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Born
August 24, 1956 and a native New Yorker Jeff’s childhood was
in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and Rosebank, Staten Island. The
offspring of Italian & Jewish parents (he later changed
his birth name of Lucchese to his mother’s maiden name of
Goldstein), he attended St. John’s Villa Academy in Staten
Island, and the famed Lafayette High School in Brooklyn. Lafayette
High School was the home to the original Sweat Hogs from “Welcome
Back Kotter”, and was scenery for the movie “Saturday Night
Fever” and “The French Connection”. Halfway
through high school Jeff, being a very independent teenager
flew to Los Angeles to stay with friends and attend West Torrance
High School. There he had his first taste of theater starring
in a high school production of “The Fantasticks”. |
He
then auditioned for a summer stock production of “The Music Man”,
and was cast as Marcellus Washburn.
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But Los Angeles had other influencing factors in Jeff’s
life. He became involved with a group of born again Christians,
and at 17 started “speaking in tongue,” preaching on the
Redondo Beach Pier. It wasn’t too long before Jeff became
bored and returned to New York, heavily hitting the club
scene of the mid 70’s. The Disco trend was hitting full
force, hustling was in and liquor ran freely. Too much for
Jeff one night, when, he fell asleep, drunk on the corner
of 44th & Broadway. He was awaken by a NYC Police Officer,
and with no immediate direction in his life he walked into
the Armed Forces Recruitment Center in the heart of Times
Square and joined the US Air Force.
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Jeff’s basic training took place at Lackland
Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was then stationed at
Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina as an Air Operations
Specialist.
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After
his time with the Air Force, Jeff headed back to NYC. At 28
Jeff took another move, this time to Albany in upstate NY,
where after working as a night auditor at a Hilton Hotel,
he returned to school and received a degree in Accounting.
Jeff started working various bookkeeping positions, including
Payroll TimeKeeper for Macys’ Albany, and as Assistant Payroll
Administrator for SYSCO Frosted Foods also in Albany. But
his theatrical roots came calling. He became involved with
Capital Rep, a well-know regional theater. From there he sprung
out to Albany Civic Theater, where he acted, directed, produced
& worked on numerous productions, for many seasons. He
was voted to the Board of Directors where he worked as Production
Designer and Box Office Treasurer. |
In
1996 at the age of 40, after 12 years in Albany, Jeff decided
to move back to NYC and pursue a professional acting career.
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first commercial SNET (Southern New England Telephone) gave
him entry to the Screen Actors Guild. Then it wasn’t to long
before he became eligible to join other performing arts unions.
AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association were next. In order to
“network” with other actors, Jeff started doing extra work
on many films & local TV productions such as: Saturday
Night Live, Spin City and for 2 seasons as a stand-in for
Vito on “The Sopranos”. Jeff currently resides in New York
City where he continues to pursue his dreams… and much more.
And now, as Jeff continues to work towards his Oscar, Tony,
Emmy, and yes Grammy, he embraces life, the city he lives
in and believe it or not…you. |
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Born:
Aug 24, 1956
Star Sign: Virgo
Favorite Movie: Swimming with Sharks, The
Haunting (original), House on Haunted Hill (original), I Want
To Live, Madame X, Chicago, Marty, Crimes of Passion, Sound
of Music, Peter Pan.
Favorite Actor: Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey
Favorite Actress: Meryl Streep, Holly Hunter
Favorite Book: Dreams Into Action by Milton
Katselas
Favorite Food: Italian, Chinese, French,
and Continental |
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