Nicholas Pileggi

Nicholas Pileggi
David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0 · source
Name	Nicholas Pileggi
Birth date	February 22, 1933
Occupation	Writer, journalist, screenwriter

Nicholas Pileggi is a renowned American writer, journalist, and screenwriter, best known for his work on Martin Scorsese's films, including Goodfellas and Casino. Born on February 22, 1933, Pileggi's life has been marked by a fascination with the world of organized crime, which has been a recurring theme in his writing, as seen in the works of Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. His collaborations with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci have resulted in some of the most iconic films in the American film industry, including Raging Bull and The Godfather. Pileggi's writing has also been influenced by the works of Gay Talese and Norman Mailer.

● Early Life and Education

Nicholas Pileggi was born in New York City to a family of Italian-American descent, and grew up in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan. He attended Xavier High School and later enrolled in Pace University, where he studied English literature and developed an interest in journalism, inspired by the works of Ernest Hemingway and Dorothy Kilgallen. Pileggi's early life was also influenced by the Italian-American culture of New York City, which would later become a significant theme in his writing, as seen in the works of Leonard Kastle and Sidney Lumet. After graduating from Pace University, Pileggi began his career as a journalist, working for New York Magazine and Esquire, where he wrote about crime and politics, often drawing on the experiences of Frank Serpico and Rudy Giuliani.

● Career

Pileggi's career as a writer and journalist spanned several decades, during which he wrote for numerous publications, including The New York Times and The New Yorker. His work often focused on the world of organized crime, and he became known for his in-depth profiles of mafia figures, such as John Gotti and Salvatore Gravano. Pileggi's writing also explored the intersection of crime and politics, as seen in his coverage of the Watergate scandal and the Iran-Contra affair. His collaborations with Martin Scorsese resulted in some of the most iconic films of the American film industry, including Goodfellas and Casino, which starred Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone. Pileggi's work has also been influenced by the French New Wave and the films of Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.

● Notable Works

Some of Pileggi's most notable works include Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family, a book that explores the life of Henry Hill, a mafia informant, and Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, a book that delves into the world of organized crime in Las Vegas. Pileggi's work on Goodfellas and Casino earned him numerous awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. His writing has also been praised by critics, including Roger Ebert and Pauline Kael, who have compared his work to that of Elmore Leonard and Dashiell Hammett. Pileggi's notable works have also been influenced by the film noir genre and the works of Billy Wilder and Fritz Lang.

● Personal Life

Pileggi is married to Nora Ephron, a renowned American journalist and screenwriter, with whom he has two children, Jacob Bernstein and Max Bernstein. The couple's marriage was marked by a deep love of literature and film, and they often collaborated on writing projects, including the screenplay for Sleepless in Seattle. Pileggi's personal life has also been influenced by his friendships with Woody Allen and Mike Nichols, with whom he has worked on numerous projects, including Annie Hall and The Graduate. Pileggi's love of jazz music and Italian cuisine has also been a significant part of his personal life, and he has often written about these topics in his work, drawing on the experiences of Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra.

● Awards and Legacy

Throughout his career, Pileggi has received numerous awards and nominations for his work, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for Goodfellas. He has also won several Writers Guild of America awards and has been nominated for Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Pileggi's legacy as a writer and journalist has been recognized by the American Film Institute, which has honored him with a Life Achievement Award. His work has also been praised by critics and scholars, who have compared his writing to that of Graham Greene and George Orwell. Pileggi's influence can be seen in the work of David Chase and The Sopranos, as well as in the films of Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. Category:American writers