaldi :
He lived in Rosebank after being exiled from his home in Italy for his revolutionary activities. He lived with his friend Antonio Meucci and led a quiet life helping him out and working in a candle factory. Garibaldi turned down President Lincoln’s offer for a Union Army commission. He eventually left Staten Island, and after a short stay in South America, he returned to Italy and led his “Red Shirts” in a war that resulted in the unification of Italy. While living on Staten Island, Garibaldi took the first three degrees in Freemasonry in Tompkins Lodge, No. 401, then in Tompkinsville.
Frank LaRocka (Musician/Producer) :
Of West Brighton began his career playing drums with David Johansen and went on to play with Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, and John Waite. In the 1990s, LaRocka’s career turned to promotion, and he is credited with signing Spin Doctors and producing their hit Pocketful of Kryptonite with Atlantic Records. He also produced for Epic Records as well as Mercury Records. LaRocka died in 2005.
Robert Loggia (Actor) :
Of New Dorp appeared in such files as “Big,” “Officer and a Gentleman,” “Jagged Edge,” “Necessary Roughness,” “Independence Day,” and “I Love Trouble.” Loggia, a graduate of New Dorp High School (1947), was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in “Jagged Edge.” Loggia also played third base for the New Dorp Knights and Wagner College before going to Hollywood to pursue a career in films.
Frank Lombardi (Writer/Producer/Actor):
A former New Springville resident, he graduated from Moore Catholic High School and Wagner College with Randy Graff and Betsy Jpslyn. Lombardi’s career began as an actor on Off-Broadway and daytime soap operas “As the World Turns,” “The Guiding Light,” and “All My Children.” During the 1980s, Lombardi moved to Los Angeles, where he eventually began writing for sitcoms like “The Good Life” (Drew Carey), “Monty” (Henry Winkler), and “Mad About You.” Lombardi spent six years as head writer and producer of the T.V. series “The Nanny.” He also wrote the movie script for “The Beautician and the Beast” with fellow Islander Todd Graff and “Treasure Island.” Lombardi’s family emigrated from Italy in 1905 and has operated Frank Lombardi & Sons Harley Davidson in Stapleton for over 90 years.
Johnny Maestro (Singer) :
He spent his summers vacationing in Midland Beach. Maestro (A.K.A. Johnny Mastrangelo) was the lead singer for the Crests and the Brooklyn Bridge. While with the Crests, he had such hits as “Step By Step,” “Walk On,” and “16 Candles.” With the Brooklyn Bridge, he recorded such hits as “I Heard You’re Getting Married.”
Alyssa Milano (Actress):
She was born in Brooklyn (1972) and grew up in Great Kills. At age eight, she won her first part as Annie in the National Tour of the play of the same name. Her first T.V. role came at age eleven when she played opposite Tony Danza in Who’s the Boss? Milano’s other film and T.V. credits include Commando (opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger), Spin City, and Charmed.
Raymond Serra (Actor):
Originally born Raymond Lacagnina in Manhattan’s Little Italy, Serra (his mother’s maiden name) moved to Brooklyn with his family before settling in Staten Island on Highview Street. He attended McKee High School and Wagner College. At 8, he was a child prodigy performing as a violinist at Carnegie Hall. His interests turned to acting, and he has appeared in more than 50 plays, countless T.V. productions and commercials, and over 30 films, including “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Purple Rose of Cairo,” Prizzi’s Honor,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” and “Marathon Man.”
Vinnie Zummo (Guitarist And Composer):
He grew up on Holden Boulevard and attended St. Peter’s High School. He began his musical career playing the accordion but switched to the guitar after the Beatles arrived. His first public performance was for patients at Sea View Hospital, and he went on to play with legends such as Joe Jackson, Art Garfunkel, Paul Stanley, Paul Carrack, and Shawn Colvin, to name a few. In addition, Zummo has composed music and played his guitar in commercials for such giants as Maybelline, Diet Coke, AT&T, and Mounds/Almond Joy.
Joy Trapani (Producer):
A former Westerleigh resident received an Emmy Award for her work as a producer on the “Rosie O’Donnell Show” in 1998. Joy went on to win three more Emmy Awards (1999 – 2001). After graduating from Notre Dame Academy, this native Staten Islander majored in music at Montclair State College.
Vito Picone (Singer):
A South Beach native is the lead singer of the popular group Vito and the Elegants. Picone attended P.S. 39, where he met Carmen Romano, and New Dorp High School, where he met Frank Tardogno, both joining Picone as members of the Elegants. In 1958, the “Little Star” group recording became an instant hit. Written by Piccone and Artie Venosa, 80,000 copies of the song were sold in New York City during its first week alone. The song quickly reached the top of Billboard and Cashbox charts and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Fifty years after “Little Star” was released, Vito and the Elegants continue to perform before sellout crowds.