TODAY

Tony Danza

Perhaps best known for starring on some of television's most beloved and long-running series, including "Taxi" (1978-1983) and "Who's the Boss" (1984-1992), Tony Danza has also established himself as a stage and screen star, and is indisputably one of America's most popular performers.

Most recently, Tony took on his most challenging and rewarding role yet - teaching 10th grade English at Philadelphia's Northeast High School. His amazing experience working as a real teacher was taped and will air on A&E later this year in the form of a seven part special series, entitled TEACH.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Danza received a wrestling scholarship to the University of Dubuque in Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in History Education, a degree he didn't actually get the opportunity to put to use professionally until this year. Discovered at a boxing gymnasium in New York, Danza was ultimately cast in the critically acclaimed series "Taxi," earning him a place in television history, and sending his life down a road far from teaching. He followed Taxi with a starring role in the classic ABC comedy series "Who's the Boss?", which ran for eight seasons.

Eventually Tony explored his love for the stage, and amongst his many stage credits is his exciting run on Broadway in Mel Brooks hit musical "The Producers" playing 'Max Bialystock' (2006-2007), and his reprise of the role in the Las Vegas production at Paris Las Vegas (2007). For his theatrical debut in "Wrong Turn at Lungfish" (1993), he earned an Outer Critic's Circle Award nomination. Other stage credits include the critically acclaimed "The Iceman Cometh", opposite Kevin Spacey, Arthur Miller's Tony Award-winning play "A View From The Bridge", and "I Remember You."

In 2008, Tony and his son, Marc, saw their Father-Son Cookbook, "Don't Fill Up On the Antipasto," released to great success. In the book, Tony and Marc present memories of their huge, Italian-American clan along with secret family recipes.

Amongst Tony's other television experience is his role as attorney Joe Celano on the CBS dramatic series "Family Law" (2000-2002), opposite a stellar ensemble cast including Kathleen Quinlan, Chris McDonald and Dixie Carter; his Emmy nominated performance on David E. Kelley's award-winning series "The Practice"(1998), and ABC's "The Tony Danza Show," a talk show that blended celebrity interviews, human-interest stories, cooking and audience participation, and was broadcast live in New York from 2004-2006. He also starred in and executive produced the ABC comedy series "Hudson Street", NBC's "The Tony Danza Show", and hosted the 2001 "Miss America Pageant," the 2003 "People's Choice Awards", and the

2008 season of "The Contender", produced by Mark Burnett Productions and Dreamworks Televison.

Tony had the much loved honor of hosting Saturday Night Live twice throughout his career, first in 1986 and again in 1989, when he was a part of the popular SNL sketch, "Da War Of Da Woilds", starring himself, and SNL cast members Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Nora Dunn, Kevin Nealon, and Jon Lovitz.

Amongst Tony's big screen credits are his roles in Walt Disney's "Angels in the Outfield" with Danny Glover, "She's Out Of Control," "The Hollywood Knights" and "A Brooklyn State of Mind".

Tony spent much of the last ten years touring with his live act, most recently showcasing the newest version of his song and dance show with stops in New York, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Las Vegas, California and Florida among other locations.

In 2003, Tony released his debut music album, "The House I Live In", which included his well-received single of the same name, which Billboard Magazine named as the adult contemporary pick of the week upon it's release. The album includes Danza's versions of many of the classics with which he grew up, including "That's All," "Pennies from Heaven," "Goodnight My Love," "I'll Be Seeing You" and a compelling version of "Little Child" (Daddy Dear), sung with his daughter, Emily.

Danza resides in New York and Los Angeles.

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