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Tony Lo Bianco

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Tony Lo Bianco
Lo Bianco in Police Story, 1975
Born
Anthony LoBianco

(1936-10-19)October 19, 1936
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedJune 11, 2024(2024-06-11) (aged 87)
Poolesville, Maryland, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1951–2022
Spouses
  • Dora Landey
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1964; div. 1984)​
  • Elizabeth Fitzpatrick
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2002; div. 2008)​
  • Alyse Muldoon
    ​
    (m. 2015)​
Children3
Websitetonylobianco.com

Anthony LoBianco (October 19, 1936 – June 11, 2024) was an American actor.

Born to first-generation Italian American parents in New York City, Lo Bianco began his career in theater, appearing in several Broadway productions throughout the 1960s. He transitioned to film in the 1970s, starring in the New Hollywood crime films The Honeymoon Killers (1970), The French Connection (1971), and The Seven-Ups (1973).

He won an Obie Award for his 1975 role in an Off-Broadway production of Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh, and subsequently earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor for his role as Eddie in the 1983 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge.

In addition to film and theater, Lo Bianco appeared as a guest-star on numerous television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including appearances on Police Story (1974–1976), Franco Zeffirelli's miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977), and Marco Polo (1982).

In 1984, he appeared in a stage production of Hizzoner!, playing New York politician Fiorello H. La Guardia, for which he won a New York Emmy Award. The one-man play was subsequently staged on Broadway in 1989, and Lo Bianco went on to perform several other Off-Broadway iterations of it, including LaGuardia (2008) and The Little Flower (2012–2015).

Early life

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The grandson of Sicilian immigrants, Anthony LoBianco was born October 19, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a housewife mother and a taxi driver father.[1][2] He attended the William E. Grady CTE High School, a vocational school in Brooklyn.[3] There, he had a teacher who encouraged him to try out for plays, which is when he began to develop an interest in acting.[3] After graduating high school, he attended the Dramatic Workshop, studying acting and theater production.[1]

Career

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Lo Bianco was a contending Golden Gloves boxer and also founded the Triangle Theatre in 1963, serving as its artistic director for six years and collaborating with lighting designer Jules Fisher, playwright Jason Miller and actor Roy Scheider.[4] He performed as an understudy in a 1964 Broadway production of Incident at Vichy, and the following year had a supporting role in a Broadway production of Tartuffe.[5] From late 1965 through the spring of 1966, he starred on Broadway as Fray Marcos de Nizza in The Royal Hunt of the Sun.[5]

He made his film debut in The Sex Perils of Paulette (1965) before appearing as a murderer in the semi-biographical crime film The Honeymoon Killers (1970). He subsequently appeared as Salvatore Boca in William Friedkin's critically acclaimed action film The French Connection (1971),[4] and later starred as a police officer investigating a series of murders in Larry Cohen's horror film God Told Me To (1976). From 1974–76, he played a lead role in six episodes of Joseph Wambaugh's anthology television series Police Story in the mid-1970s, four times alongside former NFL star qarterback Don Meredith. He also appeared in several Italian films, including the Lee Van Cleef-starring crime comedy Mean Frank and Crazy Tony (1973).

In 1975, Lo Bianco won an Obie Award for his off-Broadway performance as Duke Bronkowski in the baseball-themed play Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh.[4][6] In 1983, Lo Bianco was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge.[4] He also won the 1983 Outer Critics Circle Award for this performance. In 1984, he had a supporting role in the action comedy City Heat.[4]

Lo Bianco first portrayed the larger-than-life mayor of New York City from 1933 to 1945, Fiorello H. La Guardia, in the one-man show Hizzoner!, written in 1984 by Paul Shyre. Lo Bianco won a local Daytime Emmy Award for the WNET Public Television version of the play, which was filmed at the Empire State Institute for the Performing Arts in Albany.[7] The play was subsequently staged on Broadway in 1989, where it ran for just 12 performances.[5][8] Lo Bianco appeared in several independent films in the 1990s: in 1995 as Jimmy Jacobs in the HBO biographical film Tyson, in 1996 as Briggs in Sworn to Justice with Cynthia Rothrock. He had a minor role in Nixon, directed by Oliver Stone. [4]

Lo Bianco continued his work on the life of LaGuardia in a revised[8] revival of the play in 2008, titled LaGuardia.[9] His third incarnation of the mayor's life had a limited run off-Broadway in October 2012, titled The Little Flower.[9] Lo Bianco purchased the rights to the play from the estate of Paul Shyre and rewrote it a few times. He viewed the play as "a vehicle to express my concerns for the public and political mess that we're in, which we continue to be in, I think, and try to relate answers to failure." He performed it in Moscow in 1991 shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union, and in 2015 he was scheduled to perform it in Italy.[8] The show was staged at LaGuardia Community College in May 2015.[10]

A New York Times profile in 2015 reported that Lo Bianco was at work on a one-man show playing himself and a film script about his early life.[8]

Personal life

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Lo Bianco was previously the national spokesperson for the Order Sons of Italy in America.[11] His humanitarian efforts earned multiple awards, including Man of the Year for Outstanding Contributions to the Italian-American Community from the Police Society of New Jersey; a Man of the Year Award from the State of New Jersey Senate; a Lifetime Entertainment Award from the Columbus Day Parade Committee; the 1997 Golden Lion Award; and a Humanitarian Award of the Boys' Town of Italy.[12]

Lo Bianco was married from 1964 until 1984 to Dora Landey. They had three daughters. He was married to Elizabeth Fitzpatrick from 2002 until 2008. He was then married to Alyse Best Muldoon since June 2015 until his death.

Death

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Lo Bianco died as a result of prostate cancer at his farm in Poolesville, Maryland, on June 11, 2024, at the age of 87.[13][14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1965 The Sex Perils of Paulette Allen
1970 The Honeymoon Killers Ray Fernandez
1971 The French Connection Salvatore Boca
1973 Mean Frank and Crazy Tony Tony Breda
Serpico Rizzo Uncredited
The Seven-Ups Vito Lucia
1976 Goldenrod Jesse Gifford
God Told Me To Peter J. Nicholas
Merciless Man The American
1978 F.I.S.T. Anthony 'Babe' Milano
Bloodbrothers Tommy De Coco
1981 Pals Frank Green Short film
Separate Ways Ken Colby
1983 Another Woman's Child Mike DeBray
1984 City Heat Leon Coll
1991 City of Hope Joe Rinaldi
The Good Policeman Jerry Diangelis
1993 Boiling Point Tony Dio
1994 La ragnatela del silenzio - A.I.D.S. Professor Donati
The Ascent Aldo
Power and Lovers Warren
1995 Nixon Johnny Roselli
1996 The Juror Louie Boffano
Sworn to Justice Briggs
1997 Cold Night Into Dawn Supervisor Klyn
1998 Mafia! Cesar Marzoni
The Pawn Lou
2000 The Day the Ponies Come Back Paul DeCruccio
2001 Friends & Family Victor Patrizzi
Down 'n Dirty Detective Dan Ward
2002 Endangered Species Captain Tanzini
2003 The Cruelest Day General Loi
2006 The Last Request Monte
2009 Frame of Mind 'Mouthman'
2011 Kill the Irishman Jack White
2013 Send No Flowers Anthony Albano
2016 '79 Parts Vincent
Blondie Johnny Short film
2022 Somewhere in Queens Dominic "Pops" Russo Final film role

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1966 Get Smart KAOS Agent Episode: "Smart, the Assassin"
Blue Light Carbonne Episode: "Jet Trial"
Hawk Joey Fentanello Episode: ""H" is a Dirty Letter"
1968 N.Y.P.D. Muller / Joe Peconic 2 episodes
Hidden Faces Nick Capello Turner Miniseries
1971 Great Performances Frank Episode: "A Memory of Two Mondays"
1972 Madigan Joe Lakka Episode: "The Manhattan Beat"
1973 Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside Detective Rick Massi Television film
1974 The Story of Jacob and Joseph Joseph
1974–76 Police Story D.J. Perkins / Sgt. Tony Calabrese 6 episodes
1975 The Streets of San Francisco Al Wozynsky Episode: "Solitaire"
A Shadow in the Streets Pete Mackey Television film
1976 Origins of the Mafia Nino Sciallacca Episode: "Omertà"
1977 Jesus of Nazareth Quintilius Miniseries
1978 The Last Tenant Joey Television film
She'll Be Sweet Magee
1979 Champions: A Love Story Alan Denschroeder
A Last Cry for Help Dr. Ben Abbot
Marciano Rocky Marciano
1981 Today's FBI Joey D'Amico Episode: "The Bureau"
1982 Marco Polo Brother Nicolas Miniseries
1984 Hizzoner! Fiorello La Guardia Television film
Jessie Lieutenant Alex Ascoli Television film
The Paper Chase Professor Reese Episode: "The Advocate"
Jessie Lieutenant Alex Ascoli 10 episodes
1985 Lady Blue Sergeant 'Bing' Bingham Episode: "Pilot"
The Twilight Zone Paul Marano Episode: "If She Dies"
1986 Blood Ties Judge Guiliano Salina Television film
1987 Night Heat Tony Rimbaud Episode: "Flashback"
Police Story: The Freeway Killings Detective DiAngelo Television film
1988 CBS Summer Playhouse Tom 'Coop' Cooper Episode: "Off Duty"
La romana Astarita Miniseries
Body of Evidence Evan Campbell Television film
The Ann Jillian Story Andy Murcia
1989 True Blue 'Doc' Episode: "Pilot"
1990 Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen Michael Garcia Television film
Death Has a Bad Reputation Carlos
ABC Afterschool Special Officer Abbott Episode: "Over the Limit"
CBS Schoolbreak Special Coach Douglas Episode: "Malcolm Takes the Shot"
1991 Palace Guard Arturo Taft 8 episodes
The 10 Million Dollar Getaway Tony 'Ducks' Corallo Television film
1991–94 Murder, She Wrote Paul Avoncino / Phil Mannix 2 episodes
1992 In the Shadow of a Killer Frederick Berger Television film
Stormy Weathers Lieutenant Frank Orozco
Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story Allen Dorfman
1992–2002 Law & Order Mark Menaker / Sal DiMarco / Det. Mike Foster 3 episodes
1994 The Maharaja's Daughter Vito Capece Miniseries
1995 Homicide: Life on the Street Mitch Drummond 3 episodes
Tyson Jimmy Jacobs Television film
1997 F/X: The Series Martin Thorne Episode: "Reunion"
Let Me Call You Sweetheart Dr. Charles Smith Television film
Bella Mafia Pietro Carolla
1999 Rocky Marciano Frankie Carbo
2001 Deadline Rosario Masucci Episode: "Don't I Know You?"
2002 Lucky Day Detective Marinello Television film
2005 The Engagement Ring Nick Di Cenzo
N.Y.-70 Congressman Fario Cardinale
2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Joseph Episode: "World's Fair"

Partial stage credits

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Year Title Role Original venue Notes Ref.
1964–65 Incident at Vichy Prisoner ANTA Washington Square Theatre Understudy
 [5]
1965 Tartuffe Sergeant ANTA Washington Square Theatre
1965–66 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Fray Marcos de Niza ANTA Playhouse
1966 The Office Gucci 10 previews; never officially opened
1967 The Ninety Day Mistress Rudy Avarian Biltmore Theatre
1968 The Exercise The Actor John Golden Theatre
1968 The Goodbye People Michael Silverman Ethel Barrymore Theatre
1975 Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh Duke Bronkowski The American Place Theatre [6]
1983 A View from the Bridge Eddie Ambassador Theatre [5]
1989 Hizzoner! Fiorello La Guardia Longacre Theatre
2008 LaGuardia DiCapo Opera Theater [9]
2012 The Little Flower [7]
2015 [8]

Awards and nominations

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Award Year Category Work Result Ref.
New York Emmy Award 1985 Outstanding Individual Crafts Hizzoner! Won
Obie Award 1975 Distinguished Performance by an Actor Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh Won
Outer Critics Circle Awards 1983 Outstanding Actor in a Play A View from the Bridge Won
Tony Award 1983 Best Actor in a Play Nominated [4]
Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival 2011 Audience Award - Short Film Lily of the Feast Won

References

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  1. ^ a b Panarello, Joseph F. (March 13, 2013). "BWW Interview: Tony Lo Bianco - Creating Magic with THE LITTLE FLOWER". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "Search Results". Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Lo Bianco, Tony (September 12, 2011). "BuildingNY: Tony Lo Bianco, actor-writer-director" (Interview). Interviewed by Michael Stoler. CUNY-TV. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Screen and Theatre Legend Tony LoBianco Inspires Confidence in Acting Students". New York Film Academy. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Tony Lo Bianco Credits". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Hischak, Thomas H. (2001). American Theatre: A Chronicle of Comedy and Drama, 1969-2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 90. ISBN 978-0-195-35255-9.
  7. ^ a b Jones, Kenneth (October 15, 2015). "Tony Lo Bianco Is His Honor, Mayor LaGuardia, in The Little Flower in NYC". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e Harney, John (May 5, 2015). "An Actor Takes His Portrayal of La Guardia Far Beyond Broadway". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Tony LoBianco in One-Man Show About LaGuardia". Cooley's Anemia Foundation. October 2, 2008. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Actor Tony Lo Bianco Plays "The Little Flower" At LaGuardia Community College". City University of New York. May 1, 2015. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019.
  11. ^ "Prisoners Among Us: Italian-American Identity & World War II". Archived from the original on June 30, 2012.
  12. ^ Program, White Barn Theatre production of THE CONFESSION OF MANY STRANGERS, 1997
  13. ^ Tony Lo Bianco, 'The French Connection' actor, dead at 87 Archived June 12, 2024, at the Wayback Machine Fox News
  14. ^ Gates, Anita. "Tony Lo Bianco, 'French Connection' Actor, Is Dead at 87". New York Times. Archived from the original on June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
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