Robert John Davi (born June 26, 1953)^[1] is an American actor, singer and filmmaker.^[2] Over the course of his acting career, Davi has performed in more than 130 films. Among his most known roles are opera-singing Jake Fratelli in The Goonies (1985), Vietnam veteran and FBI Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard (1988), James Bond villain Franz Sanchez in Licence to Kill (1989), police deputy chief Phil Heinemann in Predator 2 (1990) and strip club manager Al Torres in Showgirls (1995). On television, he portrayed FBI Special Agent Bailey Malone in the NBC television series Profiler (1996–2000).

Classically trained as a singer, Davi launched his professional singing career in 2011.^[1][3] His first album, Davi Sings Sinatra – On The Road To Romance, hit No. 6 on the Billboard jazz charts. Praised for his voice and vocal interpretations, Davi debuted as a headliner at The Venetian Las Vegas, six months after the record was released.^[4]

In 2016, Davi replaced Jerry Doyle as radio host for a nationally syndicated radio program on Talk Radio Network.^[5]

Robert Davi was born on June 26,in 1953,^[6] in Astoria, Queens, New York, the son of Maria (née Rulli) and Sal Davi.^[1] His mother was an Italian American whose family came from Nusco, Avellino, Campania and his father was from Torretta, Palermo, Sicily.^[7]

Davi spoke Italian during his childhood.^[1] He attended Seton Hall, a Roman Catholic high school in Patchogue, New York.^[1] There he studied opera vocals, and became the winner of the New York State School Music Association Solo Competition at the age of fifteen.^[8] He has two sisters, Yvonne Davi (deceased), and Michelle Queal. He graduated from Hofstra University, which he attended because of that university's strong drama department as well as its reproduction of Shakespeare's Globe Theater.^[9] Davi studied with acting coach Stella Adler when he moved to Manhattan.^[10] During this time he was also a member of the Actor’s Studio,^[11] where he studied with Lee Strasburg.^[6]

In high school, Davi was praised for his singing, and auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera after being awarded first place at the New York State School Music Association's Solo Competition, where he sang Vincent Youman's "Without A Song". He subsequently received classical training with vocal teachers Samuel Margolis and Danial Ferro of Juilliard and Tito Gobbi. Davi damaged his voice and later explained that he was a baritone with the "heart of a tenor and had pushed too hard, too early".^[28]

Davi began to focus again on singing in 2011, and worked with Gary Catona as he prepared to record his first children's album.^[29]

With a thirty-piece orchestra, Davi recorded the album at the Capitol Records Building in Hollywood.^[30] The album was produced by Phil Ramone, engineered by Dan Wallin, and mixed by Al Schmitt. The album, Davi Sings Sinatra -- On The Road To Romance, was released on October 24, 2011, and garnered positive reviews.^[31] Jazztimes called Davi Sings Sinatra "uniformly impressive",^[32] and critic Don Heckman wrote in the Orange County Register that "there are, of course, dozens of Sinatra imitators and simulators. But what Davi does is a whole different matter. A tribute? Yes, indeed; all that and more."^[33] AllMusic noted that "Davi makes no attempt to copy Sinatra's vocal sound ... Rather, he is his own singer."^[34] The album reached the Top 10 on the Billboard jazz charts.^[8]

In December 2012, Davi appeared along with Roger Cicero in the French/German Arte TV program Durch die Nacht mit … The episode was shot in the Little Italy area of New York City and featured conversation between Cicero and Davi and solos of Sinatra standards by both performers. In December 2013, Davi released a Christmas single, "Mistletoe and Holly", with all proceeds benefiting The Salvation Army.^[29]

That year he performed tribute concert series for Frank Sinatra at the Venetian Showroom in Las Vegas.^[12] During his Sinatra performances, which he has toured with, he has a selection of 300 songs to choose from depending on the audience and mood in the room. ^[13] He has been called one of the premiere Frank Sinatra cover acts in the United States, with the Huffington Post calling him “A legend in the making” in 2013. ^[35]

Davi has lent his voice to political ads, including Carly Fiorina's "Demon Sheep" attack ad, "Hot Air: The Movie", and others produced by media consultant Fred Davis.^[36]

Davi was chosen by the United Nations to celebrate the Transformative Power of Music at the General Assembly in New York, in June 2015 – and again for the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the UN in September 2015.^[37]

Davi was chosen to tribute Sinatra's 100th birthday for the July 4 PBS special; it was watched by 500,000 people outside the Capitol Building in DC and 15 million viewers.^[37]

Davi was the guest singer on the Italian version of the TV program The Voice.^[37]

In 2024 he will be releasing his album I’m Not Anyone.^[13]

Davi's was married to Jan Borenstein from 1970 to 1980. His second marriage was to Jeri McBride from 1980 to 1990; they had one son. His next marriage was to Christine Bolster in 1990, which ended in 2019.^[38][39][40] They have four children together.^[38][39] Davi married Diana Davi in 2019, and they have a daughter.^{[citation needed]} He is a recipient of the George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award from the Hofstra University Alumni Association, has served on the Steering Committee for George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute, and is a past recipient of the Man of the Year Award from the Los Angeles FBI.^[41]

For his contributions to the Canadian Italian community, Davi was enshrined in Toronto's Italian Walk of Fame in 2013.^[49]

He was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Al Torres in Showgirls (1995).^{[citation needed]}