AIELLO & SON

After making three films with dear old dad -- Danny Aiello -- Rick Aiello gets to play his son in their fourth teaming, “The Closer,” due to open here and in New York on Feb. 15.

“It was great,” says Rick, 30, of working with his dad. “Because he’s my father, it allows me to watch him, and ask stupid questions. I can trust him. I wouldn’t be able to learn as much if he wasn’t my father.”

Rick came to L.A. three years ago to pursue his acting career, inspired by his father’s success. As he had in N.Y., he worked as a bouncer (he’s 6-2 and nearly 200 pounds), bartender and club manager, also appearing in “Streets of Gold,” “Last Exit to Brooklyn” and other films that called for his street-savvy manner and a gravelly voice reminiscent of his dad’s.

The two appeared together in “Do the Right Thing,” “Harlem Nights” and “29th Street,” an Italian family comedy-drama due out later this year from 20th Century Fox.

In “The Closer,” from Ion Pictures, the senior Aiello stars as a wealthy businessman who’s expert at closing a deal but has neglected his family relationships in pursuit of success. He’s haunted by visionary visitations from his dead son, played by Rick.

There were moments between them during shooting, Rick says, “that were just like deja vu, conversations we’ve had in real life. And there were little nuances that would only happen between a father and son.”

Rick has three other features due out in 1991, and just co-starred in a CBS pilot, “Knights of the Kitchen Table,” for producer Gary David Goldberg.

“It feels like this is my year,” he says.