Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 8, 1995 TAG: 9504110087
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB THOMAS ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
Turturro is amazed at the turns of fortune that moved him from a doorman at a Manhattan hotel to a recognizable face and name to millions of TV watchers.
In the back yard of his Sherman Oaks home, along a row of post-World War II houses, he recalled his New York City tryout for the ``NYPD Blue'' role of Detective James Martinez.
``I was on a break at the hotel, about 12 o'clock in the afternoon,'' he said. ``I didn't put much emphasis on it. Usually, when you think about an audition, you get keyed up. This one, I figured out, was just another audition. I knew it was a series, but I didn't think it was going to be a big, big thing. I had no expectations.
``I ran up there in my doorman pants, put a sweater on, as I always did on my breaks. The guys used to laugh at me: `There he goes to another audition. What're you doin' today? Another commercial?'
``This one was easy; I just ran up to Columbus Circle, didn't have to take the subway. [Series creator] Steven Bochco and everybody was there. It look a long time to get in the room, and I had to get back to work. I had a nice audition. They seemed to be taken with me, but I didn't know if I'd get the job. I figured they'd go back to Hollywood and say, `We found somebody we liked better.'''
Not this time. Soon, Turturro and his wife and daughter were picking up stakes and moving to California.
With his authentic Queens accent, Turturro fits neatly into the precinct station milieu. This season, his role has been deepening, with more crime-tracking assignments and a hint of romance.
Turturro, 33, also can be seen in theaters as a small-time thief in the independently made, critically praised film ``Federal Hill.'' Astonishingly, filmmaker Michael Corrente shot it in four weeks at a cost of $80,000, which probably would pay for five minutes of ``NYPD Blue.''
``Federal Hill'' is about five young Italian-Americans who skirt the edge of the underworld in a blue-collar district of Providence, R.I. Ralph, played by Turturro, is the most volatile of the bunch, unpredictable in his violence, yet gentle with his ailing father.
``I get to go into the spectrum of this character, which is nice for an actor to do,'' Turturro said. ``It's nice to be able to show one side, and then come back and show a different side. You say, `Wow! Do I like this guy? Do I don't like him? Do I feel bad for him?' An interesting part, a complicated kid.''
Turturro noted that ``Federal Hill'' is similar to his own home grounds, the Rosedale section of Queens.
``It's the same small-town mentality,'' he said. ``It's like being trapped in a world and having dreams, but not knowing how to go about your dreams. ... Being ignorant and closed-minded.''
Queens had the same temptations, Turturro admitted, ``but I wasn't too mischievous. I could have been, but I got involved in sports, and that seemed to keep me out of trouble. Sports was good for me. Otherwise, I could have wound up like Ralph.''
Nick also had the steadying influence of his older brother, John Turturro (``Barton Fink,'' ``Quiz Show''), who preceded him as an actor.
``John was very inspirational to me, and helpful in a lot of different ways,'' Turturro said. ``He was a smart guy, and I seemed to go in whatever direction he did. He liked sports, I liked sports. He was a movie buff, I became a movie buff. He always tried to give me constructive advice. Even now, he's a good guy to go to.''
It was John who introduced his little brother to films, getting him a job as an extra on Spike Lee's ``Do the Right Thing.'' Lee hired Nick for three other films, and Nick began doing stage and TV work as well.
Still, he held onto the doorman job for 10 years - until that fateful call to try out for a new TV series about New York cops.
``NYPD Blue'' airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on WSET-Channel 13.
by CNB