{{short description|American screenwriter}} {{about|the restaurateur|the model|Tony Luke|the restaurant franchise|Tony Luke's|the British animator|Renga Media}} {{Infobox person | name = Tony Luke Jr. | image = Tony luke jr 1.jpg | image_size = 150px | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|03|12}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, PA | other_names = | known_for = Tony Luke's | occupation = }} '''Anthony Lucidonio Jr.''' (born March 12, 1962)<ref name="rott_Tony">{{Cite web| title = Tony Luke Jr.| work = Rotten Tomatoes| accessdate = 2016-04-16| url = http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tony_luke_jr/}}</ref> better known as '''Tony Luke Jr.''' is an American restaurateur, musician, songwriter actor, and media host who founded the cheesesteak franchise Tony Luke's.
==Career== Luke married at age 18 after high school. He went to work with his father, Tony Lucidonio in food trucks and other odd jobs to support his growing family.<ref name="talents"/> In the early 1990s Luke, his brother, Nicky, and their father bought a property near the expressway in South Philadelphia. To compete with other local businesses, the original Tony Luke's stand offered a more diversified menu, offering hoagies and other fare, along with cheesesteaks. Luke Jr. soon took over the store's marketing.<ref name="talents"/>
Eventually, the business grew to include several locations in the Philadelphia area and a line of frozen sandwiches. Through a partnership with Rastelli Foods Group, the business now has several franchised locations in Bahrain.<ref name="talents"/>
Luke's restaurant franchise, Tony Luke's, has expanded from its original South Philadelphia location to Citizens Bank Park, Atlantic City, The Wildwoods, and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Luke's frozen line "Tony Luke's Pronto" is available nationally.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101005006918/en/Rastelli-Direct-Gourmet-Foods-Company-Shipping-Nationally|title=Rastelli Direct Gourmet Foods Company Now Shipping Nationally|author=David Thompson}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tonylukespronto.com|title=Tony Luke's Cheesesteaks}}</ref> Luke and his restaurants have earned numerous awards and recognition from both local and national publications,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tonylukes.com/awards.htm|title=Awards|access-date=2010-05-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725010316/http://tonylukes.com/awards.htm|archive-date=2010-07-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> as well being featured in episodes of ''Throwdown! with Bobby Flay'', ''Dinner: Impossible'', ''Man v. Food'' and ''Food Wars''.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Man v. Food Philadelphia|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mk5ngU1_dU |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026023807/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mk5ngU1_dU&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2013-10-26 |url-status=dead|accessdate=2014-02-20|series=Man vs. Food |network=Food Network|location=Philadelphia |date=2009-09-23|season=2|number=8}}</ref>
Luke opened a location in Bahrain in 2010 and plans on opening 60 more in the Middle East and North Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/12/09/get-your-philly-cheesesteak-on-in-bahrain/|title=Get your Philly cheesesteak on - in Bahrain|author=Sarah Hoye|date=2010-12-09|publisher=CNN}}</ref>
===Sports broadcasting=== He was the host of "Tony Luke's Eaglemania" which aired Saturday nights on Philadelphia's ABC affiliate WPVI-TV<ref>{{cite web|title=Eagles Television Network on 6abc|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/feature?section=news/local&id=7627215|publisher=WPVI-TV|accessdate=8 January 2012}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20100725_Inqlings__Tony_Luke_show_for_the_Birds_fans.html | title=Inqlings: Tony Luke show for the Birds fans | date=25 July 2010 }}</ref> for a portion of the Eagles' 2010 season.
==Personal life== Luke was born in South Philadelphia. He attended Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.<ref name="trials"/>
Using methamphetamine and other drugs as a teenager, he now uses that experience and the fighting and hustling of his youth to tell kids that difficulties can be overcome.<ref name="talents"/>
He was a state kickboxing champion in 1982–83.<ref name="talents"/>
In 2011, after 31 years of marriage, Luke and his wife divorced. He has three sons, who all have worked for him.<ref name="talents">{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-08/entertainment/27107151_1_tony-luke-edgar-cayce-kid/2|title=Renaissance man Tony Luke is a Philly guy with many talents|author=Chuck Darrow|date=2011-02-08|publisher=Philly.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715075611/http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-08/entertainment/27107151_1_tony-luke-edgar-cayce-kid/2|archive-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> In 2017, Luke's eldest son, Anthony James Lucidonio III, died in his home from an accidental opioid overdose at the age of 35.<ref name="trials">{{cite web |last1=Teague |first1=Matthew |title=The Trials of Tony Luke |url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/06/25/tony-luke-son-lawsuit/ |publisher=Philadelphia Magazine |accessdate=21 December 2018 |date=25 June 2017}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Acting=== *''The Jamie Kennedy Experiment'' (2003) as Anthony Martinelli *''Hack'' (2003) – episode "Dial 'O' for Murder" as vendor *''Mafioso: The Father, the Son'' (2004) as Paulie Hammer *''10th & Wolf'' (2006) as Rocco *''Invincible'' (2006) as cape-clad fan *''Sight'' (2008) as Paul *''The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone'' (2009) as Joey Nardone *''The Mighty Macs'' (2010) as Salvatore Galentino
===As self=== *''Tony Luke's Eaglemania'' (2010) *''Frankenfood'' (SpikeTV) (2014) Co-host and judge <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.spike.com/articles/7rmax1/frankenfood-spike-searches-for-the-newest-food-craze-with-frankenfood | title=Paramount Network }}</ref> *''Food Mashups With Tony Luke Jr.'' (2015) web series, host
===As producer=== *''The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone'' (2009)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.tonylukes.com/}} * {{IMDb name|0525572}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Luke, Tony Jr.}} Category:Living people Category:1962 births Category:American male screenwriters Category:Male actors from Philadelphia Category:Screenwriters from Pennsylvania Category:Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts alumni