Scott Vincent James Baio (; born September 22, 1960) is an American actor. He is known for playing
Chachi Arcola
Charles "Chachi" Arcola is a character played by Scott Baio on the sitcom ''Happy Days'' and its spin-off '' Joanie Loves Chachi''.
The character of Chachi is the younger cousin of Fonzie, first appearing on ''Happy Days'' in season 5, beginning i ...
on the
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most succ ...
'' (1977–1984) and its
spin-off ''
Joanie Loves Chachi
''Joanie Loves Chachi'' is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of ''Happy Days'' that aired on ABC from March 23, 1982, to May 24, 1983. It stars Erin Moran and Scott Baio as the characters Joanie Cunningham and Chachi Arcola, r ...
'' (1982–1983), the title character on the sitcom ''
Charles in Charge
''Charles in Charge'' is an American sitcom television series that premiered on October 3, 1984, on CBS. The series was a production of Al Burton Productions and Scholastic Productions in association with Universal Television and starred Scott B ...
'' (1984–1990), Dr. Jack Stewart in the medical-mystery-drama series ''
Diagnosis: Murder'' (1993–1995), and the titular role of the
musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
''
Bugsy Malone
''Bugsy Malone'' is a 1976 gangster musical comedy film written and directed by Alan Parker (in his feature film directorial debut). A co-production of United States and United Kingdom, it features an ensemble cast, featuring only child actor ...
'' (1976), his onscreen debut. Baio has guest-starred on various television programs, appeared in several
independent film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...
s, and starred on the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
sitcom ''
See Dad Run
''See Dad Run'' is an American television sitcom that premiered on Nick at Nite on October 6, 2012. It stars Scott Baio, who also serves as an executive producer. On March 17, 2014, Nick at Nite confirmed that season three would be the last.
Afte ...
'' (2012–2015).
Early life
Baio was born in the
Bay Ridge
Bay Ridge is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by Sunset Park to the north, Dyker Heights to the east, the Narrows and the Belt Parkway to the west, and Fort Hamilton Army Base an ...
neighborhood of the
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
of New York City in 1960, the son of Italian immigrants Rose, a homemaker, and Mario Baio, who worked as his manager. He and his siblings were raised in
Bensonhurst
Bensonhurst is a residential neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bordered on the northwest by 14th Avenue, on the northeast by 60th Street, on the southeast by Avenue P and 22n ...
. He went to
Xaverian High School
Xaverian High School is a private Catholic high school located in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, serving grades 6 through 12. Grades 9-12 offer a college prep program and grades 6-8 are a middle school.
History
The school was ...
.
Career
In 1976, Baio played the title character ''
Bugsy Malone
''Bugsy Malone'' is a 1976 gangster musical comedy film written and directed by Alan Parker (in his feature film directorial debut). A co-production of United States and United Kingdom, it features an ensemble cast, featuring only child actor ...
'' in the children's gangster musical directed by
Alan Parker
Sir Alan William Parker (14 February 1944 – 31 July 2020) was an English filmmaker. His early career, beginning in his late teens, was spent as a copywriter and director of television advertisements. After about ten years of filming adverts ...
, which also co-starred
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the ho ...
. Baio and Foster later worked together again in the teen girl drama ''
Foxes
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
'' (1980), helmed by
Adrian Lyne.
When he was 16, Baio was cast as
The Fonz's cousin
Chachi Arcola
Charles "Chachi" Arcola is a character played by Scott Baio on the sitcom ''Happy Days'' and its spin-off '' Joanie Loves Chachi''.
The character of Chachi is the younger cousin of Fonzie, first appearing on ''Happy Days'' in season 5, beginning i ...
on ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most succ ...
''. During his time on ''Happy Days'', Baio earned two
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nominations, for his lead performances in the television movies ''
Stoned'' (1981) and ''All the Kids Do It'' (1985). He won two
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
s during the Third Annual Youth in Film Awards (1980–1982) as Best Young Actor in a Television Special for ''Stoned'' and Best Young Comedian in Television or Motion Pictures for ''Happy Days''. He also starred in the made-for-television youth drama specials ''
The Boy Who Drank Too Much
''The Boy Who Drank Too Much'' is a 1980 American made-for-television drama film based on a novel by Shep Greene. The film was initially broadcast on CBS and sponsored by Xerox, and starred Scott Baio as a high school hockey player struggling wit ...
'' and ''
Senior Trip''.
From March 1982 to May 1983, Baio starred with his ''Happy Days'' co-star
Erin Moran
Erin Marie Moran-Fleischmann (October 18, 1960 – April 22, 2017) was an American actress, best known for playing Joanie Cunningham on the television sitcom ''Happy Days'' and its spin-off ''Joanie Loves Chachi''.
Early life
Erin Marie ...
in the show's
spin-off, ''
Joanie Loves Chachi
''Joanie Loves Chachi'' is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of ''Happy Days'' that aired on ABC from March 23, 1982, to May 24, 1983. It stars Erin Moran and Scott Baio as the characters Joanie Cunningham and Chachi Arcola, r ...
''. The show was canceled after 17 episodes and Baio (and Moran) returned to ''Happy Days''. During this period, Baio, who played an aspiring singer on ''Joanie Loves Chachi'', was signed to a record contract with
RCA Victor
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...
, who used his TV role to push his music career. He released two albums and three singles, and his self-titled album peaked at number 181 on the
''Billboard'' 200, but his recording career never took off.
[
In 1982, he appeared in the film '']Zapped!
''Zapped!'' is a 1982 American teen sex comedy film directed by Robert J. Rosenthal and co-written with Bruce Rubin. The film stars Scott Baio as a high school student who acquires telekinetic powers.
Plot
At Ralph Waldo Emerson High School, b ...
'' and starred as Francis Geminiani in the special HBO presentation of ''Gemini'', an adaptation of the Broadway comedy-drama '' Happy Birthday, Gemini'' From 1979 to 1984, Baio made seven appearances on ''Battle of the Network Stars
''Battle of the Network Stars'' is a series of competitions in which television stars from ABC, CBS and NBC would compete in various sporting events. A total of 19 of these competitions were held between 1976 and 1988, all of which were aired b ...
''; six as a competitor for the ABC team (once as team captain) and one as co-host. From 1984 until 1990, Baio starred in the syndicated comedy series ''Charles in Charge
''Charles in Charge'' is an American sitcom television series that premiered on October 3, 1984, on CBS. The series was a production of Al Burton Productions and Scholastic Productions in association with Universal Television and starred Scott B ...
''. In 1985, he was part of an ensemble cast for ''Alice in Wonderland
''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...
'', where he portrayed Pat the Pig. From 1987 through 1991, he was a director of the children's comedy series '' Out of This World''.
During the 1990s, Baio appeared in various television programs, including the short-lived ''Look Who's Talking'' small screen spin-off ''Baby Talk
Baby talk is a type of speech associated with an older person speaking to a child or infant. It is also called caretaker speech, infant-directed speech (IDS), child-directed speech (CDS), child-directed language (CDL), caregiver register, parent ...
''. In 1991, he appeared in the NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
Monday Night Movie ''Perry Mason and the Case of the Fatal Fashion'', as a young prosecutor. Between 1993 and 1995, he portrayed Dr. Jack Stewart in the medical mystery series '' Diagnosis: Murder''. Baio was a guest-star on a variety of series, including ''Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three dau ...
'', ''Touched by an Angel
''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced ...
'', ''Veronica's Closet
''Veronica's Closet'' is an American sitcom television series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, that aired on NBC for three seasons, from September 25, 1997, to December 7, 2000. The show stars Kirstie Alley as Veronica "Ronnie" Chase, ...
'' and ''The Nanny
''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three chi ...
''. He also starred in several films on television and video releases such as ''Detonator'', ''Bar-Hopping'', ''Dumb Luck'', ''Face Value'' and '' Mixed Blessings''.
Baio was in the independent films ''Very Mean Men
''Very Mean Men'' is a 2000 American crime-comedy film directed by Tony Vitale and starring Matthew Modine, Ben Gazzara, Martin Landau, Scott Baio, Burt Young, and Paul Ben-Victor.
Release
The film entered the competition at the 2000 Seattle Int ...
'' (2000), ''Face to Face'' (2001), and '' The Bread, My Sweet'' (2001). In 2004, Baio starred in '' Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2'' with Bob Clark
Benjamin Robert Clark (August 5, 1939 – April 4, 2007) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work in the Canadian film industry throughout the 1970s and 1980s, where he was responsible ...
. The film was widely panned by critics and nominated for four Razzie Awards
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...
. Baio played himself in the 2005 Wes Craven
Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and editor. Craven has commonly been recognized as one of the greatest masters of the horror genre due to the cultural imp ...
film '' Cursed''. In 2005, Baio appeared in four episodes of ''Arrested Development
The term "arrested development" has had multiple meanings for over 200 years. In the field of medicine, the term "arrested development" was first used, ''circa'' 1835–1836, to mean a stoppage of physical development; the term continues to be use ...
'' as the Bluth family's lawyer, Bob Loblaw, taking over the role from his former ''Happy Days'' co-star Henry Winkler
Henry Franklin Winkler, OBE (born October 30, 1945), is an American actor, comedian, author, executive producer, and director. After rising to fame as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the American television series ''Happy Days'', Winkler has ...
; the Online Film and Television Association nominated him as Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role. In 2007, Baio starred in the VH1 celebrity reality series '' Scott Baio Is 45...and Single'' and its successor the following year, '' Scott Baio Is 46...and Pregnant''. Baio was also the co-host of the VH1 reality show ''Confessions of a Teen Idol
''Confessions of a Teen Idol'' is an American reality series that began airing on VH1 on January 4, 2009 and concluded on February 22, 2009. It ran for eight episodes. The series was hosted and produced by former teen idols Scott Baio and Jaso ...
'', in which former teen idols attempt to resurrect their careers.
Baio starred in and produced the Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite (stylized as nick@nite) is an American nighttime basic cable television channel that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon. It typically broadcasts Mondays to Thursday nights from 9 p.m. - 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, ET/Pac ...
situation comedy ''See Dad Run
''See Dad Run'' is an American television sitcom that premiered on Nick at Nite on October 6, 2012. It stars Scott Baio, who also serves as an executive producer. On March 17, 2014, Nick at Nite confirmed that season three would be the last.
Afte ...
'', which ran from 2012 to 2015. Baio guest starred in a 2014 episode of ''Sam & Cat
''Sam & Cat'' is an American teen sitcom that originally aired from June 8, 2013, to July 17, 2014, on Nickelodeon. It is a spin-off of two TV shows '' iCarly'' and ''Victorious'', which Dan Schneider also created. It stars Jennette McCurdy as ...
'' as a police officer who arrests the title characters.
Personal life
In 2001, Baio got engaged to his girlfriend Jeanette Jonsson.
In 2007, shortly after the birth of their daughter, Baio married 34-year-old Renée Sloan, whom he met in the 1990s at the Playboy Mansion
The Playboy Mansion, also known as the Playboy Mansion West, is the former home of ''Playboy'' magazine founder Hugh Hefner who lived there from 1974 until his death in 2017. Barbi Benton convinced Hefner to buy the home located in Holmby Hill ...
. Baio is stepfather to Renée's daughter Kalyn, born in 1989. In July 2007, he told E!: Entertainment Television's Ted Casablanca that they were expecting a baby girl in December. Initially pregnant with twins, Renée lost one of the babies in the 11th week of her pregnancy. Their daughter, Bailey, was born in 2007, five weeks premature. After the child tested positive for a rare metabolic disorder
A metabolic disorder is a disorder that negatively alters the body's processing and distribution of macronutrients, such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Metabolic disorders can happen when abnormal chemical reactions in the body alter the ...
, the family started the Bailey Baio Angel Foundation to provide financial support to other families who are dealing with metabolic disorders. Renée Baio was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor in June 2015, another one later, and was diagnosed with cerebral microvascular disease in October 2017.
He is a cousin of former actor Jimmy Baio
James Joseph Baio (born March 15, 1962) is an American former actor. He began acting on TV at the age of 13. Baio is best known for playing Billy Tate on ''Soap''. His last role was in the 1996 film '' The Mirror Has Two Faces.''
Career
Baio f ...
, New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
outfielder Harrison Bader
Harrison Joseph Bader (born June 3, 1994), nicknamed "Tots," is an American professional baseball center fielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Born and rais ...
, and Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson, ...
bassist Chris Baio
Christopher Baio (born October 29, 1984) is an American musician, best known for being the bassist for the New York City-based indie rock band Vampire Weekend. He also releases as a record producer under the mononym Baio, and his debut solo albu ...
.
Political views
Baio is a registered Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
and has described his politics as conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
. He campaigned for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
in his youth and attended Reagan's state funeral. Upon Reagan's death in 2004, he was quoted by the New York ''Daily News'' as saying, "President Reagan made me feel proud to be an American. Today, I feel sadness."
Baio endorsed Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
in 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
and Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
in 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, and he spoke at the opening night of the 2016 Republican National Convention
The 2016 Republican National Convention, in which delegates of the United States Republican Party chose the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, was held July 18–21, 2016, at Quicken Lo ...
. He also supported Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
.
In an interview with Ashley Webster, Baio described President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
as being "either dumb, a Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, or a Muslim sympathizer, and I don't think he's dumb".
On December 15, 2016, Baio accused Nancy Mack, wife of Chad Smith
Chad Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith is also the drummer of the ...
, drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...
, of physically assaulting him at their children's elementary school function. Baio claims Mack began berating and cursing him over his support of Trump and at one point attacked him, grabbing him under his arms and then shaking and pushing him. Mack claimed she was trying to show Baio how Trump hugs women and denied any intentional physical aggression.
On August 26, 2017, Baio re- tweeted a Sandy Hook conspiracy theory meme, insinuating that the recent death of Heather Heyer and the Sandy Hook shooting
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, United States, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people. Twenty of the victims were children between six and seven years old, and th ...
were linked hoaxes.
Abuse allegations
On January 29, 2018, sexual misconduct allegations made by Nicole Eggert
Nicole Elizabeth Eggert (born January 13, 1972) is an American actress. Her notable roles include Jamie Powell on the situation comedy ''Charles in Charge'' and Summer Quinn on the television series ''Baywatch''. She guest-starred in '' The Supe ...
against Baio resurfaced. Eggert first made the allegations on the Nik Richie
Nik Lamas-Richie (born Hooman Abedi Karamian, February 12, 1979), is an American blogger, author, and Internet personality. Richie is best known as the founder of controversial gossip website TheDirty.com.
Early life
Richie was born in Hackensack ...
Radio show in 2013 and then repeated them on her Twitter account and on '' The Dr. Oz Show''. She claimed that Baio molested
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...
her for three years beginning when she was 14 and a co-star on ''Charles in Charge'', and that when she was 17, she had intercourse with him. Baio has denied the allegations. He contends that he had sexual relations with Eggert only once, and that the encounter occurred after she had turned 18. Baio contended that Eggert's own words to Richie proved he did not have intercourse with Eggert while she was a minor.
Several months later, Alexander Polinsky, another co-star in ''Charles in Charge'', accused Baio of verbally abusing and physically assaulting him while on set.
Filmography
Film
Television
Director
Notes
References
Further reading
* Dye, David. ''Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914–1985''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, p. 10.
* Holmstrom, John. ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995''. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 336.
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baio, Scott
1960s births
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male child actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of Italian descent
American television directors
Living people
Male actors from New York City
New York (state) Republicans
Participants in American reality television series
People from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
RCA Records artists
Xaverian High School alumni