Joe Mantegna

 Having obtained a degree in acting from the Goodman School of Drama and taken to the stage early on in life, it is no surprise that Joe Mantegna has maintained a strong relationship with the playwright -turned- screenwriter-director David Mamet. They have collaborated on several projects, including the 1984 Broadway production of "Glengarry Glen Ross" (for which Mantegna won the Tony), and "House of Games" (1987), Mamet's film directorial debut.

This was originally intended to be a larger-budget film with many "name" actors, but David Mamet chose to direct on his own with his wife (Lindsay Crouse) and friends (Mantegna) in the cast.

Describing the structure of the film as "diabolical and impeccable," Roger Ebert gave the film his highest rating: 4 stars. "This movie is awake. I have seen so many films that were sleepwalking through the debris of old plots and second-hand ideas that it was a constant pleasure to watch 'House of Games'." Ebert later included the film in his list of Great Movies. Calling the film "a wonderfully devious comedy," Vincent Canby also gave it a thumbs up. "Mr. Mamet, poker player and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, makes a fine, completely self-assured debut directing his original screenplay. Sometimes he's bluffing outrageously, but that's all right too."

Until the age of 16, Mantegna had thought his birthday was November 10th. He found out it was really November 13th when he needed his birth certificate to get his drivers' license. His mother told him that because the cutoff date for starting school was the 10th, and she wanted to get back to work, she told the school (and Joe) that his birthday was November 10th.

Happy Birthday, Joe Mantegna!