Joe Pesci Wonderful" (1982), "Easy Money" (1983) and "Eureka" (1983). In 1984, he was cast in "Once Upon a Time in America", again appearing alongside De Niro. The following year he starred as private detective Rocky Nelson in the short-lived television comedy series "Half Nelson". In 1988, Pesci appeared in the Michael Jackson musical anthology film "Moonwalker", in the film's sixth and longest segment, "Smooth Criminal." He played the antagonist, crime boss Frankie "Mr. Big" LiDeo (an anagram for one of the film's producers and longtime Jackson manager Frank DiLeo, with whom Pesci later acted in "Goodfellas"). He appeared as Leo Getz,
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro was not released until 1969. The two reunited for the 1968 film "Greetings", which was De Niro's official film debut. In 1973, De Niro had been praised for his role in "Bang the Drum Slowly" while Scorsese had been working as an editor on the movie "Woodstock". The same year, Scorsese and De Niro collaborated for the first time on the gangster film "Mean Streets". Scorsese had been taught that entertaining films can be shot with little money by Roger Corman, who had helped prepare Scorsese for the difficulties of making "Mean Streets". The film, about a small-time gangster living