Julius R. Nasso
Born (1952-10-19) October 19, 1952
Aspromonte, Calabria, Italy
NationalityItalian
American
Occupation(s)Film producer, pharmacologist, and businessman
Years active1974–present
Notable workNarc
Websitehttps://juliusnasso.com/

Julius R. Nasso (born October 19, 1952) is an Italian-American film producer, pharmacologist, and businessman.[1]

Personal life

Julius R. Nasso was born in a small village called Terranova, Calabria, Italy.[2] In 1976, Nasso graduated from St. John's University[1] with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy. He then earned an advanced Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Connecticut.[3]

On March 14, 2017, Nasso made headlines when two ponies belonging to him escaped from their barn during a snowstorm on Staten Island. The ponies, Blondie and Jewels, were quickly captured and returned to Nasso with the help of an off-duty police officer.[4] Nasso has also been former four-year chairman of The Harbour Lights Theater Group.[5]

Business career

Universal Marine Medical Supply Company (UMMSC)

Nasso established Universal Marine Medical Supply Company (UMMSC) in 1974 while attending college. UMMSC provides medical supplies, equipment, and services globally.[2][1][3]

Tishcon Corporation

In 1977, Nasso co-created the private label vitamin and health supplement manufacturing company Tishcon Corporation with his college pharmacy professor Dr. Satish Patel. In 1985, the company was sold to Cosmo Laboratories.[1]

Cabbage Patch Babyland

Nasso opened the Cabbage Patch Babyland General Hospital Store in 1978 to cash in on the global Cabbage Patch mania.[1]

Film career

Nasso's film career started in 1980 when he joined Sergio Leone as his personal assistant. He worked for Leone during the 1980 filming of Once Upon a Time in America in New York.[1][6][7]

Manhattan Pictures

Nasso co-founded Manhattan Pictures Intl., a Gotham-based motion picture distribution and production company, in his home city of New York, where he produced and released the films Enigma (2001) and In Praise of Love (2001).[2][3][8]

Julius R. Nasso Productions

He founded Julius R. Nasso Productions and made movies including Prince of Central Park (2000) and One-Eyed King (2001).[3][9][7]

Gambino the Rise

Nasso acquired the rights to the book Gambino: The Rise in 2020. After acquiring the rights, he has teamed up with the Academy Award–winning artists Nick Vallelonga (Green Book) and George Gallo (Midnight Run).[6]

Belafonte Arts and Media

Since 2006, Nasso has been Harry Belafonte's producer and contributed to a variety of works, including Sing Your Song (2011).[2] He has been involved with Harry Bellefonte's final documentary, Following Harry along with Frankie Nasso, Susanne Rostock as producers. While in Manhattan, Nasso co-founded and served as CO-CEO of Belafonte Arts and Media.[10][11][12]

Nasso's most recent protégé, Tony Schiena, who he met in London in 1998, costarred in Nasso's directorial debut Darc (2018).[2]

Nasso was involved in a six-year legal battle with his former longtime collaborator Steven Seagal after their business relationship ended in 2000. The two had been "best friends", according to Seagal, and formed Seagal/Nasso Productions together, but their relationship eventually became strained. Believing that Seagal owed him $3 million in compensation for backing out of a four-film deal, Nasso enlisted members of the Gambino crime family to threaten Seagal in an attempt to recoup money Nasso allegedly lost. Gambino family captain Anthony Ciccone first visited Seagal in Toronto during the filming of Exit Wounds in October 2000.[13] In January 2001, Primo Cassarino and other gangsters picked up Seagal by car to bring him to a meeting with Ciccone at a Brooklyn restaurant. At the meeting, Ciccone bluntly told Seagal that he had a choice of making four promised movies with Nasso or paying Nasso a penalty of $150,000 per movie. If Seagal refused, Ciccone would kill him.[14] Seagal, who later claimed that he brought a handgun to the meeting, was able to stall Ciccone and escape the meeting unharmed.[15] Ciccone and Cassarino again visited Seagal at his home in Los Angeles the following month.[16] In the spring of 2001, Seagal sought out another mobster, Genovese crime family captain Angelo Prisco, to act a "peacemaker". He visited Prisco in prison at Rahway, New Jersey, and paid Prisco's lawyer $10,000.[17]

On March 17, 2003, Cassarino, Ciccone and others were convicted of labor racketeering, extortion, and 63 other counts under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.[18] Seagal testified for the prosecution about the mobsters' extortion attempt.[19] Nasso pleaded guilty to the charge of extortion conspiracy in August 2003 and, in February 2004, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, fined $75,000 and ordered to take mental health counselling on release from jail.[20] He had been described by prosecutors as a mob associate.[17]

Nasso agreed to drop a $60 million lawsuit against Seagal for an alleged breach of contract when the two settled out of court in January 2008.[21]

Filmography

Awards and Achievements

For his contributions to culture in our borough, which include the creation of The Staten Island Film Festival, Nasso received Harbor Lights "Culture Award." He was also rewarded the term Board President for over five years of service to Harbor Lights. He also received 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Feder, Barnaby J. (November 20, 1991). "His Two Worlds Are Worlds Apart". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Faughnder, Ryan (March 18, 2014). "Beleaguered producer of martial arts movies hopes to strike gold again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Musbach, Julie. "Harbor Lights Theater Honors Steadfast Supporters at Show/Fundraiser". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  4. ↑ The Strange Connection Between These Runaway Ponies, the Mafia, and Steven Seagal Jack Holmes, Esquire (March 15, 2017)
  5. ↑ Musbach, Julie. "Harbor Lights Theater Honors Steadfast Supporters at Show/Fundraiser". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Vivarelli, Nick (May 26, 2022). "George Gallo, Nick Vallelonga Team on High-End 'Gambino' Film Produced by Julius Nasso (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Out for juice: Did mob try blackmailing Steven Seagal?". Chicago Tribune. July 17, 2002. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  8. ↑ Harris, Dana (January 16, 2001). "Nasso, Cohen make theirs Manhattan". Variety. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  9. ↑ Alpert, Lukas (March 20, 2002). "Film Star Seagal Sued for $60M".
  10. ↑ "Julius R. Nasso". Variety. June 24, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  11. ↑ Carey, Matthew (March 7, 2023). "At 96, Harry Belafonte Continues Fight For Social Justice, Stars In Upcoming Documentary 'Following Harry'". Deadline. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Fernandez, Jay A. (April 12, 2012). "Producers Julius R. Nasso and Todd Moyer Launch Wakefield International Pictures". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  13. ↑ Seagal Testifies, Explains His Ties to Mob Family Paul Lieberman, Los Angeles Times (February 12, 2003)
  14. ↑ Marzulli, John (February 10, 2003). "Seagal's mob terror Star to testify on scary date with gangsters". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  15. ↑ Gendar, Alison (March 16, 2010). "Action star Steven Seagal under seige again by lawsuit from mobbed-up movie producer Julius Nasso". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  16. ↑ A nervous wreck; Seagal 'depressed' by mob woes: aide Kati Cornell Smith New York Post (February 13, 2003)
  17. 1 2 Seagal Stars in N.Y. Trial Of Mafia Michael Powell, The Washington Post (February 12, 2003)
  18. ↑ "STEVEN SEAGAL AND THE MOB" Archived 2006-12-15 at the Wayback Machine TruTV Crime Library
  19. ↑ Marzulli, John (March 18, 2003). "GOTTI & 6 TAKE FALL IN B'KLYN THE TEFLON'S LONG GONE". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  20. ↑ Seagal mob saga comes to an end The Guardian (18 February 2004)
  21. ↑ Staten Island film producer, action movie star, settle out of court on $60M suit Staten Island Advance (January 7, 2008)
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