Paul Callandrillo (January 31, 1956 â€" December 30, 2007), better
known as Paul Land, was an American actor who was best known for his
roles in the movies The Idolmaker and Spring Break. Land came from a
large family (13 children total), and 1 of his brothers was former
professional basketball player Dan Callandrillo.Land was born in
Hoboken, New Jersey. He served in the United States Army, became a
roofer, and then a model after being discovered at a party, which led
to a French TV commercial for Perrier. He appeared to have a bright
future ahead of him with his acting career after The Idolmaker was
released in 1980 - even appearing on American Bandstand, during which
Dick Clark praised Land as "an amazing guy" and that "he pulled it off
beautifully" regarding his role in the film as singer Tommy Dee (a
character modeled after early rock n' roll singer Dion).While
reviewing the film, Roger Ebert pointed out "Land does a good job of
playing the movie's first rock singer, a spoiled, egotistical creation
renamed 'Tommy Dee'" and The New York Times said "Paul Land makes a
wonderfully sullen Tommy Dee and, like Peter Gallagher in Caesare's
role, traces the evolution of his character's stardom in meticulous
detail." In the movie, Land's character sings 2 songs, "Here Is My
Love" and "Sweet Little Lover", but the actor himself did not sing the
songs (they were sung by TV and film composer Jesse Frederick).On July
7, 1981, Land married Michelle Dimitri (daughter of international
fashion designer Piero Dimitri) at St. Patrick's Cathedral
(Manhattan).
known as Paul Land, was an American actor who was best known for his
roles in the movies The Idolmaker and Spring Break. Land came from a
large family (13 children total), and 1 of his brothers was former
professional basketball player Dan Callandrillo.Land was born in
Hoboken, New Jersey. He served in the United States Army, became a
roofer, and then a model after being discovered at a party, which led
to a French TV commercial for Perrier. He appeared to have a bright
future ahead of him with his acting career after The Idolmaker was
released in 1980 - even appearing on American Bandstand, during which
Dick Clark praised Land as "an amazing guy" and that "he pulled it off
beautifully" regarding his role in the film as singer Tommy Dee (a
character modeled after early rock n' roll singer Dion).While
reviewing the film, Roger Ebert pointed out "Land does a good job of
playing the movie's first rock singer, a spoiled, egotistical creation
renamed 'Tommy Dee'" and The New York Times said "Paul Land makes a
wonderfully sullen Tommy Dee and, like Peter Gallagher in Caesare's
role, traces the evolution of his character's stardom in meticulous
detail." In the movie, Land's character sings 2 songs, "Here Is My
Love" and "Sweet Little Lover", but the actor himself did not sing the
songs (they were sung by TV and film composer Jesse Frederick).On July
7, 1981, Land married Michelle Dimitri (daughter of international
fashion designer Piero Dimitri) at St. Patrick's Cathedral
(Manhattan).
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