Chick Vennera


Francis Vincent Vennera was an American actor, known for his role as Joe Mondragon for Robert Redford's The Milagro Beanfield War, among other movies. Vennera voiced Pesto the pigeon for the animated show Animaniacs. He also often served as a voice double for actor Joe Pesci.

Acting

Vennera served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, first in the Signal Corps and later in the Special Services division. Afterwards, he began a career as an actor and dancer. He was also a musician, playing several instruments. Vennera's first acting role of note was in the Broadway production of Grease, having toured with the musical for a year. He continued working as a performer, and appeared in the 1978 film Thank God It's Friday, where he performed a dance routine atop several cars. His acting career continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, appearing in many films and television series. In 1979, Vennera appeared as Vietnam War veteran Mitch Costigian in three episodes of Vega$, along with Robert Urich. Perhaps most
memorably, in 1989, he appeared in three episodes of The Golden Girls, two of them as the character Enrique Mas and the other as Kid Pepe.
Vennera also began doing voice acting during the 1980s, with roles on Hanna-Barbera programs. However, his most notable role was Pesto in Warner Bros. Animation/Amblin Entertainment's animated series Animaniacs. Prior to his death, Vennera also taught acting.

Personal life

Vennera died from cancer at his home in Burbank, California, on July 7, 2021, at the age of 74.

Selected filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978Thank God It's FridayMarvin "Marv" Gomez
1979YanksSergeant Danny Ruffelo
1981High RiskTony
1985A Bunny's TaleFrankieTV movie
1988Last RitesNuzo
1988The Milagro Beanfield WarJoe Mondragon
1991The Terror Within IIKyle
1991McBainRoberto Santos
1997Time Under FireSpitz
1999Wakko's WishPestoVoice, direct-to-video
1999Final VoyageDennis
2000IntrepidEllerson
2001Air RageFishman
2005Glass TrapPaolo

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978–1980Vega$Mitch Costigian3 episodes
1985The JetsonsAdditional Voices
1986–1987FoofurSamVoice, 16 episodes
1986Diff'rent Strokes"Spider"
1989The Golden GirlsPepe, Enrique3 episodes
1992Batman: The Animated SeriesTwitchVoice, episode: "Off Balance"
1993BonkersChickVoice, 2 episodes
1993–1998AnimaniacsPesto, Godpigeon, Joe PesciVoice, 22 episodes
1996–1997The Real Adventures of Jonny QuestVarious VoicesVoice, 9 episodes
1998JAGBenny Turpin2 episodes
1998Cow and ChickenSalesmanVoice, episode: "Free Inside!"
2000That's LifeLuciano
2000Batman BeyondChauffeurVoice, episode: "Ace in the Hole"
2002–2004Static ShockFerretVoice, 3 episodes

YearTitleVoice role
1997Zork: Grand InquisitorHades Beast, House Alarm
1998Animaniacs: Ten Pin AlleyPesto, Godpigeon
2009BayonettaEnzo