David Valcin

David Valcin (born David Neil DeMasi; September 11, 1964) is an American actor best known for his recurring role as Anthony "Scarface" Marconi, a member of the Albanian mob, in the CBS action drama series Person of Interest (2011–2016).^[1][2] Born in Staten Island, New York, Valcin was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and Quebec, Canada.^[1][3] He attended Brooklyn Technical High School, where he first discovered his passion for acting through participation in the Jubilee Players community theater group.^[3] Valcin later studied at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, and trained professionally at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City and Vermont, under notable instructors including William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, and David Mamet.^[1][3] Valcin's early career included stage performances in Off-Broadway and regional theater productions, such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Distant Fires.^[1] He transitioned to television in the late 1990s, securing a recurring role as Eddie Fairbanks in the family sitcom Two of a Kind (1998–1999), appearing in 13 of 22 episodes alongside Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.^[1][3] Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, he guest-starred in numerous acclaimed series, including Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Practice, Rescue Me, Monk, and The Good Wife.^[3] His film credits include supporting roles in Crocodile 2: Death Swamp (2002), New Year's Eve (2011), Alto (2015), and Central Park (2017).^[1][3] Additionally, Valcin served as the national spokesman for Olive Garden restaurants from 1997 to 1999.^[1] In his personal life, Valcin married actress Diane Murphy on September 27, 2003, and the couple has three sons; they reside in Salisbury, Connecticut.^[1][4] While his on-screen work has largely focused on television, Valcin maintains an active presence in the industry, occasionally returning to theater and voice work.^[1]

Early life and education

Early years

David Valcin was born David Neil DeMasi on September 11, 1964, in Staten Island, New York.^[1] He later adopted the professional name David Valcin, listed as his nickname in industry records.^[1] Valcin spent his early years in a series of urban and cross-border environments that exposed him to diverse settings. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, and Quebec, Canada, during his childhood, reflecting frequent family relocations.^[5][6] He attended P.S. 321 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where, according to his official biography, he was harassed by a young Laurence Fishburne.^[6] These moves took place within the New York metropolitan area and extended into Canadian territory, shaping a formative period marked by shifts between bustling American city life and more varied regional experiences in Quebec, which influenced his bilingual abilities in English and French.^[5][6] Details on Valcin's immediate family background remain limited in public records, with no specific information available on his parents or siblings from credible sources during this pre-adolescent phase. His upbringing in these locations laid the groundwork for later developments, though early personal dynamics influencing his path are not documented.^[5]

Education and training

Valcin attended Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he first discovered his passion for acting through involvement with the community theater group The Jubilee Players. This early exposure provided his initial platform for performance, fostering foundational skills in stage presence and character development amid a technically oriented academic environment.^[1] Following high school, Valcin enrolled at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, a liberal arts institution known for its emphasis on Quaker values and interdisciplinary studies. He earned a BA in Theater Arts from Earlham College in 1986.^[6][7] His undergraduate experience there contributed to a broader intellectual foundation that complemented his emerging interest in the performing arts, setting the stage for specialized training. After Earlham, Valcin pursued dedicated acting instruction at the Atlantic Theater Company, attending programs in both New York City and Vermont. Under the guidance of prominent instructors William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, and David Mamet, he immersed himself in practical techniques rooted in realism and ensemble work, refining his abilities in improvisation, scene study, and textual analysis. This rigorous curriculum, aligned with the company's David Mamet-inspired approach, was instrumental in building his professional versatility.^[1][6]

Acting career

Beginnings in theater and commercials

David Valcin entered professional acting in the early 1990s following his training at the Atlantic Theater Company, where he studied under instructors including William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, and David Mamet.^[5] His initial stage work centered on Off-Broadway and regional productions, providing foundational experience in ensemble casts and character-driven roles. In 1995, he appeared in David Edgar's adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, performing alongside actors such as T. Ryder Smith and Jennifer Carpenter.^[8] Another early credit was in Distant Fires by John Olive, an Off-Broadway production at INTAR Theatre in 1992, where he shared the stage with emerging talents including Giancarlo Esposito, Clark Gregg, and Isaiah Washington.^[5] These performances, though minor in billing, helped Valcin hone his craft amid the competitive New York theater scene, without achieving immediate widespread recognition. Transitioning to commercial work in the mid-1990s, Valcin secured advertising gigs that offered steady visibility and income during his early career struggles. From 1997 to 1999, he served as the national spokesman for Olive Garden restaurants in a series of television commercials, portraying an approachable everyman to promote the chain's Italian-American dining experience.^[5] This campaign, part of Olive Garden's expansion efforts during a period of rapid growth for casual dining chains, exposed Valcin to a broad audience and marked his first significant national media presence, though it remained confined to non-scripted advertising rather than narrative roles.^[9] Seeking expanded opportunities beyond New York, Valcin relocated to Los Angeles in the late 1990s, joining the Screen Actors Guild (later merged into SAG-AFTRA) to access film and television auditions.^[5] Upon arrival, he temporarily resided at Shana Stein's informal "Home for Wayward Boys," a shared living space for aspiring actors that had previously housed figures like Skeet Ulrich.^[5] This move, while challenging due to the city's competitive landscape and reliance on small roles to sustain himself, allowed Valcin to build a more diverse resume through persistent networking and auditions, laying the groundwork for future breakthroughs without instant success.^[10]

Notable television roles

Valcin began his structured television career in the late 1990s with a recurring role as Eddie Fairbanks on the ABC sitcom Two of a Kind (1998–1999), where he appeared in 13 of the series' 22 episodes. In the show, Fairbanks served as a friend and classmate to the twin protagonists played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, often interacting closely with the character Brian and contributing to the lighthearted family dynamics of the widowed father's household. This role marked Valcin's entry into scripted episodic television, building on his prior commercial work to secure more prominent on-screen presence.^[1] Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Valcin made several guest appearances on prominent network series, frequently in procedural and drama formats. These included roles on Just Shoot Me! (1997) as a young executive, The Practice (1997), Third Watch (1999), Law & Order in multiple 1990s episodes, Monk (2002), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001), Rescue Me (2004), The Guardian (2006), and The Good Wife (2010) as Russell Thiessen in the episode "Boom."^[1] These one-off parts often portrayed supporting figures in legal, medical, or emergency service contexts, showcasing Valcin's versatility in ensemble-driven narratives and helping establish his reliability in the crime and drama genres.^[11] Valcin achieved his most recognized television role as Anthony "Scarface" Marconi on the CBS series Person of Interest (2011–2016), appearing in 12 episodes across four seasons. Portrayed as a scarred mob lieutenant and loyal second-in-command to crime boss Carl Elias, Marconi's character arc evolved from antagonist to uneasy ally in the show's surveillance-thriller plotlines, featuring in key episodes like "Witness," "Risk," "Liberty," and "Endgame."^[12] This recurring performance, spanning the series' run from 2011 to 2015, highlighted Valcin's ability to convey gritty intensity and became a fan-favorite element of the procedural's criminal underworld storyline, solidifying his reputation in long-form television.^[1] Over nearly two decades, Valcin's television work primarily concentrated on procedural dramas and crime series, with a pattern of guest spots evolving into substantial recurring arcs that emphasized character-driven support roles in high-stakes environments.^[2]

Film appearances

David Valcin made his film debut in the 1997 independent comedy Joe Joe Angel & the Dead Guy, where he portrayed the titular character Joe Joe Angel in a quirky story involving a dead guy and supernatural elements. This low-budget production marked his entry into cinema following early theater and commercial work, though it received limited distribution and remains obscure.^[13][1] In the early 2000s, Valcin took on supporting roles in direct-to-video thrillers, often playing characters in high-stakes, perilous scenarios. He appeared as Virgil Ellis in The Accountant (2000), an indie drama centered on financial intrigue and personal vendettas.^[14] Two years later, he played Justin in the horror film Crocodile 2: Death Swamp (2002), a sequel where his character meets a gruesome end by being devoured by a giant crocodile during a swamp-bound survival ordeal. These roles highlighted Valcin's versatility in genre films with modest production values, typically featuring ensemble casts facing monstrous threats.^[15] Valcin's film career saw a shift toward ensemble pieces in the 2010s. He had a small but noticeable part as Reporter Murphy in the holiday rom-com New Year's Eve (2011), directed by Garry Marshall and featuring a star-studded lineup including Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, and Jessica Biel, in interconnected stories set during New Year's celebrations in New York City.^[16] Later, he portrayed Mike Del Vecchio, a mob-connected figure, in the 2015 romantic comedy-crime film Alto, which follows two women entangled in a heist and family drama within an Italian-American community.^[17] His most recent feature role came as Sam in Central Park (2017), a horror-thriller about teens targeted by a vengeful killer in New York City's iconic park. Throughout his sporadic film involvement since 1997, Valcin has primarily occupied supporting or minor roles in direct-to-video genre entries and occasional big-screen ensembles, contrasting with his more consistent television presence and underscoring a career focused on character-driven contributions rather than leads. No uncredited film appearances are prominently documented in major databases.^[1]

Personal life

Marriage and family

David Valcin married actress Diane Murphy on September 27, 2003.^[1] The couple has three sons.^[1][18] Valcin describes his primary non-professional roles as chef and chauffeur to his sons.^[18][19]

Residence and other interests

Valcin resides in New York.^[18] Valcin maintains an online presence through his website davidvalcin.com, which features personal reflections and photos, and his Twitter account @filthymcnasty, where he posts about family and daily experiences.^[19][18]

Filmography

Television

David Valcin has appeared in numerous television series, primarily in guest and recurring capacities. His credits span from the mid-1990s through the 2010s, with notable recurring roles in sitcoms and dramas.^[1]

• Loving (1995): Orderly, 1 episode, guest role.^[20]
• The Single Guy (1996): Antonio the Waiter, 1 episode, guest role.^[21]
• Just Shoot Me! (1997): Young Executive, 1 episode, guest role.^[2]
• The Practice (1999): Joey Jacobs, 1 episode, guest role.^[2]
• Law & Order (1998): Officer Fratelli, 1 episode, guest role.^[2]
• Two of a Kind (1998–1999): Eddie Fairbanks, 13 episodes, recurring role.^[22]
• Third Watch (2005): Larry Busante, 1 episode, guest role.^[2]
• Once and Again (2001): Steve, 1 episode, guest role.^[23]
• The Guardian (2001): Edward Mathews, 1 episode, guest role.^[2]
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2004): Detective Hodes, 1 episode, guest role.^[2]
• Rescue Me (2004): Rick Pressman, 1 episode, guest role.^[24]
• Monk (2005): Reggie Dennison, 1 episode, guest role.^[25]
• Law & Order (2005): Sgt. Hunter, 1 episode, guest role.^[9]
• Numb3rs (2008): Sport Coat #1, 1 episode, guest role.^[11]
• The Good Wife (2010): Russell Thiessen, 1 episode, guest role.^[11]
• Person of Interest (2011–2016): Scarface / Anthony Marconi, 12 episodes, recurring role.^[2]
• The Mysteries of Laura (2014): Richard LeDeux, 1 episode, guest role.^[9]
• Elementary (2015): Osweiler, 1 episode, guest role.^[9]

Film

David Valcin has appeared in several feature films throughout his acting career, primarily in supporting roles across various genres including drama, horror, and comedy.^[1] All listed appearances are credited; no uncredited film roles are documented in available sources.^[2]