Born in New York City. Started in American films as sound mixer for THE CANDIDATE (1972). Other notable (non-nominated) credits include BLAZING SADDLES (1974), THE BAD NEWS BEARS and MOTHER, JUGS & SPEED (both 1976), BLACK SUNDAY and HIGH ANXIETY (both 1977), SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (1978), PROPHESY (1979), HISTORY OF THE WORLD: PART I and STRIPES (both 1981), ANNIE and THE TOY (both 1982), THE BIG CHILL (1983), GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), JAGGED EDGE (1985), SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME and *BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED (both 1987), CADDYSHACK II, TWINS and THE PRESIDIO (all 1988), HARLEM NIGHTS and GHOSTBUSTERS II (both 1989), POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE and KINDERGARTEN COP (both 1990), DAVE (1993), THE BIRDCAGE and SPACE JAM (both 1996), THE RELIC and FATHERS' DAY (both 1997), SIX DAYS SEVEN NIGHTS (1998), and his last picture, END OF DAYS (1999). His son is sound mixer Steve Cantamessa.  Nominated for Sound 1972: THE CANDIDATE (w. Richard Portman)  Nominated for Sound 1974: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (w. Richard Portman)  Nominated for Sound 1977: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (w. Don MacDougall, Robert J. Glass & Robert Knudson)  Nominated for Sound 1979: 1941 (w. Don MacDougall, Robert J. Glass & Robert Knudson)  Sound 1982: E.T. -- THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (w. Robert Knudson, Robert J. Glass & Don Digirolamo)  Nominated for Sound 1984: 2010 (w. Michael J. Kohut, Aaron Rochin & Carlos DeLarios)  Nominated for Sound 1986: STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (w. Terry Porter, David J. Hudson & Mel Metcalfe) 7 nominations, 1 Award