Concetta D'Agnese

Concetta D'Agnese is the birth name of Connie Danese. 'Concetta' did not fit the image of a kid with curly red hair and green eyes. When working professionally as a young teenager, a casting director said her name sounded like someone's grandmother and in fact, was her grandmother's name. Back in the 1960's actors were encouraged to change "ethnic" names so they wouldn't be typecast and could play many different roles. Voila! Concetta D'Agnese became "Connie Danese" . Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., "Connie Danese" began her acting career as one of two children cast in the Off-B'way Children's Fine Arts Guild Repertory Company. In N.Y. her musical theatre credits include: Hot September (Broadway musical version of "Picnic" directed by Joshua Logan), Hallelujah Baby (with Diana Sands), No, No, Nanette (with June Allyson and Judy Canova directed by Burt Shevelove), Anything Goes (as Reno Sweeney), Irene (as Jane Burke and u.s. Nancy Dussault), The Boyfriend (opposite Joan Bennett), Ionescapade (World Premiere directed by Robt. Allen Ackerman), and as Fanny Brice in the Las Vegas production of Funny Girl where she was proudly nominated as AGVA award's Most Promising Newcomer (along with Liza Minnelli and Ann-Margret). Her many plays include: The Contrast (Off-Broadway World Premiere directed by Anthony Stimac), Born Yesterday, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Come Blow Your Horn, Two For The Seesaw, Everybody Loves Opal (with Martha Raye), There's A Girl in my Soup (with Van Johnson), Catch Me If You Can (went "on" for Jane Russell). Following a robust theatre career in N.Y. she moved to Los Angeles and was soon cast in Fathers & Sons (as the Madam opposite Richard Chamberlain and u.s. to Dixie Carter) and the World Premiere of Murray Schisgal's play Cry of War - a play based on his life. Shisgal personally cast Danese in the challenging role of his mother, portraying her from the age of 25-85. Many LA theatre credits include: Lily St. Regis in Annie at the Shubert Theatre and Adelaide opposite Jack Jones in Guys and Dolls. Danese covered and went on for Ellen Greene in Little Shop of Horrors and starred as Amazon Mom in Tanzi at the Roxy produced by John Wells. Her TV sitcom career includes: The Facts of Life (with Charlotte Rae), George Burns Comedy Week, It's a Living, and Who's The Boss (opposite Tony Danza). Tv drama and film roles beckoned. She was cast opposite Carol Burnett in the mini-series, Fresno, Columbo (with Peter Falk), New Rockford Files (opposite James Garner), Hart to Hart (with Stephanie Powers) and as Toya in Star Trek. Danese Guest Starred on NYPD Blue, Murder She Wrote (opposite Angela Lansbury), ER, The Practice and the final episode of Diagnosis Murder (opposite Dick Van Dyke). As Concetta D'Agnese, she was flown to Israel to Guest Star in the hit tv series VIP produced by David Mandil. Her film roles include supporting leads in Younger & Younger (opposite Donald Sutherland, Lolita Davidovich and Brendan Fraser), Groucho opposite Gabe Kaplan (directed by John Bowab), I Love Trouble (with Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte), Meet Wally Sparks (with Rodney Dangerfield), King Cobra, Child of Satan (with Eric Roberts), and Society, a horror cult favorite, directed by Brian Yuzna with the incomparable "Screaming Mad George" as special effects artist. Her career as a columnist began when she created "Connie Chats" -- a metaphysical look at the business -- in N.Y.'s weekly trade paper, Backstage. After moving to Los Angeles, Danese was tapped to write her column for Show Biz West Magazine. It later became a popular staple of the west coast weekly trade paper, Drama-Logue. She eventually covered opening nights (including red carpet events) and conducted extensive interviews with producers, directors, casting directors and celebrities for the Los Angeles Stage Times magazine. Although her name was legally changed to Connie Danese, she has "matured" back to using her birth name, Concetta D'Agnese, professionally. Her popular Podcast: "Concetta Cues Women of a Lovely Age" debuted in 2023 on all sites + Youtube.