Tony Giorgio

Joseph Anthony Giorgio (September 27, 1923 – February 1, 2012) was an Italian-American actor[2] and magician[3] and known for his portrayal of Bruno Tattaglia in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 film The Godfather.[4]

Tony Giorgio
Born
Joseph Anthony Giorgio

(1923-09-27)September 27, 1923
Herkimer, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 1, 2012(2012-02-01) (aged 88)
Van Nuys, California, U.S.
Burial placeForest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Occupation(s)Actor, magician
Years active1966–2004
SpouseKaye S. Jacobs-Giorgio (1971–2012) (his death)[1]

Career

Giorgio was a prolific stage magician and card manipulator. He ran away from home at the age of 12 to join a circus and eventually performed at venues including conventions, fraternal clubs, country clubs, casinos, and film studios. He was hired by Playboy Clubs in the 1960s to be their resident gambling expert, and he gave paid lectures on the nature of confidence games and gambling scams. He was one of the first performers at The Magic Castle nightclub, winning Close-up Magician of the Year in the 1990s.

Giorgio acted in films such as The Godfather (1972), Black Gunn (1972), Magnum Force (1973),[2] Foxy Brown (1974), Capone (1975), Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), The Sting II (1983), The Lonely Guy (1984), Night Train to Terror (1985) and American Me (1992).[2] He also acted in numerous television programs including Mannix, Mission Impossible, Kojak, and The A-Team. In theatre, Giorgio originated the role of 'Big Julie' in the stage musical Guys and Dolls.[5]

Death

On February 1, 2012, aged 88, Giorgio died of heart failure.[6]

Filmography

Film

Television

References
  1. ""Godfather" actor, magician Tony Giorgio dies, 88 -". 2012-03-26.
  2. "Ton Giorgio". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-18.
  3. "Tony Giorgio. Actor, magician, grifter and legend". Remarkable Magic. 2012-02-02. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  4. "The Godfather". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-18.
  5. ""Godfather" actor, magician Tony Giorgio dies, 88 -". 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  6. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2012. 2013-04-19. ISBN 9781476603858.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.