Biography

Nick Mancuso Biography
(2005)

Internationally recognized Canadian actor Nick Mancuso began his acting career in Toronto, Canada at the age of sixteen in 1964. Since then his wide ranging career which has spanned over 40 years of work in the profession of film, television and stage in Canada, Hollywood and Europe has seen him star in well over 80 movies, made for television M.O.W.’s and four television series including Stingray for N.B.C. in the mid 80’s.

In the early 70’s he was founding member of the initial movement that established the creation of several theatres including Canadian Stage, Tarragon, Factory Lab theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille. He has since appeared in over 80 plays throughout North America having worked with the likes of Tennessee Williams, Michael Ondajtee and Israel Horowitz.

In 1977 he starred in his first motion picture "Nightwing" for Columbia Pictures directed by Arthur Hiller and produced by Martin Ransohoff.

In 1982 he won the Genie for his performance in the cult classic "Ticket To Heaven" In that year the picture opened the Toronto International Film Festival. Three of his films have been inducted into the National Film Review in Washington D.C. as one of the Ten Best Pictures of the Year. The legendary critic Walter Kerr of the New York Times called Mancuso’s performance in Merchant of Venice at Stratford Ontario one of the best interpretations of the role of Bassanio in 250 years.

In the late 80’s the Los Angeles Times referred to Mancuso as "A Renaissance Man" and Kevin Thomas called his performance in "Ticket To Heaven" one of the best performances of the decade.

He has garnered acting awards in Canada, the U.S.A. and in Europe. He has worked in over 10 countries and in three languages having starred opposite legendary performers such as Sophia Loren, Catherine De Neuve and Charlton Heston. In Hollywood he has been called "an actors actor" and "one of the best" by icon producer Robert Evans, producer of "Chinatown" and "Love Story".

In 1983 he was invited to become an associate of the Actors Studio by co-chairman, actor, Martin Landau. During that period he was submitted for a Golden Globe and Oscar consideration.

He starred in Tri-Star’s first motion picture "Blame it On the Night" executive producer, Sydney Pollock and in the late 80's worked for Oliver Stone in the miniseries "Wild Palms" opposite Jim Belushi, Angie Dickinson and Robert Loggia.

In 1985, after working with Kim Bassinger in the film "Motherlode" he was invited by then president Charlton Heston to become a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which he refused on philosophic grounds.

In the early 90’s his series "Matrix", shot in Toronto and with Carrie Anne Moss was the first television series to be produced by the U.S.A Network.

In total his body of work includes well over 120 film projects and has worked for just about every major studio in Hollywood.

In 2000, after shooting the TV series "Call of the Wild" Mancuso moved back to Toronto to raise his son with his wife Nadia. During that period he wrote and starred in 3 plays at the Theatre Passe Muraille and Tarragon. In 2004 he directed his adaptation of "Duse" and filmed a pilot he wrote entitled "The Poets" and "Hotel Praha".

Mr. Mancuso is a published author and his new book entitled "Oedipus L.A. tres-mitos"is soon to be published by Guernica Press. He is also the inventor of the T.O.P. System, for acting and is currently writing several books, including "Acting For "Everyone", "Dairy of a Malibu Madman", "Hollywood Icon" and "College St Blues".

Mr. Mancuso is an associate of the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory in Santa Monica California. In his spare time Mr Mancuso, works with the homeless and has founded the "Homeless People Theatre". He is currently in rehearsal for a show he has written on love poetry (love in a land…), with singer songwriter ex-wife Barbara Williams which will open at the Promenade Playhouse in Los Angeles and is organizing another production of his theatrical/performance/soundscape – "In the domain of the ordinary" in Toronto. Currently he is shooting a picture he has authored entitled "The Dinner" with fellow Canadian actor Maury Chaykin, to be completed in Nov. 2005.

He has recently played opposite Chazz Palminteri and Usher in the soon to be released "Dying for Dolly" for Lions Gate and with Stephen Segal in "Today You Die".

Mancuso was born in Mammola, Italy and migrated at the age of 5 to Toronto in 1954. He spends his time between Malibu, California and his home in the Annex.

In the early 70’s he was founding member of the initial movement that established the creation of several theatres including Canadian Stage, Tarragon, Factory Lab theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille. He has since appeared in over 80 plays throughout North America having worked with the likes of Tennessee Williams, Michael Ondajtee and Israel Horowitz.

In 1977 he starred in his first motion picture "Nightwing" for Columbia Pictures directed by Arthur Hiller and produced by Martin Ransohoff.

In 1982 he won the Genie for his performance in the cult classic "Ticket To Heaven" In that year the picture opened the Toronto International Film Festival. Three of his films have been inducted into the National Film Review in Washington D.C. as one of the Ten Best Pictures of the Year. The legendary critic Walter Kerr of the New York Times called Mancuso’s performance in Merchant of Venice at Stratford Ontario one of the best interpretations of the role of Bassanio in 250 years.

In the late 80’s the Los Angeles Times referred to Mancuso as "A Renaissance Man" and Kevin Thomas called his performance in "Ticket To Heaven" one of the best performances of the decade.

He has garnered acting awards in Canada, the U.S.A. and in Europe. He has worked in over 10 countries and in three languages having starred opposite legendary performers such as Sophia Loren, Catherine De Neuve and Charlton Heston. In Hollywood he has been called "an actors actor" and "one of the best" by icon producer Robert Evans, producer of "Chinatown" and "Love Story".

In 1983 he was invited to become an associate of the Actors Studio by co-chairman, actor, Martin Landau. During that period he was submitted for a Golden Globe and Oscar consideration.

He starred in Tri-Star’s first motion picture "Blame it On the Night" executive producer, Sydney Pollock and in the late 80's worked for Oliver Stone in the miniseries "Wild Palms" opposite Jim Belushi, Angie Dickinson and Robert Loggia.

In 1985, after working with Kim Bassinger in the film "Motherlode" he was invited by then president Charlton Heston to become a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which he refused on philosophic grounds.

In the early 90’s his series "Matrix", shot in Toronto and with Carrie Anne Moss was the first television series to be produced by the U.S.A Network.

In total his body of work includes well over 120 film projects and has worked for just about every major studio in Hollywood.

In 2000, after shooting the TV series "Call of the Wild" Mancuso moved back to Toronto to raise his son with his wife Nadia. During that period he wrote and starred in 3 plays at the Theatre Passe Muraille and Tarragon. In 2004 he directed his adaptation of "Duse" and filmed a pilot he wrote entitled "The Poets" and "Hotel Praha".

Mr. Mancuso is a published author and his new book entitled "Oedipus L.A. tres-mitos"is soon to be published by Guernica Press. He is also the inventor of the T.O.P. System, for acting and is currently writing several books, including "Acting For "Everyone", "Dairy of a Malibu Madman", "Hollywood Icon" and "College St Blues".

Mr. Mancuso is an associate of the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory in Santa Monica California. In his spare time Mr Mancuso, works with the homeless and has founded the "Homeless People Theatre". He is currently in rehearsal for a show he has written on love poetry (love in a land…), with singer songwriter ex-wife Barbara Williams which will open at the Promenade Playhouse in Los Angeles and is organizing another production of his theatrical/performance/soundscape – "In the domain of the ordinary" in Toronto. Currently he is shooting a picture he has authored entitled "The Dinner" with fellow Canadian actor Maury Chaykin, to be completed in Nov. 2005.

He has recently played opposite Chazz Palminteri and Usher in the soon to be released "Dying for Dolly" for Lions Gate and with Stephen Segal in "Today You Die".

Mancuso was born in Mammola, Italy and migrated at the age of 5 to Toronto in 1954. He spends his time between Malibu, California and his home in the Annex.