Tony Lo Bianco
{{Short description|American actor (1936–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Tony Lo Bianco in Police Story.jpg
| caption = Lo Bianco in Police Story, 1975
| name = Tony Lo Bianco
| birth_name = Anthony LoBianco
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|10|19|mf=y}}
| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|6|11|1936|10|19|mf=y}}
| death_place = Poolesville, Maryland, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1951–2022
| spouse = {{Unbulleted list| {{marriage|Dora Landey|1964|1984|reason=divorced}} | {{marriage|Elizabeth Fitzpatrick|2002|2008|reason=divorced}} | {{marriage|Alyse Muldoon|2015}} }}
| children = 3
| website = {{URL|tonylobianco.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
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.{{cite web|work=BroadwayWorld|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Tony-Lo-Bianco-Creating-Magic-with-THE-LITTLE-FLOWER-20130313?PageSpeed=noscript|last=Panarello|first=Joseph F.|title=BWW Interview: Tony Lo Bianco - Creating Magic with THE LITTLE FLOWER|date=March 13, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190212024940/https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interview-Tony-Lo-Bianco-Creating-Magic-with-THE-LITTLE-FLOWER-20130313?PageSpeed=noscript|archive-date=February 12, 2019}}{{Cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB95F081CFC8F1B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Search Results |access-date=February 24, 2008 |archive-date=June 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613023138/https://www.newslibrary.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_sort=YMD_date%3AD&p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_text_direct-0=0EB95F081CFC8F1B&p_topdoc=1&p_theme=realcities&s_trackval=GooglePM&p_perpage=10 |url-status=live }} He attended the William E. Grady CTE High School, a vocational school in Brooklyn.{{cite interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ7csjLHtmA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/pJ7csjLHtmA |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |url-status=live|title=BuildingNY: Tony Lo Bianco, actor-writer-director|publisher=CUNY-TV|date=September 12, 2011|interviewer=Michael Stoler|last=Lo Bianco|first=Tony|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} There, he had a teacher who encouraged him to try out for plays, which is when he began to develop an interest in acting. After graduating high school, he attended the Dramatic Workshop, studying acting and theater production.
Career
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.{{cite web|work=New York Film Academy|url=https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/screen-and-theatre-legend-tony-lobianco-inspires-confidence-in-acting-students/|title=Screen and Theatre Legend Tony LoBianco Inspires Confidence in Acting Students|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190212025114/https://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/screen-and-theatre-legend-tony-lobianco-inspires-confidence-in-acting-students/|archive-date=February 12, 2019}} 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. From late 1965 through the spring of 1966, he starred on Broadway as Fray Marcos de Nizza in The Royal Hunt of the Sun.
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), 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.{{cite book|title=American Theatre: A Chronicle of Comedy and Drama, 1969-2000|page=90|last=Hischak|first=Thomas H.|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|year=2001|isbn=978-0-195-35255-9}} 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. 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.
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. The play was subsequently staged on Broadway in 1989, where it ran for just 12 performances.{{cite web|work=Internet Broadway Database|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tony-lo-bianco-23993|title=Tony Lo Bianco Credits|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190212025723/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tony-lo-bianco-23993|archive-date=February 12, 2019}}{{Cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/nyregion/an-actor-takes-his-portrayal-of-la-guardia-far-beyond-broadway.html|title = An Actor Takes His Portrayal of La Guardia Far Beyond Broadway|last = Harney|first = John|date = May 5, 2015|work = The New York Times|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190212032503/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/nyregion/an-actor-takes-his-portrayal-of-la-guardia-far-beyond-broadway.html|archive-date=February 12, 2019 }} 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.
Lo Bianco continued his work on the life of LaGuardia in a revised revival of the play in 2008, titled LaGuardia. His third incarnation of the mayor's life had a limited run off-Broadway in October 2012, titled The Little Flower. 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. The show was staged at LaGuardia Community College in May 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www1.cuny.edu/mu/forum/2015/05/01/actor-tony-lo-bianco-plays-the-little-flower-at-laguardia-community-college/|work=City University of New York|title=Actor Tony Lo Bianco Plays "The Little Flower" At LaGuardia Community College|date=May 1, 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190212014230/http://www1.cuny.edu/mu/forum/2015/05/01/actor-tony-lo-bianco-plays-the-little-flower-at-laguardia-community-college/|archive-date=February 12, 2019}}
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.
Personal life
Lo Bianco was previously the national spokesperson for the Order Sons of Italy in America.{{cite web|url=http://www.prisonersamongus.com/team.htm|title=Prisoners Among Us: Italian-American Identity & World War II|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630063017/http://www.prisonersamongus.com/team.htm|archive-date=June 30, 2012}} 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.Program, White Barn Theatre production of THE CONFESSION OF MANY STRANGERS, 1997
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.
Lo Bianco was an avid cat lover and owned a Siamese cat named Simone, as well as various horses and dogs. Later in his life, when his psychiachrist asked him to imagine the most relaxing thing he could think of, Lo Bianco imagined a cat sitting on his wife Alyse's lap.{{cite magazine |last1=Wang |first1=Amy X. |last2=Asgharnia |first2=Shayan |title=Friends to the End |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/20/magazine/dogs-cats-pets-friends.html |magazine=New York Times Magazine |date=December 20, 2024}}
Death
Lo Bianco died as a result of prostate cancer at his farm in Poolesville, Maryland, on June 11, 2024, at the age of 87.[https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tony-lo-bianco-the-french-connection-actor-dead-87 Tony Lo Bianco, 'The French Connection' actor, dead at 87] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612143430/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tony-lo-bianco-the-french-connection-actor-dead-87 |date=June 12, 2024 }} Fox News{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/12/movies/tony-lo-bianco-dead.html|title=Tony Lo Bianco, 'French Connection' Actor, Is Dead at 87|work=New York Times|access-date=June 13, 2024|archive-date=June 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613002925/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/12/movies/tony-lo-bianco-dead.html|url-status=live |last1=Gates |first1=Anita }}
Filmography
=Film=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
---|
scope="row" | 1965
| The Sex Perils of Paulette | Allen | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1970
| | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1971
| Salvatore Boca | | align=center| |
rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1973
| Tony Breda | | align=center| |
Serpico
| Rizzo | Uncredited | align="center" | |
The Seven-Ups
| Vito Lucia | | align="center" | |
rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1976
| Jesse Gifford | | align="center" | |
God Told Me To
| Peter J. Nicholas | | align="center" | |
Merciless Man
| The American | | align="center" | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1978
| F.I.S.T. | Anthony 'Babe' Milano | | align="center" | |
Bloodbrothers
| Tommy De Coco | | align="center" | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1981
| Pals | Frank Green | Short film | align="center" | |
Separate Ways
| Ken Colby | | align="center" | |
scope="row" | 1983
| Another Woman's Child | Mike DeBray | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1984
| Leon Coll | | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1991
| Joe Rinaldi | | align="center" | |
The Good Policeman
| Jerry Diangelis | | align="center" | |
scope="row" | 1993
| Tony Dio | | align=center| |
rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1994
| La ragnatela del silenzio - A.I.D.S. | Professor Donati | | align=center| |
The Ascent
| Aldo | | align=center| |
Power and Lovers
| Warren | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1995
| Nixon | | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1996
| Louie Boffano | | align=center| |
Sworn to Justice
| Briggs | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1997
| Cold Night Into Dawn | Supervisor Klyn | | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1998
| Mafia! | Cesar Marzoni | | align="center" | |
The Pawn
| Lou | | align="center" | |
scope="row" | 2000
| The Day the Ponies Come Back | Paul DeCruccio | | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2001
| Victor Patrizzi | | align=center| |
Down 'n Dirty
| Detective Dan Ward | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 2002
| Captain Tanzini | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 2003
| General Loi | | align="center" | |
scope="row" | 2006
| The Last Request | Monte | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 2009
| 'Mouthman' | | align=center| |
scope="row" | 2011
| | align=center| |
scope="row" | 2013
| Send No Flowers | Anthony Albano | | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2016
| {{'}}79 Parts | Vincent | | align=center| |
Blondie
| Johnny | Short film | align=center| |
scope="row" | 2022
| Dominic "Pops" Russo | Final film role | align=center| |
=Television=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
---|
rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1966
| KAOS Agent | Episode: "Smart, the Assassin" | align=center| |
Blue Light
| Carbonne | Episode: "Jet Trial" | align=center| |
Hawk
| Joey Fentanello | Episode: ""H" is a Dirty Letter" | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1968
| N.Y.P.D. | Muller / Joe Peconic | 2 episodes | align=center| |
Hidden Faces
| Nick Capello Turner | Miniseries | align=center| |
scope="row"| 1971
| Frank | Episode: "A Memory of Two Mondays" | align=center| |
scope="row"| 1972
| Madigan | Joe Lakka | Episode: "The Manhattan Beat" | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1973
|Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside |Detective Rick Massi | rowspan="2" |Television film | |
scope="row" | 1974
|The Story of Jacob and Joseph |Joseph | |
scope="row" | 1974–76
| D.J. Perkins / Sgt. Tony Calabrese | 6 episodes | align="center" | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1975
| The Streets of San Francisco | Al Wozynsky | Episode: "Solitaire" | align="center" | |
A Shadow in the Streets
|Pete Mackey |Television film | |
scope="row" | 1976
| Origins of the Mafia | Nino Sciallacca | Episode: "Omertà" | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1977
| Quintilius | Miniseries | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1978
|The Last Tenant |Joey | rowspan="5" |Television film | |
She'll Be Sweet
|Magee | |
rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1979
|Alan Denschroeder | |
A Last Cry for Help
|Dr. Ben Abbot | |
Marciano
| |
scope="row" | 1981
| Joey D'Amico | Episode: "The Bureau" | align=center| |
scope="row" | 1982
| Brother Nicolas | Miniseries | align=center| |
rowspan="4" scope="row" | 1984
|Hizzoner! |Television film | |
Jessie
|Lieutenant Alex Ascoli |Television film | |
The Paper Chase
| Professor Reese | Episode: "The Advocate" | align="center" | |
Jessie
| Lieutenant Alex Ascoli | 10 episodes | align="center" | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1985
| Sergeant 'Bing' Bingham | Episode: "Pilot" | align="center" | |
The Twilight Zone
| Paul Marano | Episode: "If She Dies" | align="center" | |
scope="row" | 1986
|Judge Guiliano Salina |Television film | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" |1987
| Tony Rimbaud | Episode: "Flashback" | align="center" | |
Police Story: The Freeway Killings
|Detective DiAngelo |Television film | |
rowspan="4" scope="row" |1988
| Tom 'Coop' Cooper | Episode: "Off Duty" | align="center" | |
La romana
| Astarita | Miniseries | align="center" | |
Body of Evidence
|Evan Campbell | rowspan="2" |Television film | |
The Ann Jillian Story
|Andy Murcia | |
scope="row"|1989
| 'Doc' | Episode: "Pilot" | align=center| |
rowspan="4" scope="row" | 1990
|Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen |Michael Garcia | rowspan="2" |Television film | |
Death Has a Bad Reputation
|Carlos | |
ABC Afterschool Special
| Officer Abbott | Episode: "Over the Limit" | align="center" | |
CBS Schoolbreak Special
| Coach Douglas | Episode: "Malcolm Takes the Shot" | align="center" | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" |1991
| Arturo Taft | 8 episodes | align=center| |
The 10 Million Dollar Getaway
|Television film | |
scope="row" |1991–94
| Paul Avoncino / Phil Mannix | 2 episodes | align="center" | |
rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1992
|In the Shadow of a Killer |Frederick Berger | rowspan="3" |Television film | |
Stormy Weathers
|Lieutenant Frank Orozco | |
Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story
| |
scope="row" |1992–2002
| Mark Menaker / Sal DiMarco / Det. Mike Foster | 3 episodes | align="center" | |
scope="row"|1994
| The Maharaja's Daughter | Vito Capece | Miniseries | align=center| |
rowspan="2" scope="row" |1995
| Homicide: Life on the Street | Mitch Drummond | 3 episodes | align=center| |
Tyson
|Television film | |
rowspan="3" scope="row" |1997
| Martin Thorne | Episode: "Reunion" | align=center| |
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
|Dr. Charles Smith | rowspan="3" |Television film | |
Bella Mafia
|Pietro Carolla | |
scope="row" | 1999
| |
scope="row"|2001
| Deadline | Rosario Masucci | Episode: "Don't I Know You?" | |
scope="row" | 2002
| Lucky Day | Detective Marinello | Television film | |
rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2005
|The Engagement Ring |Nick Di Cenzo | |
N.Y.-70
|Congressman Fario Cardinale | |
scope="row"|2007
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Joseph | Episode: "World's Fair" | align=center| |
Partial stage credits
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role !Original venue ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
---|
scope="row"| 1964–65
| Prisoner | rowspan="2" |ANTA Washington Square Theatre | Understudy |
scope="row"| 1965
| Tartuffe | Sergeant | ANTA Washington Square Theatre |
scope="row"| 1965–66
| Fray Marcos de Niza | |
scope="row"| 1966
| The Office | Gucci | | 10 previews; never officially opened |
scope="row"|1967
| Rudy Avarian | |
scope="row"| 1968
| The Actor | |
scope="row"| 1968
| Michael Silverman | |
scope="row"|1975
|Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh | Duke Bronkowski | |
scope="row"| 1983
| Eddie | |
scope="row"| 1989
| Hizzoner! | rowspan="4" | Fiorello La Guardia | |
scope="row"|2008
| LaGuardia | rowspan="2" |DiCapo Opera Theater | |
scope="row"|2012
| rowspan="2"| The Little Flower | | align=center|{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/tony-lo-bianco-is-his-honor-mayor-laguardia-in-the-little-flower-in-nyc-com-198718|work=Playbill|title=Tony Lo Bianco Is His Honor, Mayor LaGuardia, in The Little Flower in NYC|last=Jones|first=Kenneth|date=October 15, 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190212032739/http://www.playbill.com/article/tony-lo-bianco-is-his-honor-mayor-laguardia-in-the-little-flower-in-nyc-com-198718|archive-date=February 12, 2019}} |
scope="row"|2015
| | |
Awards and nominations
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Category !Work ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |
---|
scope="row" | New York Emmy Award
| 1985 | Outstanding Individual Crafts |Hizzoner! | {{won}} | |
scope="row" |Obie Award
|1975 | Distinguished Performance by an Actor |Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh | {{won}} | align="center" | |
scope="row" | Outer Critics Circle Awards
| 1983 | Outstanding Actor in a Play | rowspan="2" |A View from the Bridge | {{won}} | align="center" | |
scope="row" | Tony Award
| 1983 |{{Nominated}} |
scope="row" |Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival
| 2011 |Audience Award - Short Film |Lily of the Feast | {{won}} | align="center" | |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://www.tonylobianco.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|516215}}
- {{discogs artist|Tony Lo Bianco}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lo Bianco, Tony}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:Male actors from Brooklyn
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors