John “Cha Cha” Ciarcia, a well-known restaurateur, boxing promoter, actor, celebrity manager, radio host, producer and longtime owner of Little Italy’s popular Cha Cha’s In Bocca Al Lupo Café on Mulberry St., died Nov. 21, at N.Y.U. Medical Center, following a brief illness, it was announced by his wife and business partner, singer Karen King. He was 69.
A former boxing promoter who worked with middleweight and welterweight champions Emile Griffith, Vito Antuofermo and others, he also managed and promoted Tony Danza, before the actor went on to a TV career.
Cha Cha was known as “The Mayor of Little Italy,” a title bestowed on him in the 1970s by Madison Square Garden announcer John Condon. His Mulberry St. cafe became a popular hangout over the years for such film luminaries as Danza, Danny DeVito, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Hugh Grant and Vincent Pastore.
He was born and raised on Mulberry St. to an Italian family who had immigrated to the United States from Calabria and Naples. He began his show business career when Scorsese hired him as associate director of casting for “Goodfellas,” providing work for 400 extras. His film credits include “Goodfellas,” “Hoffa,” “A Brooklyn State of Mind,” “Mamamia” and “Death to Smoochy,” among others.
Most recently, he was featured in the HBO series “The Sopranos,” playing Albie Cianfione. On radio, he was co-host of the weekly Sirius Satellite Radio program “The Wise Guy Show.” He also appeared regularly as a guest co-host on Joey Reynolds’s nationally syndicated late-night radio talk show. His wife, Karen King, along with Danza, recently assumed ownership of one of Little Italy’s oldest cheese shops, Alleva Dairy, at the corner of Grand and Mulberry Sts.
In addition to his wife, Ciarcia is survived by a sister, Marie “Mary Anne” Gentile, four aunts, one uncle, five nephews, five nieces, three grandnieces, three grandnephews and one great-great-niece.
“Chach,” as he was also known, was a great friend to many and a real lover of his neighborhood and the city of New York. He was one of a kind, and a bright light has gone out on Mulberry St.
A wake was held Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, on the afternoon and evening of each day, at the Youth Center of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, 268 Mulberry St., between Prince and Houston Sts.
The Funeral Mass of The Resurrection was held Wed., Dec. 2, at Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, at Mott and Prince Sts.
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