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Jon Polito is the kind of actor who elicits "I've seen that guy!" responses from people. He's been in Seinfeld as Silvio the landlord, as a pawnshop owner in The Crow, and most recently on such hit shows as Desperate Housewives and Scrubs.
Now, he can add Sunnyvale to the list of places he's been seen.
On June 26 and 27, Polito held court as headwaiter Gus in the romantic comedy Valentine's Day Special, filmed at Sunnyvale's Pezzella's Villa Napoli Italian restaurant. He also filmed a bathroom scene in Sunnyvale's Cogswell College.
Polito is no stranger to the South Bay. In 2005, he earned The Maverick Award for outstanding achievement in film and television at Cinequest 15, San Jose's film festival.
Laura Sullivan, wife of writer/director Eric Sullivan and vice president of their film company, Dunboy Entertainment--based in Belmont--filmed at Pezzella's because it fit the scenes they needed.
"We were looking for a restaurant with a romantic atmosphere that looked like it could be in a small town," Sullivan said. A friend had recommended Pezzella's.
The movie focuses on a young man wanting to propose to his girlfriend. Polito's character is a mentor to the young man.
"It's a small town, so everyone knows each other, and Gus is counseling him on how to propose," Sullivan said.
Pezzella's was a good choice because it's closed Sundays and Mondays, giving the moviemakers the freedom to work without closing the restaurant. And there was no need for special effects to make Pezzella's into the kind of restaurant needed for the movie.
"It's a family atmosphere," restaurant co-owner Vince Pezzella said. "The bar here is like 'Cheers'--everyone's friendly."
A Sunnyvale favorite since 1957, Pezzella's has always been a family operation. Pezzella and his brother took over the restaurant from their parents in the late 1970s. Pezzella said many of their regular customers auditioned for parts as extras.
"Everybody that comes in here, all the regulars, were looking forward to the movie," he said.
Pezzella said they have always had good crowds filling their tables, but a professional movie crew was a first.
"It sounded like fun, and something that would be interesting to do," Pezzella said. "It seemed like it'd be a fun adventure."
Pezzella was also excited because he knew Polito's work.
But what excited everyone the most was the chance to show off a bit of the South Bay. In an area hit hard by the "dot-bomb," exposure of this sort could bring new interest to what Sunnyvale has to offer.
"I hope it's a success, and who knows, if it works out, maybe somebody else will want to do something like it in Sunnyvale," Pezzella said.
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Photograph by Sean Penello