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Christian Meoli

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Christian J. Meoli
Born (1972-07-06) July 6, 1972 (age 52)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesChris Voltaire
Alma materTemple University
Occupation(s)Actor, writer, producer and film executive
Known forCabaret Voltaire Inc.

Christian Meoli (born July 6, 1972) is an actor, writer, producer who runs Voltaire Media and film executive.[1]

Early life

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Christian Meoli was born on July 6, 1972, in Philadelphia, the son of Jerry Mayo (1934–2011), a band member of the group Freddie Bell and the Bellboys.[2]

He began his acting career in his early teens in regional-theatre productions.[3] He is an alumnus of Stagedoor Manor. He graduated from Performing Arts School in Philadelphia and received a scholarship to Temple University.

He appeared in the Washington/Baltimore company of the musical Tony n' Tina's Wedding in the role of bandleader "Donny Dulce". In 1991, Meoli appeared opposite Jason Miller and Malachy McCourt in a production of the play Inherit The Wind that was staged in a court in the Philadelphia City Hall.[4]

Career

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Meoli's first film role was the movie Alive (1993) as Federico Aranda and directed by Frank Marshall. He was next cast in the movies The Low Life (1995) and Persons Unknown (1996).[5]

He played the comedy-relief role of Boz Bishop for four seasons on the CBS television series Nash Bridges.

After his mother, Sandra Meoli, died from cancer, Meoli created the performance event The Big C, which annually plays for cancer survivors at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. The Big C Foundation was created to continue a focus of education and outreach on the subject of cancer.[6]

He appeared in the pilot episode of the television series Dollhouse (directed by Joss Whedon), Martial Law (Stanley Tong), the Masterpiece Theatre PBS presentation of The Song of the Lark, as well as Emmy Award–winning episodes of NYPD Blue, The Practice, and the telefilm production of Tuesdays with Morrie.[7]

In 2003, Meoli wrote the play The Dadaists, a retelling about the Dada art movement and Cabaret Voltaire, which originated in February 1916, in Zürich, Switzerland, at Spiegelgasse 1, and led Meoli to create a modern Cabaret Voltaire in Los Angeles.[8]

He is credited by the Los Angeles Times as being the first to initiate )flash mobs in Los Angeles.[9]

In 2004, Meoli was one of the co-directors and producers of the documentary film Beats for Baghdad, featuring Jerry Quickley.[10]

In 2009, Meoli (under the moniker Chris Voltaire) wrote the book and lyrics, acted, produced and directed Octomom the Musical, a parody of Nadya Suleman (better known as the Octomom.[11] That same year, he starred in the Victor Goss–directed film The Apocalypse According to Doris, and also became the vice president for marketing at Bigfoot Entertainment where he worked on the film Deep Gold (2011).[12]

He produced The Singafest Asian Film Festival in Los Angeles, which showcased thirty new films from the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, China and Japan.[13]

Meoli's company, Voltaire Media, also expanded its services to include sales and producer representation, handling distribution acquisition for companies such as Potent Media (Deer Crossing) and American Motion Picture Company (Character).[14]

In 2012, Meoli's company began a new single-screen art house known as Arena Cinema Hollywood.[15] The endeavor, in conjunction with Theatre of Arts, has run engagements of Academy Award–winning films and works with distributors including IFC, Tribeca Film, Phase 4 Films, First Run Features, Kino-Lorber, Breaking Glass Pictures, XL rator Media and Submarine.[16][17]

In 2013, Meoli starred in the film Treachery[18] opposite Michael Biehn, Sarah Butler and Caitlin Keats.

Meoli's Voltaire Media represented Bruce Ramsay's 2011 film Hamlet and the film was acquired by Breaking Glass Pictures, opening theatrically in January 2014 in New York City and Los Angeles.[19]

Filmography

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  • Ray Donovan as Kevin (2012)
  • Desperate Housewives "What's the Good of Being Good" (TV Series) as himself (2012)
  • Should've Been Romeo as Eddie (2012)
  • The Girl with No Number as Mr. Johnson (2011)
  • Apocalypse According to Doris as Apperson (2011)
  • Dollhouse "Ghost" (TV Series) as Thug 1 (2009)
  • Eli stone "The Path" (TV Series) as Janitor (2008)
  • In Plain Sight "Stan" by Me (TV Series) as Jason (2008)
  • Everybody Hates Chris (TV Series) as himself (2008)
  • Life-The Fallen Woman (TV Series) as Ron (2007)
  • Final Approach (TV Movie) as himself (2007)
  • Alias(TV Series) as Semanko (2006)
  • JAG "Automatic for the People" (TV Series) as P.O Dave Mooney (2005)
  • Joan of Arcadia "The Gift"(TV Series) as Ben Pollack (2004)
  • The Division(TV Series) as Vinnie Praiser (2004)
  • Crossing Jordan "Devil May Care" (TV Series) as Seth Pale (2004)
  • Cold Case "Fly Away" (TV Series) as Angel Rivera (2003)
  • Without a Trace "The Bus" (TV Series) as Carl (2003)
  • Looking for Jimmy as himself (2002)
  • Wanderlust as Brian (2001)
  • Nash Bridges (TV Show) as Boz Bishop (1999–2001)
  • Tuesdays with Morrie (TV Movie) as Aldo (1999)
  • The Practice "Target Practice" (TV Series) as Charles Best (1999)
  • Walker, Texas Ranger "Livegirls.now" as Rolf Gaines (1999)
  • V.I.P. "One Wedding and Val's Funeral"(TV Series) as Waiter (1998)
  • The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer(TV Series) as Telegraph Operator (1998)
  • Martial Law " Shanghai Express"(TV Series) as Detective Jones (1998)
  • Hitz "Give the Drummer Some" (TV Series) as Jimmy (1997)
  • Bongwater as himself (1997)[20]
  • Persons Unknown as himself (1996)
  • L.A. Firefighters "Fuel and Spark"( TV Series) as Freddy the Store Manager *(1996)
  • Boy Meets World "Turkey Day" (TV Series) as Carl (1996)
  • The Pretender "The Paper Clock" as Marcus Whittaker (1996)
  • Dogtown as Mickey Jenks (1996)
  • NYPD Blue "The Girl Talk"(TV Series) as Phil Farr (1996)
  • The Naked Truth (TV Series)as Vanjacker (1996)
  • The Low Life as Leonard (1995)
  • Cleghorne! "This Magic Moment" (TV Series) as Magini the Magician (1995)
  • Chicago Hope "Wild Cards" (TV Series) as Luigi (1995)
  • Weird Science "Quantum Wyatt"(TV Series) as Dangerous Felon (1995)
  • Ellen "The Christmas Show" as Grunge Guy (1994)
  • Nunzio's Second Cousin (short) as himself (1994)
  • In This Corner as Julio (1994)
  • Beverly Hills, 90210( TV Series) as Pablo (1993)
  • Alive as Federico Aranda (1993)[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Secrets to Success: Q and A With Paul Ben Victor, Star of USA's 'In Plain Sight'". tv.yahoo.com. Yahoo Contributor Network. April 6, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  2. ^ John F. Morrison (June 15, 2011). "Gennaro Meoli, trumpeter with Bellboys, shirtmaker, dies at 76". Philly. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  3. ^ "Christian Meoli Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  4. ^ "Inherit the Wind,About". ottawalittletheatre.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Christian Meoli as Federico Aranda, 1993". filmsandtv.com. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  6. ^ Christine Pechera (June 19, 2008). "The Big C – A Much Lived Life". saffronbutterflyfluttersby.blogspot.com. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "Christian Meoli Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  8. ^ "RED Camera Stays Ahead of the Curve". Force of Geek. April 12, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  9. ^ Mark Ehrman (September 5, 2003). "Flash mobs hit L.A., but will they stay long?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  10. ^ Steven Baird. "Beats for Baghdad in store concert and DVD release party!!". LAsplash. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  11. ^ Merideth (August 20, 2009). "Stage Review: Octomom! The Musical". Los Anjelous. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  12. ^ "Christian Meoli,Interview". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  13. ^ Marjorie Yan (September 28, 2011). "The inaugural Singafest Asian Film Festival hits Westwood this weekend". Daily Bruin. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  14. ^ "The inaugural Singafest Asian Film Festival hits Westwood this weekend". Student Film Makers. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  15. ^ "Christian Meoli in Hollywood". PRWEB. July 31, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  16. ^ Jerome Courshon (December 17, 2012). "INTERVIEW with the ARENA CINEMA Theater in Hollywood, California". Film Festival Today. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  17. ^ Jerome Courshon (April 30, 2013). "Arena Cinema Announces Call for Entries for 2013 Independent Feature Films". PRWEB. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  18. ^ Jeremy Kay (November 18, 2013). "Arena Cinema Announces Call for Entries for 2013 Independent Feature Films". Screen Daily. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  19. ^ "A New Look At 'Hamlet'". Highlight Hollywood. December 23, 2013. Archived from the original on January 26, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  20. ^ "Bongwater(Overview)". yohungama. 1997. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
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