Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (November 10, 1948 - December 26, 2005) was a noted American character actor known for his work in film and on television.
Schiavelli was born into a Sicilian-American family in Brooklyn, New York. He studied acting through the Theater Program at New York University and began working on the stage in the 1960s.
He first appeared on film in 1971, in Milos Forman's Taking Off. His aptitude and distinctive appearance soon gave him a steady career in supporting roles, particularly in many of Forman's future projects. His first television work came in 1972, as a minor character in The Corner Bar. Other television credits include Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a regular guest spot on Cheers.
Schiavelli's well known movie roles include biology teacher Mr. Vargas in the 1982 hit comedy movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which he reprised in the film's 1980s television spin-off series, "Fast Times". His role as a "subway ghost" in the hit 1990 drama Ghost won him much critical acclaim, as the character, although minor, noticeably stood out with viewers. He also appeared in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.
Schiavelli appeared in over fifty films in total and continued to collaborate with Milos Forman, having appeared in a strong supporting role in his 1999 biopic of Andy Kaufman, Man on the Moon.
Having a respected Sicilian chef for a grandfather rubbed off on Vincent Schiavelli, as he was also the author of a number of cookbooks and food articles for magazines and newspapers. He received a James Beard Foundation Journalism Award in 2001 and was nominated on a number of other occasions.
In addition, he was the honorary co-chair of the National Marfan Foundation, an organization which serves those affected by Marfan Syndrome.
He was married to actress Allyce Beasley from 1985 until their divorce in 1988. In 1992, he married musician Carol Mukhalian.
He succumbed to lung cancer in 2005, passing away at his home in Sicily.