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Actor Joe Mantegna named NIAF Celebrity Spokesperson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org


(WASHINGTON, DC– June 4, 2002)

Actor Joe Mantegna at the NIAFActor Joe Mantegna, who portrayed a U.S. Supreme Court Justice in the CBS-TV series, First Monday, has been selected by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) to be the celebrity spokesperson for the non-profit Foundation.

“We are proud that Joe Mantegna, an accomplished actor who has associated with the organization for the past decade, has agreed to speak on behalf of our national organization, said NIAF Chairman Frank J. Guarini, ” ” His positive portrayal of Italian Americans through the character of Justice Novelli emphasized the importance we place on heritage and family values,” added Guarini.

“I am proud to be associated with an organization that has done so much for our young people and our heritage, ” said Joe Mantegna.

According to NIAF President Joseph R. Cerrell, who recently hosted Mantegna at the NIAF West Coast Gala in Los Angeles, “The positive portrayal of one’s heritage, family ties and strong values, which First Monday underscored, is a blueprint for the success of our youth.”

As NIAF Spokesperson, Mantegna will represent the organization at high-profile events as well as participate in a national public relations program to encourage greater sensitivity in the areas of ethnic stereotyping.

Joe Mantegna’s career comprises stage, screen and television. He received a Tony Award for his Broadway performance in “Glengarry Glen Ross” and an Emmy for “Bleacher Bums,” which he conceived and co-authored. In Hollywood, Mantegna’s feature film credits include Searching for Bobby Fisher, and An Eye for An Eye, and Woody Allen’s Alice and Celebrity, among many others. His television appearances include State of Emergency; A Call to Remember, Boy Meets Girl and The Rat Pack, for which he was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award.