Eugene Mazzola, a renowned figure in the film industry, was born in Hollywood, California, to a large family deeply rooted in the motion picture business. As the sixth of seven children, his early life was influenced by the glamour of Hollywood. His father, Leonard Al Mazzola, was a Vaudeville performer, while his mother, Saveria Mazzola, made her mark in The Godfather Part II (1974).
Eugene's entry into the industry was a natural progression, as he began working as a child actor at an early age. His first role was as Anthony Caruso's baby in The Asphalt Jungle (1950),followed by a few films and television appearances. However, it was his breakout role as the Pharaoh Rameses' son in The Ten Commandments (1956) opposite Yul Brynner that cemented his status as a child star. He went on to adopt the stage name Eugene Martin and enjoyed a successful career as a child actor.
Mazzola's early success led to his signing onto the TV series Jefferson Drum in 1958, and he joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1964. However, his acting career was put on hold when he served in the Navy from 1968 to 1970. During his tour in Vietnam, he was deployed on the Mekong River and later redeployed to Camp Tien Sha Da Nang. After his military service, he briefly worked as a photojournalist for COMPHIBPAC in Coronado before returning to Hollywood to continue his acting career.
In 1972, Mazzola made the transition behind the camera, producing his first film, Joyride (1977),in 1976. The same year, he joined the Directors Guild of America (DGA). He later moved to Seattle, Washington, with his young family in 1981 and established Seattle Cine Rentals in 1984, which eventually became part of The Cine Companies. Under his leadership, the company grew to become the largest G&E equipment company north of Los Angeles, with shops in Seattle, Portland, and Spokane.
Eugene Mazzola is married to his high school sweetheart, Zita Mazzola, and they have three children together: Saveria T. Mazzola, Richard-Augustus (RA) Mazzola, and Sebastian Mazzola. Despite selling Seattle Cine Rentals to Pacific Grip and Lighting in 1993, Mazzola has continued to work as an AD, production manager, and producer in the film industry.
