THURSDAY THIRTEEN #170

THIRTEEN MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES 

BY STANLEY TUCCI

He's not a star, not a household name, but you know him. Currently he's appearing in cineplexes all over the world in The Hunger Games. I haven't seen it, but I know he's good in it. Because he's always good. He's just as credible playing a gay fashionista as he is a ruthless businessman and a womanizing mobster. I'm celebrating 13 of his more memorable performances:


1) The Hunger Games (2012). Caesar Flickerman, the host of the famous fictional games.

2) Burlesque (2010). He held his own as Cher's friend and confidante.


3) Julie and Julia (2009). He was lovely as Julia's loving husband, diplomat and artist Paul Child.


4) The Lovely Bones (2009). He earned an Oscar nomination for portraying one the very bad man.

5) Kit Kitteredge: An American Girl (2008). Mr. Berk, a down-on-his-luck magician who takes a room in the Kitteredge house during the Depression.


6) The Tale of Despereaux (2008). The voice of the soup-loving Boldo.

7) The Devil Wears Prada (2006). My favorite Tucci performance as Nigel, the loyal and royally screwed assistant of the evil Miranda.

8) Shall We Dance? (2004) He joins Richard Gere in Jennifer Lopez' dance class.

9) Who's that Girl? (1987) It amuses me that early in his movie career he was billed as "Dock Worker #2" in a forgettable Madonna movie

AND ON TV …

10) ER (2007). The head of the ER during a memorable blackout.

11) Monk (2006). He won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a Hollywood star researching his greatest role -- Adrian Monk.

12) thirtysomething (1990). Karl Draconis, Michael's boss-from-hell.

13) Miami Vice (1988). Miami mobster Frank Mosca seems to be seducing one of Miami's finest female detectives.

For more information about the Thursday Thirteen,

or to play yourself, click here.