Charlie Picerni
Biography
Charlie Picerni was born in Corona Queens, New York. The fourth of five children to Italian parents. After high school, he worked different jobs, one being construction work on high-rise buildings in Manhattan. He married, at a young age, his childhood girlfriend, Marie. He had a son after one year of marriage and decided he didn't want to work in construction, anymore. So, he headed west to try his luck in the movie business! His brother, Paul Picerni, was an actor on a hit TV show at that time called "The Untouchables (1959)". Charlie worked as a stand-in, an extra and started doing stunt double work. Charlie immediately fell in love with this work and moved his family to California. Charlie excelled as a stuntman and then moved up to stunt-coordinating TV shows. He got his big break on "Starsky and Hutch (1975)", he was the stunt coordinator and Paul Michael Glaser's stunt double. Aaron Spelling and Duke Vincent saw what direction Charlie was heading in - Directing"! He started second unit-directing "Starsky and Hutch (1975)" and then moved up to directing episodes of "Starsky". He continued stunt-coordinating and second unit-directing such shows as "Kojak (1973)" and "Magnum, P.I. (1980)". He then started directing television for producers Aaron Spelling, Leonard Goldberg and Stephen J. Cannell, for such shows as "T.J. Hooker (1982)", "Matt Houston (1982)", "Vega$ (1978)", "Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)", "Hunter (1984)", "Stingray (1985)", "Finder of Lost Loves (1984)", "The A-Team (1983)", "J.J. Starbuck (1987)", "Spenser: For Hire (1985)", "Blue Thunder (1984)", "Gavilan (1982)" and HBO's "Tales from the Crypt (1989)". At that time, Charlie caught Warner Brothers producer Joel Silver's eye. Joel hired Charlie to stunt-coordinate "Die Hard (1988)". This led to second unit-directing and stunt-coordinating on the films, "Die Hard 2 (1990)", "Road House (1989)", "Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)" & "Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)", "Hudson Hawk (1991)", "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)", "The Last Boy Scout (1991)", "Demolition Man (1993)", "Ghost (1990)", "Ricochet (1991)", "Basic Instinct (1992)", "A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)", "True Romance (1993)", "2 Days in the Valley (1996)", "15 Minutes (2001)" and many more. Charlie also, during this time, directed multiple episodes on a TV series, called "Seven Days (1998)", for Paramount studios. Charlie also worked as an actor in many TV and film projects throughout his career. Realizing he wanted to further his career as a director, he studied at the "Beverly Hills Playhouse" in the Master class for two years. In 2007, he directed, produced and co-wrote a feature film entitled "Three Days to Vegas (2007)", starring Peter Falk, Rip Torn and George Segal. In 2010, Charlie directed Ayn Rand's play, "Night of January 16th", at the Odyssey Theatre to rave reviews! While continuing to work in all avenues of the motion picture business, he is developing and writing his own project called "Spaghetti Park", which he will produce and direct. Charlie is a proud member of "The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences".
Known For
All Movies (30)
- On a Mission from God: The Story of the Blues Brothers2025 · as Self
- Demonic2015 · as Police officer #1
- True Lies1994 · as Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
- Rapid Fire1992 · as Driver of Gunman Car (uncredited)
- Die Hard1988 · as Dwayne Robinson's Driver (uncredited)
- The World's Greatest Stunts: A Tribute to Hollywood Stuntmen1988 · as Self (archive footage)
- Two of a Kind1983 · as SWAT Officer
- Murder Me, Murder You1983 · as Man with Knife (uncredited)
- Tron1982 · as Tank Commander
- Sizzle1981 · as Hitman
- Margin for Murder1981 · as Glover
- Rivkin: Bounty Hunter1981
- The Baltimore Bullet1980 · as The Dealer
- Stunts Unlimited1980 · as Air Stuntman
- Matt Helm1975 · as Champion
- Earthquake1974 · as Pool Player (uncredited)
- The Don Is Dead1973 · as Furman (uncredited)
- Westworld1973 · as Saloon Brawler (uncredited)
- The Mad Bomber1973 · as Rapist
- The Letters1973 · as First Man
- Shamus1973 · as Thug 2
- Fuzz1972 · as Chauffeur
- Hot Summer Week1972 · as Pool Player #1
- Evil Roy Slade1972 · as Gang Member (uncredited)
- Man on a String1972 · as Jake's Prison Bodyguard
- Star Spangled Girl1971 · as Policeman (uncredited)
- Cannon1971 · as Brawler
- Tora! Tora! Tora!1970 · as Burning Sailor (uncredited)
- The Boston Strangler1968 · as Driver (uncredited)
- Batman1966 · as Guinea Pig #5 (uncredited)
All TV Shows (64)
- A Captain's Log2021 · as Self
- Beauty and the Beast1987 · as Thug
- Beauty and the Beast1987 · as Savage
- Knight Rider1982 · as Donner
- T. J. Hooker1982 · as Ennis
- The Incredible Hulk1977 · as Harris
- The Incredible Hulk1977 · as Charlie
- Quincy, M.E.1976 · as Vito Rovello
- Charlie's Angels1976 · as Frank Slater
- Starsky & Hutch1975 · as Nicky Cairo
- Starsky & Hutch1975 · as Thug #1 (uncredited)
- Starsky & Hutch1975 · as Alex
- Barbary Coast1975 · as Seaman
- Police Woman1974 · as Robber
- Chopper One1974 · as Henchman (uncredited)
- Kojak1973 · as Cabbie
- Kojak1973 · as Dennis
- Kojak1973 · as Lewis Kowalski (uncredited)
- The Magician1973 · as Melton (as Charles Picerni)
- The Magician1973 · as Johnny Kroll (as Charles Picerni)
- Emergency!1972 · as Worker (uncredited)
- Emergency!1972 · as Junkyard Worker #1 (uncredited)
- The Name of the Game1968 · as Parker
- It Takes a Thief1968 · as Guard (uncredited)
- Mannix1967 · as Danny Constantine
- Mannix1967 · as Cease (uncredited)
- Mannix1967 · as Ed Plummer (uncredited)
- Mannix1967 · as Kenneth (uncredited)
- Mannix1967 · as Larry Gates
- Mannix1967 · as Charlie Frome
- Mannix1967 · as Stan
- Mannix1967 · as Hit Man (uncredited)
- Mannix1967 · as Boxer in ring (uncredited)
- Mannix1967 · as Henchman #1 (uncredited)
- Mission: Impossible1966 · as Border Guard
- Mission: Impossible1966 · as Keller
- Mission: Impossible1966 · as Juan Delgado
- Mission: Impossible1966 · as Danny Ryan (uncredited)
- Mission: Impossible1966 · as Jackson (uncredited)
- Batman1966 · as Fake Mister Freeze (uncredited)
- Batman1966 · as Swoop (uncredited)
- Batman1966 · as Second Hand Five (uncredited)
- The Wild Wild West1965 · as Robber (uncredited)
- The Wild Wild West1965 · as Varlet (uncredited)
- The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self
- The Untouchables1959 · as Colescou Henchman (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Racetrack Patron (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Passerby (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Club Patron (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Reporter (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Hood (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Prisoner (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Nitti Associate (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Hospital Door Guard (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Police Officer (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Newspaper Vendor (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Nitti Henchman (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Stevedore (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Riverboat Patron (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Gambling House Patron (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Waiter (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Bartender (uncredited)
- The Untouchables1959 · as Carnival Patron (uncredited)


