Joseph Sirola
{{short description|American commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Joseph Sirola
|birth_name = Joseph Anthony Sirola
|birth_date = {{birth date|1929|10|07}}
|birth_place = Carteret, New Jersey, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2019|02|10|1929|10|07}}
|death_place = New York City, U.S.
|alma mater = Columbia University{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/joseph-sirola-dead-dies-voice-overs-1203135948/|title=Joseph Sirola, 'King of the Voice-Overs,' Dies at 89|first=Rachel|last=Yang|work=Variety|date=February 11, 2019|access-date=July 21, 2021}}
|image = The Montefuscos cast 1975.JPG
|caption = Cast of The Montefuscos (1975). Sal Viscuso, John Aprea, Linda Dano, Bill Cort. Middle row: Phoebe Dorin, Naomi Stevens, Joseph Sirola, Ron Carey. Front: Dominique Pinassi, Jeffrey Palladini, Damon Raskin and Robby Paris.
|occupation = Commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer
|years_active = 1959–2015
}}
Joseph Anthony Sirola (October 7, 1929 – February 10, 2019){{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/155138950/|title=The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware – Page 50|work=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, Delaware|date=October 24, 1989|page=50|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Audio-King-of-Voice-Overs-Joe-Sirola-Records-Radio-Spot-for-Off-Broadways-CAGNEY-20170112|title=BWW Audio: 'King of Voice-Overs' Joe Sirola Records TV Spot for Off-Broadway's CAGNEY|author=BWW News Desk|work=BroadwayWorld|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=July 21, 2021}} was an American commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer.
Life and career
Sirola was born in Carteret, New Jersey to Croatian parents Anton, a carpenter and Ana (née Dubrovich), who ran a boardinghouse at 363 West 19th Street in Chelsea. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1947 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Columbia University in 1951.[https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/winter11/alumni_profiles0 Vinciguerra, Thomas. "Joe Sirola ’51 Is an Actor for All Seasons," Columbia College Today, Winter 2011–12.] Retrieved September 23, 2021[https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/issue/summer19/article/joseph-sirola-%E2%80%9951-actor-voiceover-artist Palladino, Lisa. "Joseph A. Sirola ’51, Actor, Voiceover Artist" (obituary), Columbia College Today, Summer 2019.] Retrieved September 23, 2021 He then worked as a sales promotion manager at the multinational personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, at the age of 28.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/joseph-sirola-dead-actor-tony-winning-producer-was-89-1162858/|title=Joseph Sirola, Actor and Tony-Winning Producer, Dies at 89|first=Mike|last=Barnes|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 10, 2019|access-date=July 21, 2021}}
Sirola began his acting career in 1959, appearing as Peter Nino in the television soap opera The Brighter Day.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jNYHAQAAMAAJ|title=The Soap Opera Encyclopedia|page=|first=Christopher|last=Schemering|publisher=Ballantine Books|date=1988|isbn=9780345353443|via=Google Books}} In 1960 he co-starred in the Broadway play, The Unsinkable Molly Brown.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/236688870/|title=The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida - Page 56|work=The Orlando Sentinel|location=Orlando, Florida|date=January 26, 1974|page=56|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/joseph-sirola-108498|title=Joseph Sirola|work=Internet Broadway Database|access-date=July 21, 2021}} Sirola co-starred in another Broadway play, Golden Rainbow, in 1968.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/491767961/|title=The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey – 47|work=The Record|location=Hackensack, New Jersey|date=February 5, 1968|page=47|via=Newspapers.com}} During the 1960s he also appeared in a few films and television programs including Gunsmoke, Hang 'Em High, The Andy Griffith Show,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tcr6UMkvVPwC|title=The Definitive Andy Griffith Show Reference: Episode-by-Episode, with Cast and Production Biographies and a Guide to Collectibles|page=132|publisher=McFarland|first=Dale, David|last=Robinson, Fernandes|date=August 24, 2012|isbn=9781476601878|via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.metv.com/stories/rip-joseph-sirola-mayberry-musician-freddy-fleet-who-was-later-dubbed-the-king-of-the-voice-overs|title=R.I.P. Joseph Sirola, Mayberry musician Freddy Fleet who was later dubbed The King of the Voice-Overs|author=MeTV Staff|work=MeTV|date=February 11, 2019|access-date=July 21, 2021}} Chuka, Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Perry Mason, Strange Bedfellows and The Greatest Story Ever Told.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iW0HEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT393|title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2019|first=Harris|last=Lentz|page=379|publisher=McFarland|date=November 6, 2020|isbn=978-1476679785|via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/joseph-sirola/credits/3000004198/|title=Joseph Sirola List of Movies and TV Shows|work=TV Guide|access-date=July 21, 2021}} His work on television commercials, for which he won over 20 Clio Awards, led to The Wall Street Journal nicknaming him “The King of the Voice-Overs” in 1970.
Over the next 30 years Sirola appeared and guest-starred in numerous film and television programs including Hawaii Five-O; The Super Cops; Mannix; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Wonder Woman; Quincy, M.E.; Seizure; The Rockford Files; Spin City; Love, American Style; Charlie's Angels; Terrible Joe Moran; Diagnosis: Murder; The Ellen Burstyn Show and Washington: Behind Closed Doors. He was recurring in the short-lived TV series, The Magician, and he also starred in two short-lived television programs, The Montefuscos{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/440702363/|title=Albany Democrat-Herald from Albany, Oregon – 34|work=Albany Democrat-Herald|location=Albany, Oregon|date=September 6, 1975|page=34|via=Newspapers.com}} and Wolf.{{Cite web|url=https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/winter11/alumni_profiles|title=Joe Sirola '51 Is an Actor for All Seasons|first=Thomas|last=Vinciguerra|work=Columbia College Today|access-date=July 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228051157/https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/archive/winter11/alumni_profiles0|archive-date=December 28, 2019|url-status=live|via=Wayback Machine}} Sirola continued in voice-over work for television commercials including ads for Ford, Mobil, Wendy's and Nyquil.
In the 21st century Sirola began producing Broadway plays, including, Time Stands Still, Stick Fly, The Trip to Bountiful, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder and Love Letters. He also won and was nominated for Drama Desk Awards and Tony Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://observer.com/2014/08/joseph-sirola-a-late-life-broadway-producer-hits-it-big/|title=Joseph Sirola: A Late-Life Broadway Producer Hits It Big|first=Harry|last=Haun|work=Observer|date=August 21, 2014|access-date=July 21, 2021}} Sirola retired in 2015.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}
Death
Sirola died on February 10, 2019, of complications from respiratory failure at a hospital in Manhattan; he was 89.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/10/obituaries/joe-sirola-dead.html|title=Joe Sirola, Actor Who Found Riches in Commercials, Dies at 89|first=Neil|last=Genzlinger|work=The New York Times|date=February 10, 2019|access-date=July 21, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/joseph-sirola-broadway-actor-and-tony-winning-producer-dead-at-89|title=Joseph Sirola, Broadway Actor and Tony-Winning Producer, Dead at 89|first=Adam|last=Hetrick|work=Playbill|date=February 11, 2019|access-date=July 21, 2021}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Happy Anniversary | Waiter at El Morocco | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Strange Bedfellows | Petracini | |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told | Dumah | |
| 1967 | Chuka | Jake Baldwin | |
| 1968 | Hang 'Em High | Reno, Cooper Hanging Party | |
| 1969 | Three | ||
| 1970 | The Delta Factor | Sal Dekker | |
| 1972 | Hail | Rev. Jimmy Williams | |
| 1974 | The Super Cops | Police Lt. O'Shaughnessy | |
| 1974 | Seizure | Charlie Hughes | |
| 1994 | Love Is a Gun | Al Kinder | |
| 1997 | Sunday | Joe Subalowsky |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0802903}}
- {{TCMDb name|178569%7C89692}}
- [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/joseph-sirola/ Rotten Tomatoes profile]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sirola, Joseph}}
Category:People from Carteret, New Jersey
Category:Stuyvesant High School alumni
Category:Columbia College (New York) alumni
Category:Male actors from New Jersey
Category:Deaths from respiratory failure
Category:American people of Croatian descent
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors