Tony Musante

Tony Musante
Anthony Peter Musante Jr. (June 30, 1936 – November 26, 2013) was an American actor, best known for the TV series Toma as Detective David Toma, Nino Schibetta in Oz (1997), and Joe D'Angelo in As the World Turns (2000–2003). In movies, he achieved fame relatively early in his career, starring or having significant roles in such films as Once a Thief (1965), The Incident (1967), The Detective (1968) and The Last Run (1971), and also in a number of Italian productions, including The Mercenary (1968), Metti, una sera a cena (1969) and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970).
Life and career
Musante was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, into an Italian-American family, the son of Natalie Anne (née Salerno), a school teacher, and Anthony Peter Musante, an accountant. He attended Oberlin College and Northwestern University.
Musante acted in numerous feature films, in the United States and elsewhere, including Italy. Among his body of work are the 1973 television series Toma (predecessor to Baretta) and the soap opera As the World Turns, and the 1975 Broadway play, P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!, for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.
Toma did well in the ratings despite tough opposition, but Musante insisted upon leaving the series after one year, as was permitted by his contract. The series was revised as Baretta, with Robert Blake in the lead role, and it was a success. At the time of his death, The New York Times referred to Toma as "the show that got away." But Musante never regretted leaving the series, despite sacrificing money and fame.
He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work in a 1975 episode of Medical Center, A Quality of Mercy. Musante also played Nino Schibetta, a feared Mafia boss and the Italian gang leader inside of Emerald City during the first season of the HBO television series Oz.
Death
Musante died of a hemorrhage, following oral surgery on November 26, 2013, aged 77, in Manhattan.
Filmography
The DuPont Show of the Week: Ride with Terror (1963, TV series episode) - Joe Ferrone
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre: A Wind of Hurricane Force (1964, TV series episode) - Major DeGuisado
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Memo from Purgatory (1964, TV series episode) - Candle
Once a Thief (1965) - Cleveland 'Cleve' Shoenstein
The Trials of O'Brien: Bargain Day on the Street of Regret (1965, TV series episode) - Coley Thomas
The Trials of O'Brien: The Blue Steel Suite (1966, TV series episode) - Callison
The Fugitive: The Blessings of Liberty (1966, TV series episode) - Billy Karnes
The Incident (1967) - Joe Ferrone
The Detective (1968) - Felix
The Mercenary (Italy, 1968) - Paco Román
Metti, una sera a cena (Italy, 1969) - Max
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (Italy, 1970) - Sam Dalmas
The Anonymous Venetian (Italy, 1970) - Enrico
Grissom Gang (1971) - Eddie Hagan
The Last Run (1971) - Paul Rickard
Il caso Pisciotta (Italy, 1972) - Francesco Scauri
Marcus Welby, M.D.: The Tall Tree (1973, TV series episode) - David
Toma (1973–1974, TV series, 23 episodes) - Det. David Toma
Police Story: Fathers and Sons (1974, TV series episode) - Joe Basic
(1975, TV film) - Lt. William Calley
The Rockford Files: Charlie Harris at Large (1975, TV series episode) - Charlie Harris
The Desperate Miles (1975, TV film) - Joe Larkin
Medical Story: The God Syndrome (1975, TV series episode) - Dr. Paul Brandon
Police Story: Breaking Point (1975, TV series episode) - Sgt. Vince Della Maggiori
Medical Story: The Quality of Mercy (1976, TV series episode) - Dr. Hoffman
Origins of the Mafia (Italy, 1976, TV miniseries) - Michele Borello
Police Story: The Other Side of the Badge (1976, TV series episode) - Jack Mitchell
(1977, TV film) - Joey Faber
Goodbye & Amen (Italy, 1978) - John Dhannay
Break Up (Italy, 1978) - Paolo Naviase
My Husband Is Missing (1978, TV film) - Derek Mackenzie
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (1979, TV film) - Sal Falcone
The Thirteenth Day: The Story of Esther (1979, TV film) - King Ahasuerus
High Ice (1980, TV film) - Lt. Col. Harris Thatcher
American Playhouse: Weekend (1982, TV series episode) - George
(Italy, 1983) - Jurek Rudinski
The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984) - Pete
Rearview Mirror (1984, TV film) - Vince Martino
MacGruder and Loud (1985, TV pilot episode) - Caferelli
The Trap (Italy, 1985) - Michael Parker
The Repenter (Italy, 1985) - Vanni Ragusa
The Equalizer: Pretenders (1986, TV series episode) - John Parker
Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder (1987, TV miniseries) - Vittorio
Night Heat: Grace (1987, TV series episode) - Roy Barnett
La collina del diavolo (Italy, 1988, TV film) - Daniele
Jesse Hawkes: Little Girl Lost (1989, TV series episode)
(Italy, 1989, TV miniseries) - Kirk Mesana
Il barone (Italy, 1995, TV miniseries) - Baron Sajeva
Deep Family Secrets (1997, TV film) - Lennox
Oz (1997, TV series, 7 episodes) - Nino Schibetta
Nothing Sacred: Song of Songs (1997, TV series episode) - Gary
Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998, TV film) - Don Giancarlo Uzielli
Acapulco H.E.A.T.: Code Name Million Dollar Man (1998, TV series episode) - Rocco Santora
The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) - Angelo Cappadora
(1999, TV miniseries) - Duraid Al Simma
The Yards (2000) - Seymour Korman
Un bacio nel buio (Italy, 2000, TV miniseries)
As the World Turns (2000–2003, TV series) - Joe D'Angelo
100 Centre Street (2001, TV series, 3 episodes) - Albert Esposito
Life as It Comes (Italy, 2003) - Karl, the Professor
Traffic (2004, TV miniseries) - Alex Edmonds
(Italy, 2004) - Amilcare
(Italy, 2007, TV miniseries) - Alpius
We Own the Night (2007) - Jack Shapiro
(Italy, 2013, TV miniseries) - Don Luigi Vitiello
References
External links
1936 births
2013 deaths
American people of Italian descent
American male film actors
American male television actors
Oberlin College alumni
Male actors from Bridgeport, Connecticut
Northwestern University School of Communication alumni