# Joe E. Tata

Joseph Evan Tata (September 13, 1936 – August 24, 2022) was an American television actor. He was known for his regular role (1990–2000) as Nat Bussichio, the owner and operator of the Peach Pit diner, in the television series Beverly Hills, 90210 and its spin-off 90210.$^{:768}$ A prolific character actor, Tata was previously best known for his portrayal of Private Neddick on No Time for Sergeants (1964–1965), and his roles on dozens of shows including The Rockford Files and Batman.$^{:769}$
Tata was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2018. He died in Los Angeles on August 24, 2022, at the age of 85.

## Early life

Joseph Evan Tata was born on September 13, 1936, in The Bronx borough of New York City. His father was John Lucas, a vaudevillian who sometimes performed as Rosey the Singing Barber.

## Career

After being cast in his first television role in Peter Gunn in 1960, Tata went on to be a prolific character actor, appearing in dozens of shows in a variety of bit parts. Specializing in science fiction on shows like Lost in Space, Tata first became recognizable for playing henchmen on the original Batman and for his appearances on The Rockford Files.
Tata's most famous role came later in life, when he was cast as Nat Bussichio on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210. Though the show came off to a rocky start, it soon became a massive hit and cultural phenomenon, with Tata's portrayal of the kind father figure who owned the fictional Peach Pit diner earning him acclaim. Across the show's ten seasons, Tata would appear in 238 episodes. When the show was rebooted in the 2000s as 90210, Tata reprised his role on three occasions.
After appearing as Principal Frost on the ABC Family sitcom Mystery Girls in 2014, Tata retired from acting, following a more than five decade career.

## Personal life

Tata married Susan Levy on October 30, 1976, and the two subsequently divorced. They had one child, Kelly Katharine Tata.

### Death

Tata was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2018. His daughter Kelly created a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of his care, which continued after his death to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association. Tata died on August 24, 2022, at a care facility in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the age of eighty-five.
Tributes to Tata were paid by a large number of entertainment industry figures, including Beverly Hills, 90210 co-stars Ian Ziering, Jason Priestley, Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth, Vincent Young, and Brian Austin Green, and author Kim Gruenenfelder. A segment on Good Morning America depicting photo and video tributes from the cast and loved ones quickly went viral following Tata's death.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | Peter Gunn | Arthur Curtis | 1 episode |
| 1963−1964 | The Outer Limits | Alien bastard / Radar Operator | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. | Joey Lombardi | 2 episodes |
| 1964−1965 | No Time for Sergeants | Private Neddick | 5 episodes |
| 1964−1966 | Ben Casey | Dr. Wayne Marlow / Dr. Michael Stone | 2 episodes |
| 1964−1967 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Corpsman / Frank Brent / Farrell | 3 episodes |
| 1965 | Mister Roberts | Everett | 1 episode |
| 1965 | Hank | Johnson | 1 episode |
| 1966 | Hogan's Heroes | Tony Garlotti | Episode: "The Pizza Parlor" |
| 1966 | The Time Tunnel | Verlaine / Napoleon Bonaparte | 2 episodes |
| 1966−1968 | Batman | Goon / Tallow / Suleiman | 5 episodes |
| 1966–1972 | Mission: Impossible | Al / King Said of Karak / Roulette Croupier | 3 episodes |
| 1967 | Lost in Space | Short Alien / Robot Judge / Purple Robot / Computer Eye / Zalto's Dumm | 5 episodes |
| 1967 | Batgirl | Mothman #1 | TV short |
| 1968 | Cimarron Strip | Gomer | 1 episode |
| 1969 | The Good Guys | Lab Worker | 1 episode |
| 1970 | Bracken's World | Wounded G.I. | 1 episode |
| 1970 | The Immortal | Morrison—Monitor | 1 episode |
| 1970 | Which Way to the Front? | Corporal | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Along Came a Spider | Doctor Hernandez | TV movie |
| 1971 | The D.A. | Lt. Ficklen | 1 episode |
| 1971 | Green Acres | Bellboy | 1 episode |
| 1971 | D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill | | TV movie |
| 1971–1972 | O'Hara, U.S. Treasury | Ted Wilson / Dick Miles / Special Agent Bertino | 3 episodes |
| 1971–1973 | The F.B.I. | Elliot / Al Naylor / Barney Leeds | 3 episodes |
| 1971–1973 | Mannix | Augie / Fred Eby / Gas Station Attendant | 3 episodes |
| 1972 | Hickey & Boggs | Coroner's Assistant | (as Joe Tata) |
| 1972 | Unholy Rollers | Marshall | |
| 1972 | A Clock Work Blue | Homer | |
| 1972-1973 | Adam-12 | Craig Hanawad / Frank Ducas / Noel Simmons | Episodes: "Sub-Station", "Easy Rap", "Training Division: The Rookie" |
| 1972-1973 | Temperatures Rising | Groom / Nails | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Emergency! | Neighbor | 1 episode |
| 1973 | Love, American Style | Chip | 1 episode / Segment: "Love and the Burglar Joke" |
| 1974 | Ironside | Garvey | 1 episode |
| 1974 | Toma | Mark | 1 episode |
| 1974 | It's Good to Be Alive | 'Pee Wee' Reese | TV movie |
| 1974−1978 | The Rockford Files | Solly Marshall / Sal / Norman Abbott Kline / Mike Trevino / Willie / Agent Hanzer | 8 episodes |
| 1975 | Cannon | Higgins / Joe Slosser | 2 episodes |
| 1975 | Death Scream | Detective Linsky | TV movie |
| 1975 | Dead Man on the Run | Bobby Dimasco | TV movie |
| 1975 | The Last Survivors | Charley | TV movie |
| 1975 | Mobile Two | Father John Lucas | TV movie |
| 1975−1978 | Police Story | Dooley / Jimmy Ricks / Det. Loftus | 3 episodes |
| 1976 | Sisters of Death | Joe | (as Joe Tata) |
| 1976 | The Streets of San Francisco | Bobby Waldron | 1 episode |
| 1976 | Monster Squad | Trouble | 1 episode |
| 1976 | The Blue Knight | | 1 episode |
| 1977 | Barnaby Jones | Little Angel | 1 episode |
| 1977 | Police Woman | Blat | 1 episode |
| 1977 | Most Wanted | Toller | 1 episode |
| 1977 | A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story | Lefty Gomez | TV movie |
| 1977 | Kill Me If You Can | Kelton | TV movie |
| 1978 | Quincy, M.E. | Tony DeMarco | Episode: "Accomplice to Murder" |
| 1978 | Wonder Woman | Joe | Episode: "The Fine Art of Crime" |
| 1978 | Terror Out of the Sky | Groves | TV movie |
| 1978 | Confessions of the D.A. Man | Lt. Ficklen | TV movie |
| 1978 | The Bastard | Voice | Uncredited |
| 1980 | Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop | | TV movie |
| 1980 | Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders II | Pete | TV movie |
| 1980–1981 | Vega$ | Vinnie Rilato / Mickey Enright / Dixon | 3 episodes |
| 1981 | Days of Our Lives | Warren | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls | Art Williams | TV miniseries |
| 1983 | Hotel | Jimbo | 1 episode |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Loves | Nick | 1 episode |
| 1984 | The Fall Guy | Assistant Director | 1 episode |
| 1984 | Simon & Simon | Bartender | 1 episode |
| 1984 | The New Mike Hammer | John Box | 1 episode |
| 1985 | The A-Team | Bookie McGrudy | Episode: "Champ!" |
| 1985 | Hollywood Wives | Elliot | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Matt Houston | Dr. Dyre | 1 episode |
| 1985 | Hollywood Beat | Earl Cain | 1 episode |
| 1985 | Crazy Like a Fox | | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Hill Street Blues | Fratelli / Fratello | Episodes: "Das Blues", "Slum Enchanted Evening" |
| 1987 | General Hospital | Rudy King | Unknown number of episodes |
| 1987 | Magnum P.I. | Benny Travis, the P.I. | Episode: "Innocence... A Broad" |
| 1987 | High Mountain Rangers | Joseph 'Nitro' Capelli | 1 episode |
| 1987 | Tales from the Darkside | Alex Hayes | 1 episode |
| 1989 | Snoops | Finley | 1 episode |
| 1989 | Jesse Hawkes | | 1 episode |
| 1990−2000 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Nat Bussichio / Sal Bussichio | 238 episodes |
| 1991 | Hunter | Mr. Trickle | Episode: "The Reporter" |
| 1992 | Love Is Like That | Norm | |
| 1996 | Terminal | Lt. Johns | TV movie |
| 1999 | The Dishpan Man | Gino | Short film |
| 2001 | Charmed | Police Inspector | Episode: "Look Who's Barking" |
| 2003 | Everyone Counts | Detective | Short film |
| 2008 | 90210 | Nat Bussichio | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Mystery Girls | Principal Frost | Episode: "High School Mystery" |