Robert Altomare (October 30, 1938 – April 28, 2012), known professionally as Bobby Alto, was an American actor, comedian and performer. He and Buddy Mantia made up the Brooklyn-based comedy team ''Alto & Mantia''. They performed on both ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
'' (original air date September 6, 1971) and ''
Toast of the Town
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night ...
'' with
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American television personality, impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the ''New York Daily News'' and the Chicago Tribune New York ...
(original air date October 20, 1968). Alto and Mantia also teamed with Marvin Braverman as the comedy team ''The Untouchables.''
Career
Alto's motion picture credits included ''
Love Is All There Is
''Love Is All There Is'' is a 1996 romantic comedy film written and directed by Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor, who also both star in the film.
Plot
''Love Is All There Is'' is a modern retelling of the ''Romeo and Juliet'' story, and it is ...
'' (1996), ''
Crocodile Dundee
''Crocodile Dundee'' (stylized as ''"Crocodile" Dundee'' in the U.S.) is a 1986 action comedy film set in the Australian Outback and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as the weathered Mick Dundee, and American actress Linda Kozlowski as rep ...
'' (1986), ''
Prince of the City
''Prince of the City'' is a 1981 American neo-noir crime drama film directed and co-written by Sidney Lumet. The film follows Daniel Ciello, an officer of the New York Police Department who chooses, for idealistic reasons, to expose corruption ...
'' (1981) and ''
The Death Collector
''The Death Collector'' (also known as ''The Family Enforcer'') is a 1976 low-budget crime film directed by Ralph De Vito and starring Joseph Cortese, Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent. It was Ralph De Vito's only film as a director, and Joe Pesci's fi ...
'' (1976). He also appeared in a 1992 episode of
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's ''
Law & Order
''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise.
''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...
'' and several television commercials throughout his career. On
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, Alto was a lead performer in the 1992 production of ''3 From Brooklyn'' which performed at the
Helen Hayes Theatre
The Hayes Theater (formerly the Little Theatre, New York Times Hall, Winthrop Ames Theatre, and Helen Hayes Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 240 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Named for actress ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. He also starred in the original Broadway production of ''Lovers and Other Strangers'',
Taylor, Renee, and Bologna, Joseph, ''Lovers and Other Strangers,'' original cast list
/ref> which led to the 1970 Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-nominated film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
of the same name.
Along with comedy partner Buddy Mantia, Alto was the lead vocalist on the song "It's a Super-Spectacular Day", recorded in 1980. The song was originally aired on ''The Dr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen (born April 2, 1941), known professionally as Dr. Demento, is an American radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograp ...
Show'' prior to being picked up and distributed as a 7" single by MAD Magazine
Mad, mad, or MAD may refer to:
Geography
* Mad (village), a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia
* Mád, a village in Hungary
* Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, by IATA airport code
* Mad River (disambiguation), several r ...
.
Death
Robert Altomare died on April 28, 2012, following complications from a stroke suffered in 2010. He is survived by his wife, Melody, and two daughters, Ivy and Kimberly.
Filmography
Film
Television
Notes
External links
*
*
American male film actors
American male television actors
People from Brooklyn
Male actors from New York City
1938 births
2012 deaths
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American comedians
21st-century American comedians
Comedians from New York City
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