Frank L. Messina, also known as Frank Messina, is a celebrated poet, artist, and actor who hails from northern New Jersey. This multi-talented individual has authored four books of poetry, including the notable works "Disorderly Conduct" and "Full Count: The Book of Mets Poetry".
Messina initially gained recognition as a spoken word artist and raconteur through his captivating performances on stage in the United States and Europe. He has graced prestigious venues such as Newark Symphony Hall, The Crossing Border Festival, and Symphony Space in New York City. In 2007, The New York Times featured him on the front page, showcasing his baseball-related writing and securing him a book contract, which garnered international attention.
As "The Mets Poet", Messina made appearances on SNY, where his dramatic and comedic baseball verse were set against the backdrop of iconic (and not-so-iconic) moments in baseball history. Following one of his performances in New York City, actor Jerry Stiller encouraged him to pursue acting.
Messina has made notable appearances as himself in the documentary "Jack Kerouac Slept Here" (2011) and in a promotional segment for HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" (2010). He also had a recurring role as the bodyguard to Chicago mob boss Al Capone in seasons 3, 4, and 5 of the same series. His film credits include a starring role as "Ginger Lafferty" in the cult classic "Toxic Tutu" (2016) and the lead role of "Zach" in the Rowan Cinema production, "Lawn of the Year".
Messina made his directorial debut in 2015 with the production of "Grunt", a short film based on his poem of the same title, which was produced by the Manhattan Film Institute. As a visual artist, his work is displayed in private and public collections around the world.
