Tony Danza Biography
Date of Birth: April 21, 1951
Born in Brooklyn, New York to sanitation worker Matty Iadanza and bookkeeper Anne Iadanza, Anthony Salvatore Iadanza was one of five siblings. At the age of 14, Anthony’s family moved to Malverne, Long Island where he attended Malverne High School. A smart and athletic student, when Anthony graduated in 1969 he went on to the University of Dubuque on a wrestling scholarship. In 1970, Anthony married his high school sweetheart Rhonda Yeoman and they had two sons, but they divorced four years later. In 1973, Anthony received a bachelors degree in history education but did not have his heart set on teaching. He wanted to become a boxer.
With a professional boxing career in mind, Anthony changed his name to "Dangerous" Tony Danza and in 1975, entered in New York Golden Gloves. After making it to the semi-finals, Tony competed the next year and made it to the finals but lost. Tony turned professional in August 1976 and was a crowd favorite for his slugging style of boxing.
In 1977, Tony was working out at the gym when a television producer discovered him for the part of ex-boxer Tony Banta in the TV series Taxi. Despite his television success, Tony still wanted to become a world champion boxer. After trying for the title shot one more time and not succeeding, Tony decided to retire from boxing and focus solely on acting.
When Taxi ended in 1983, Tony landed the lead role of Tony Micelli on the television sitcom Who’s the Boss? This show was also a success, running eight seasons until 1994. When the show ended, Tony tried returning to television twice with sitcoms Hudson Street and The Tony Danza Show, but each lasted only one season.
Making another comeback, Tony starred on The Practice in 1998, which earned him an Emmy nomination. He also starred in a popular TV drama Family Law, which ran from 2000 to 2003. After this ended, Tony took a shot at his own talk show, called The Tony Danza Show, which lasted two years.
In 1993, Tony made his stage debut in a production of Wrong Turn at Lungfish. He also performed in the Broadway adaptation of A View From the Bridge, his own solo cabaret show, and from 2006 to 2007 took on the role as Max Bialystock in the Broadway production of The Producers.
Tony has also starred in several movies on the big screen and TV, including playing opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson in Don Jon (2013). He directed five episodes of Who’s the Boss and produced several other TV movies and shows.
Filmography:
Aftermath (2013)Don Jon (2013)
The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone (2009)
The Whisper (2004)
Crash (2004)
A Brooklyn State of Mind (1998)
Glam (1997)
The Girl Gets Moe (1997)
Illtown (1996)
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
She's Out of Control (1989)
Cannonball Run II (1984)
Going Ape! (1981)
The Hollywood Knights (1980)