Newsday (Suffolk Edition) from Melville, New York • 28

PROFILE From Junkyard to Back Lots Bellport native hits stride as star of stage and screen if By Kenneth Lovett When Peter Iacangelo was growing up in Bell-port most people assumed it waa his destiny to take over hie father's junkyard "Sanford and would have been doeer "I look the blue-collar the 38-year-old Ia-said during a recent visit "Because I was a big guy nobody ever considered me college That changed during his senior year in high school after Iacangelo acted in his first play Suddenly the guidance counselors at Bellport High School were urging him to attend college He went to Hofttra University and the rest is the stuff iff which dreams are made Stage screen and television He has worked with Sir Lawrence Olivier on Broadway and made guest appearances on such television sitcoms as and "The "I am not a household name a confident Taeengein said puffing on an ever-present cigar 1 am known in the industry however Most good actors we are not talking shout the stars land about (me job out of every 10 tries I would say my ratio is one to So when Iacangelo returned to Bellport recently from his home outisde Hollywood for his 20th high school reunion he came back a solid actor whose stock seems to be on the rise In fact he said he had turned down three guest roles on television just to see his old chums Choosing such a fickle career easy for Iacangelo No one in his family ever acted or even went to college After graduating from Hofatra University with a bachelors degree in performing arts Iacangelo had to delve into a world he knew very little about He did know he had to go to New York City and pore over the trade magazines He got his first job a al (Soio lition- Photo by Actor Peter Iacangelo recently returned to Bellport for his 20th high school reunion His biggest thrill in the theater came when he landed a role in the Broadway production of "Filu-mena Franco Zefirelli waa supposed to direct but he left the show and Olivier eras asked to take over "It was the most marvelous time in my experience as an actor" Iacangelo said with a beatific smile "It eras heaven a legend He actually asked for our permission to direct ua Can you imagine us saying no?" The legend of Olivier prevented Iacangelo from calling him Larry as the star had asked The boy from Bellport preferred the more respectfiil Although Iacangelo began winking i nnw for himself in theater and commercials he knew he would never make it big unless he went to Hollywood It was a tough decision for it meant leaving a dose-knit family so dose in fact that they call him "the because he is expected to settle duding Tatoo But he is still waiting for that one part that will make his name a household word "All it takes is one part in a good movie to get you he said "My time is coming It takes 20 years to become an overnight success Whether it happens to me this year or next is almost unimportant to me There is no doubt in my mind that lam one of the best in the business and they need my work" A cocky assertion to be sure but Iacangelo is convincing And though he knows the importance of hard work and dedication he also knows the value of family and friends "I'm the same guy who left here Long he said "I am a rarity We all measure ourselves by our friends and around People who become successful think they need new Iacangelo still remembers the old ones Paul Kilthau of Blue Point said: "He changed To me he is not a 'celebrity he is a friend The first thing we do when we see each other is hug He is a regular guy who happens to be very talented" For now Iacangelo is content with his steady work his wife and two children and cigars important to eiyoy thejourney he said "If the whole thing is getting to the top and miserable trying what do you do when you get there important to enjoy it on the "I eras happy as can be1 ana I loved it If you stuff today I'd say take a walk but back then I loved it" in which he played Lucky the downstairs neighbor of several flower-children "He was a scary Iacangelo said "He could fly off the handle at any New York years later he went to Hollywood to pay his dues It took a while for Iacangelo to snare some roles in Hollywood because he had no experience there But eventually his break came Since those salad performance in Boston a stranger shot him in the appeared film arm -j People Watch NEWSDAY IN BROOKHAVEN THURSDAY AUGUST 28 1888 SOUttl 7 Elizabeth A Bavarty Blms of Setauket professor of the social sciences intordifipliwi-y at the i University of New York at Stony Brook has been selected director of the child and family studies program Richard Kulsel of Setauket professor of history at the State University of New York at Stony Brook has received a German Marshall Fund Fellowship which he will use in France while studying the impact of 1 American power economics and culture on post-war France purchasing at St Charles Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in Port Jefferson She will be responsible for all aspects of purchasing head the mailroom and receiving qpd also the i f- tr.