Michael C. Maronna (born September 27, 1977) is an American actor, who has appeared in several television programs and films. He is best known for his roles as "Big Pete" Wrigley on the television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete and as Jeff McCallister in the movie Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).

Michael Maronna
Maronna in 2016
Born
Michael C. Maronna

(1977-09-27) September 27, 1977 (age 47)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • electrician
Years active1989–present
Children1

Early life and education

edit

Maronna was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a firefighter father and a guidance counselor mother.[1] He is of one half Italian, three-eighths Irish, and one-eighth Dutch descent.[1] He was the first grandchild in a big family, which included one younger brother and sister.[2][3] As a teenager, he went to Hunter College High School in New York City, before attending Purchase College of the State University of New York, where he studied documentary/nonfiction filmmaking.[1][4]

Career

edit
 
Maronna and Bill Clinton in The Final Days

Maronna appeared in his first commercial at a very young age, and it was for a Scott Paper advertisement.[2] He played older Pete Wrigley in the television show The Adventures of Pete & Pete on Nickelodeon (from 1989 to 1996), as well as the character of Jeff McCallister in the movie Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). In the first one he says the line "Kevin, you are such a disease!", which became widely popular.[5] He also portrayed a teenage killer in an episode of Law & Order.

Maronna was in a widely seen series of 1999 ads for TD Ameritrade as Stuart, a slacker employee of a clueless boss whom he helps get on the internet with over-the-top zealousness.[6] Maronna reprised the role in a comedy reel with Bill Clinton, which was shown at Clinton's final appearance as the President of the United States at the 2000 White House Correspondents' Association dinner.[7]

In the 2000s, Maronna appeared in the movies Slackers and 40 Days and 40 Nights.[8] Other credits include roles in Sex and the City and Be Kind Rewind.[8]

He also appeared in music videos for the 2007 Nada Surf song "Whose Authority"[9] and The XYZ Affair's "All My Friends."

Maronna's stepped away from acting in 2013, and since then he has worked as an electrician on films and television in New York.[10] He co-hosts the podcast The Adventures of Danny and Mike with his Adventures of Pete and Pete co-star Danny Tamberelli.[11] He has resumed acting in the 2020s.

Filmography

edit
Year(s) Title Role Notes
1989-1996 The Adventures of Pete & Pete Big Pete Wrigley 3 seasons (+ specials and shorts)
1990 Home Alone Jeff McCallister Film debut
1992 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Jeff McCallister Film
1994 The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big Apple (undisclosed role) TV special
1997 Law & Order Dale Kershaw "Thrill" (S8E1)
1998 Le New Yorker Ami de Kareen Film
2000 Expired Trevor Short film
2000 The Final Days Stuart Short film
2002 Slackers Jeff Davis Film
2002 40 Days and 40 Nights Bagel Guy Film
2003 What Alice Found Alice's Boyfriend Film
2003 Gilmore Girls Leon "Here Comes the Son" (S3E21)
2004 Bad Apple Videographer TV film
2004 Men Without Jobs E-Man Film
2010 On Edge FBI Agent Short film
2024 I Saw the TV Glow Neighbor #1

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Richard Pandiscio's One To Watch - Ameritrade commercial". BNET Business Network. Archived from the original on March 30, 2008. Retrieved November 28, 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Michael C. Maronna [Interview]". Trainwreck'd Society. August 28, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  3. ^ Mendoza, N.F. (June 12, 1994). "Nick's oddball brothers make Saturdays nights even quirkier than before". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "Interview with Danny & Mike from the Adventures of Pete & Pete". Voxelectro.com. November 5, 2013. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  5. ^ Herbert, Geoff (September 25, 2018). "'The Adventures of Pete & Pete' TV stars visit Syracuse restaurant". Syracuse.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  6. ^ Buckman, Rebecca (December 7, 1999). "In Ameritrade Ads, Stuart Lights The Candle of Dot-Com Success". The Wall Street Journal.
  7. ^ "The Final Days (2000)". IMDb. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Michael C. Maronna Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  9. ^ "New Nada Surf Video – "Whose Authority" (Stereogum Premiere)". stereogum.com. January 14, 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  10. ^ Zippilli, Gina (June 17, 2017). "ATX Exclusive Interview with The Adventures of Pete & Pete's Danny Tamberelli and Michael C. Maronna". Talk Nerdy With Us. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  11. ^ Czajkowski, Elise (September 18, 2013). "The Podcasting Adventures of Pete & Pete aka Danny & Mike". Vulture. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
edit