Lead and character player who began his career on TV in the 1970s and achieved his movie breakthrough in "The Idolmaker" (1982), Taylor Hackford's stinging look at exploitation in the music business. Sharkey has appeared in several Paul Mazursky films, notably as Phil D'Amico in the engaging "Willie and Phil" (1980). He excelled in tough, urban roles and is known for his role as mob boss Sonny Steelgrave in the popular TV series, "Wiseguy".
Family
-
Daughter: Cecelia Bonnie Sharkey. born on March 25, 1989; mother, Carole Graham
-
Mother: Cecelia Sharkey. raised son as a single parent with assistance from her parents
Significant Others
-
Companion: Ornella Muti. had relationship when they acted together in Love and Money in 1981
Education
-
HB Studio, New York, New York
Milestones
-
1973 In November, moved to L.A.
-
1976 Film acting debut in Hot Tomorrows (American Film Institute graduate film directed by Martin Brest)
-
1977 Appeared in the unsold CBS pilot Best Friends
-
1978 Garnered attention for performance as a killer in Who ll Stop the Rain
-
1979 Cast as an Alan Ginsberg-like poet in Heart Beat
-
1980 Starred with Margot Kidder and Michael Ontkean in the triangular romantic film Willie and Phil
-
1981 Breakthrough screen role as The Idolmaker
-
1981 Had title role of a paraplegic in the CBS drama The Ordeal of Bill Carney
-
1987 Offered memorable turn as the mobster Sonny Steelgrave in the CBS drama Wiseguy
-
1989 Played the famed Chicago gangster in the NBC telepic The Revenge of Al Capone
-
1991 Headlined the ABC sitcom Man in the Family ; aired for seven episodes during the summer
-
1992 Last TV-movie In the Line of Duty: Street War (NBC)
-
1994 Last feature film, Urban Crossfire
-
1995 Final screen appearance in the documentary, Stephen Verona: Self Portrait
-
After seeing the Broadway production of Hair at age 17, decided to become an actor
-
Raised in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, New York
-
Studied acting in NYC and appeared in Off-Off-Broadway plays