Anthony George Franciosa (né Papaleo; October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American actor most often billed as Tony Franciosa at the height of his career. He began his career on stage and made a breakthrough portraying the brother of the drug addict in the play ''A Hatful of Rain'', which earned him a nomination for the

Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play The Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actors for quality supporting roles in a Broadway play. Honors i ...

. He reprised his role in its subsequent film adaptation, for which he won the 1957 Venice Film Festival Award for Best Actor, and was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The a ...

. After relocating to Hollywood he made numerous feature films, including '' A Face in the Crowd'' (1957), ''

The Long, Hot Summer ''The Long, Hot Summer'' is a 1958 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt. The screenplay was written by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank Jr., based in part on three works by William Faulkner: the 1931 novella " Spotted Horses", the 1939 s ...

'' (1958), and ''

Career The career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' defi ...

'' (1959), for which he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor. In television, he played lead roles in five television series: the sitcom ''

Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...

'' (1964–65), drama '' The Name of the Game'' (1968–71), '' Search'' (1972–73), ''

Matt Helm Matt Helm is a fictional character created by American author Donald Hamilton (1916-2006). Helm is a U.S. government counter-agent, a man whose primary job is to kill or nullify enemy agents—not a spy or secret agent in the ordinary sense of t ...

'' (1975), and ''

Finder of Lost Loves ''Finder of Lost Loves'' is an American drama series aired by the ABC network during the 1984–1985 season. Synopsis After Cary Maxwell's (Anthony Franciosa) wife Kate dies, he decides to set up a private detective agency specializing in reu ...

'' (1984). Later in his career, he acted primarily in Europe, starring in the erotic drama ''The Cricket'' (1980) and Dario Argento's

giallo In Italian cinema, ''Giallo'' (; plural ''gialli'', from ''giallo'', Italian for yellow) is a genre of mystery fiction and thrillers that often contains slasher, crime fiction, psychological thriller, psychological horror, sexploitation, and, ...

''Tenebrae'' (1982).

Early life

He was born in the

Little Italy Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian culture. There are ...

district of New York to an

Italian-American Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...

family. His grandparents emigrated from

Melfi Melfi ( Lucano: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Vulture area of the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. Geographically, it is midway between Naples and Bari. In 2015 it had a population of 17,768. Geography On ...

, Basilicata, in the center of the boot of Southern Italy, in 1890. His parents separated when he was one and he was raised by his mother and aunt, adopting his mother's maiden name Franciosa. After high school he worked as a welder, ship steward and cook. At the age of 18 he was doing free dancing lessons at the YMCA. They offered him a role in a production of ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' ( rus, Ча́йка, r=Cháyka, links=no) is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 and first produced in 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatises th ...

'' and the experience made him want to be an actor.

Career

Theatre

Franciosa studied privately for two years with Joseph Geigler. He got a four-year scholarship at the Dramatic Workshop which led to the New York Repertory Theatre. In 1948, Franciosa joined the

Cherry Lane Theatre The Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously running off-Broadway theater in New York City. The theater is located at 38 Commerce Street between Barrow and Bedford Streets in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, ...

Group off Broadway (at the same time as actress

Bea Arthur Beatrice Arthur (born Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 – April 25, 2009) was an American actress and comedian. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Arthur began her career on stage in 1947, attracting critical acclaim before achieving ...

). Within two years, he had been accepted as a member of the Actors Studio, which would prove an invaluable resource throughout his career but it would be a few years more before Franciosa could make a living from acting. In the meantime, he accepted a variety of jobs which included being a waiter, dishwasher, day laborer, and messenger boy at CBD. He worked in Theatre of the Sky on Lake Tahoe. In 1950 he was in a San Francisco production of ''Detective Story''. In 1953, Franciosa made his Broadway debut in '' End as a Man'' alongside

Ben Gazzara Biagio Anthony Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominatio ...

, and the following year in ''Wedding Breakfast'' (1954). Franciosa began guest starring on TV shows such as '' Studio One in Hollywood'', '' Kraft Theatre'', ''

Ford Star Jubilee ''Ford Star Jubilee'' is an American anthology series that originally aired monthly on Saturday nights on CBS at 9:00 P.M., E.S.T. from the fall of 1955 to the fall of 1956 (With a summer hiatus). The series was approximately 90 minutes long, broa ...

'' (an adaptation of ''This Happy Breed'' with Noël Coward), and '' Goodyear Playhouse''.

''A Hatful of Rain''

Franciosa's breakthrough role came when cast in the Actors Studio production of ''

A Hatful of Rain ''A Hatful of Rain'' is a 1957 American drama film about a young married man with a secret morphine addiction, based on a 1955 Broadway play of the same name.Elia Kazan. He played Polo, the brother of the drug addicted Johnny (Ben Gazzara).

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

played Gazzara's wife and she would marry Franciosa the following year. Franciosa was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. Franciosa made his film debut in Elia Kazan's '' A Face in the Crowd'' (1957) alongside

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his character ...

Patricia Neal Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal, January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. A major star of the 1950s and 1960s, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and two ...

, and

Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film '' Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962), and for the 1966 Tony Award for Best Actress in ...

. He followed it in MGM's '' This Could Be the Night'' (1957) as the romantic interest for Jean Simmons, under the direction of

Robert Wise Robert Earl Wise (September 10, 1914 – September 14, 2005) was an American film director, producer, and editor. He won the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for his musical films ''West Side Story'' (1961) and ''The Sound of ...

. Franciosa reprised his role in ''

A Hatful of Rain ''A Hatful of Rain'' is a 1957 American drama film about a young married man with a secret morphine addiction, based on a 1955 Broadway play of the same name.Fred Zinnemann Alfred ''Fred'' Zinnemann (April 29, 1907 – March 14, 1997) was an Austrian Empire-born American film director. He won four Academy Awards for directing and producing films in various genres, including thrillers, westerns, film noir and pla ...

at 20th Century Fox, with Don Murray and

Eva Marie Saint Eva Marie Saint (born July 4, 1924) is an American actress of film, theatre and television. In a career spanning over 70 years, she has won an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, alongside nominations for a Golden Globe Award and two Brit ...

playing the roles originated by Gazzara and Winters.

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

pointed out that these three films were made before the first one had been released. Franciosa's performance in ''Hatful of Rain'' earned him an

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 ...

nomination for Best Actor.

Film star

Franciosa supported

Anna Magnani Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of characters. Born in Rome, she worked her ...

and

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...

in ''

Wild Is the Wind ''Wild is the Wind'' is a 1957 film directed by George Cukor and starring Anna Magnani, Anthony Quinn, and Anthony Franciosa. It tells the story of an American rancher who, after his wife dies, goes to Italy to marry her sister, but finds that s ...

'' (1957) directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...

, produced by

Hal B. Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing '' Casablanca'' (1942), '' The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and ''True Grit'' (1969), along ...

who put Franciosa under a multi-film contract. He then appeared with Paul Newman and

Joanne Woodward Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward (born February 27, 1930) is an American actress. A star since the Golden Age of Hollywood, Woodward made her career breakthrough in the 1950s and earned esteem and respect playing complex women with a charact ...

in '' The Long Hot Summer'' (1958), playing one of the two sons of

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

, directed by

Martin Ritt Martin Ritt (March 2, 1914 – December 8, 1990) was an American director and actor who worked in both film and theater, noted for his socially conscious films. Some of the films he directed include '' The Long, Hot Summer'' (1958), '' The Black ...

at Fox. In December 1957, he spent 10 days in jail for hitting a press photographer in April of that year. However he was much in demand: In an interview in December, he said he owed Fox and MGM three films each over five years, Kazan two more films, and Hal Wallis one film a year over seven years. He played

Francisco Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and e ...

in MGM's '' The Naked Maja'' (1958) with

Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...

, which earned Franciosa $250,000 in acting fees due to production delays. He made a second film for Wallis, ''

'' (1959) with Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine, then '' The Story on Page One'' (1959) with

Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...

for

Clifford Odets Clifford Odets (July 18, 1906 – August 14, 1963) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. In the mid-1930s, he was widely seen as the potential successor to Nobel Prize-winning playwright Eugene O'Neill, as O'Neill began to withdra ...

at Fox. He was meant to star in ''

Orpheus Descending ''Orpheus Descending'' is a three-act play by Tennessee Williams. It was first presented on Broadway on March 17, 1957 but had only a brief run (68 performances) and modest success. It was revived on Broadway in 1989, directed by Peter Hall an ...

'' (which became '' The Fugitive Kind'') with

, but the producers decided to cast Marlon Brando, and Franciosa was paid out $75,000. He was mentioned as a possibility for one of the roles in ''The Magnificent Seven'' and for the title role in a proposed

Simon Bolivar Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genu ...

biopic that

Dino De Laurentiis Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian-American film producer. Along with Carlo Ponti, he was one of the producers who brought Italian cinema to the international scene at the end of World War II. He ...

was going to make. In 1959, he served 30 days at an open-prison farm for possession of marijuana. The same year, he was in a car accident. Franciosa returned to TV to appear in ''Heaven Can Wait'' an adaptation of ''

Here Comes Mr Jordan ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' is a 1941 American Fantasy film, fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Hall, in which a boxer, mistakenly taken to Heaven before his time, is given a second chance back on Earth. It stars Robert Montgomery ( ...

'' (1960), then in '' Cradle Song'' (1960). He supported

Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (born 4 July 1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist, and politician. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, a period in which she was an international sex symbol. As o ...

in MGM's ''

Go Naked in the World ''Go Naked in the World'' is a 1961 American drama film written and directed by Ranald MacDougall and co-directed by an uncredited Charles Walters and produced by Aaron Rosenberg. The film stars Gina Lollobrigida, Anthony Franciosa, and Ernest B ...

'' (1961), which lost money. He was top-billed in the Italian '' Careless'' (1962) with

Claudia Cardinale Claude Joséphine Rose "Claudia" Cardinale (; born 15 April 1938) is an Italian actress. She has starred in some of the most iconic European films of the 1960s and 1970s, acting in Italian, French, and English. Born and raised in La Goulette, a ...

and MGM's ''

Period of Adjustment ''Period of Adjustment'' is a 1960 play by Tennessee Williams that was adapted in the film version of 1962. Both the stage and film versions are set on Christmas Eve and tell the gentle, light-hearted story of two couples, one newlywed and the ...

'' (1962) with Jane Fonda, Franciosa's first film for that studio which made a profit. In August 1963, he addressed a race rally in Alabama alongside Marlon Brando and Paul Newman.

Television

Franciosa guest starred on ''The DuPont Show of the Week'', ''Arrest and Trial'', ''Breaking Point'', ''The Greatest Show on Earth'', and ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre''. He had support parts in two films for Fox: '' Rio Conchos'' (1964) with

Stuart Whitman Stuart Maxwell Whitman (February 1, 1928 – March 16, 2020) was an American actor, known for his lengthy career in film and television. Whitman was born in San Francisco and raised in New York until the age of 12, when his family relocated to ...

and

Richard Boone Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series '' Have Gun – Will Travel''. Early li ...

, and '' The Pleasure Seekers'' (1964) with

Ann-Margret Ann-Margret Olsson (born April 28, 1941) is a Swedish–American actress, singer, and dancer. As an actress and singer, she is credited as Ann-Margret. She is known for her roles in '' Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961), ''State Fair'' (1962), '' ...

and

Carol Lynley Carol Lynley (born Carole Ann Jones; February 13, 1942 – September 3, 2019) was an American actress known for her roles in the films '' Blue Denim'' (1959) and '' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972). Lynley was born in Manhattan to an Irish ...

. He starred in a TV series ''

'' (1964–65). When that ended he had support parts in '' A Man Could Get Killed'' (1966) with

James Garner James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy ...

and ''

Assault on a Queen ''Assault on a Queen'' is a 1966 American action-adventure film directed by Jack Donohue and starring Frank Sinatra and Virna Lisi. Based on a 1959 novel by Jack Finney, it was adapted for the screen by Rod Serling and released by Paramount Pic ...

'' (1966) with Frank Sinatra. He was

leading man A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

in ''

The Swinger ''The Swinger'' is a 1966 American sex comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Ann-Margret and Anthony Franciosa Anthony George Franciosa (né Papaleo; October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American actor most often billed ...

'' (1966) at Paramount and

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in '' Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hamm ...

in '' Fathom'' (1967) at Fox. In a 1966 interview he confessed that Hollywood stardom had come a little too early: "It was an incredible amount of attention, and I wasn't quite mature enough psychologically or emotionally for it." He starred in a phenomenally highly rated TV movie, billed on countless lead-up commercials as the first movie made for television, Universal's '' Fame Is the Name of the Game'' (1966), then a spaghetti Western at Universal, ''

A Man Called Gannon ''A Man Called Gannon'' is a 1968 American Technicolor Western film directed by James Goldstone starring Tony Franciosa, Michael Sarrazin and Judi West. The film is a remake of '' Man Without a Star'' (1955). Plot Cowboy Gannon (Tony Franci ...

'' (1968), a drama with

Jacqueline Bisset Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset ( ; born 13 September 1944) is a British actress. She began her film career in 1965 and first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in '' The Detective'', ''Bullitt'', and ''The Sweet Ride'', for which she rec ...

at Fox, '' The Sweet Ride'' (1968), and a war film at Universal, '' In Enemy Country'' (1968). Producer

David Dortort David Dortort (born David Solomon Katz; October 23, 1916 – September 5, 2010) was a Hollywood screenwriter and producer, widely known for his role as producer in two successful NBC television series: ''Bonanza'' (1959–73) and ''The High Chap ...

was on the verge of casting him as Cameron Mitchell's best friend and brother-in-law, Manolito Montoya, on the

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

, ''

The High Chaparral ''The High Chaparral'' television series, which was broadcast on NBC from 1967 to 1971, is an American Western action adventure drama set in the 1870s. It stars Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell. The series was made by Xanadu Productions ...

'', if

Henry Darrow Henry Darrow (born Enrique Tomás Delgado Jiménez; September 15, 1933 – March 14, 2021) was an American character actor of stage and film known for his role as Manolito "Mano" Montoya on the 1960s television series ''The High Chaparral''. In ...

did not make it to the set in time. Darrow did. Tony Franciosa returned to regular series with '' The Name of the Game'' (1968–71) (based on '' Fame Is the Name of the Game''), as lead role of charismatic but doggedly determined star reporter Jeff Dillon, alternating the regular lead spot with

Gene Barry Gene Barry (born Eugene Klass, June 14, 1919 – December 9, 2009) was an American stage, screen, and television actor and singer. Barry is best remembered for his leading roles in the films '' The Atomic City'' (1952) and ''The War of The Worl ...

and

Robert Stack Robert Stack (born Charles Langford Modini Stack; January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his deep voice and commanding presence, he appeared in over forty feature films. He starred in the highly successful ABC tele ...

. The three leading actors were never onscreen at the same time at any point in the series. He was fired from the show in 1970 because of his temper. He was in '' Web of the Spider'' (1971), an Italian horror film, then a series of TV movies: '' The Deadly Hunt'' (1971), '' Earth II'' (1971), and '' The Catcher'' (1972). He had a support part in the action film ''

Across 110th Street ''Across 110th Street'' is a 1972 American action-crime film directed by Barry Shear and starring Yaphet Kotto, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Franciosa and Paul Benjamin. The film is set in Harlem, New York and takes its name from 110th Street, the ...

'' (1972). Franciosa had a further alternating lead role in a TV series, this time alongside

Hugh O'Brian Hugh O'Brian (born Hugh Charles Krampe; April 19, 1925 – September 5, 2016) was an American actor and humanitarian, best known for his starring roles in the ABC Western television series ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' (1955–1 ...

and

Doug McClure Douglas Osborne McClure (May 11, 1935February 5, 1995) was an American actor whose career in film and television extended from the 1950s to the 1990s. He is best known for his role as the cowboy Trampas during the entire run from 1962 to 1971 o ...

, as agent Nick Bianco in ''Search'' (1972). When that ended he supported

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

in '' Ghost in the Noonday Sun'' (1973), then had support roles in '' This Is the West That Was'' (1974) for TV and '' The Drowning Pool'' (1975) with Paul Newman. Tony Franciosa and Laraine Stephens - Matt Helm 1975

Tony Franciosa and Laraine Stephens - Matt Helm 1975

He had his own series with ''

'' (1975), a television version of the spy-spoof theatrical films that starred Dean Martin, but it only lasted 14 episodes. He was in ''

Curse of the Black Widow ''Curse of the Black Widow'' is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film directed by Dan Curtis and starring Tony Franciosa, Donna Mills, Patty Duke, Vic Morrow and June Allyson. It originally aired on ABC on September 16, 1977 and wa ...

'' (1977), a television miniseries ''Aspen'' (1977) with

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...

, ''

Wheels A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction with axles, allow heavy objects to b ...

'' (1978), ''

Firepower Firepower is the military capability to direct force at an enemy. (It is not to be confused with the concept of rate of fire, which describes the cycling of the firing mechanism in a weapon system.) Firepower involves the whole range of potenti ...

'' (1979), '' The World Is Full of Married Men'' (1979), '' The Cricket'' (1980), '' Help Me to Dream'' (1981), an episode of ''Tales of the Unexpected'', ''Side Show'' (1981), ''

Death Wish II ''Death Wish II'' is a 1982 American vigilante action film directed and co-edited by Michael Winner. It is the first of four sequels to the 1974 film '' Death Wish''. It is the second installment in the ''Death Wish'' film series. In the story ...

'' (1982), '' Kiss My Grits'' (1982), '' Tenebrae'' (1982) from Dario Argento, '' Julie Darling'' (1983), and an episode of ''Masquerade''. In his memoir, ''From I Love Lucy to Shōgun and Beyond: Tales from the Other Side of the Camera'', Jerry London stated that Franciosa could not remember his lines during the shooting of the television movie ''Wheels'', so co-star

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Golde ...

had to hold up cue cards for him during one scene in a car.

Later career

Franciosa starred in the Aaron Spelling-produced series ''

'' (1984–85). He could be seen in '' Stagecoach'' (1986) and episodes of ''Hotel'', ''The Love Boat'', and ''

Jake and the Fatman ''Jake and the Fatman'' is an American crime drama television series starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. (Jason Lochinvar) "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from Septemb ...

''. In the 1985 revival of ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'', he appeared in the third-season episode "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich," playing a gangster who is revealed to be the ultimate demon. Later performances included '' Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife'' (1987), ''

Death House ''Death House'' is a 2017 American horror film written by Gunnar Hansen, who has a cameo in the film, and directed by Harrison Smith. The film features an ensemble cast of horror icons including Kane Hodder, Barbara Crampton, Bill Moseley, Dee Wa ...

'' (1988), Fashion Crime (1989), ''Ghost Writer'' (1989), '' Backstreet Dreams'' (1990), and Double Threat (1992). In 1990–91, he portrayed Colonel Doctor Otternschlag in the U.S. national tour of the musical ''Grand Hotel'' at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and other national tour locations. Franciosa's final film was '' City Hall'', a 1996 drama starring Al Pacino and

John Cusack John Paul Cusack (; born June 28, 1966)(28 June 1996)Today's birthdays ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'', ("Actors John Cusack is 30") is an American actor, producer, screenwriter and political activist. He is a son of filmmaker Dick Cusack, and his ol ...

, in which he portrayed a crime boss. In his autobiography ''The Garner Files'', actor

stated that Franciosa, on the set of ''A Man Could Get Killed'', constantly abused the stunt crew by not pulling punches in fight scenes, resulting in a physical confrontation with Garner.

Personal life

Franciosa was married four times, and had three children. His first marriage to writer Beatrice Bakalyar in 1952 ended in divorce in 1957. That May 4, he married actress

; the couple divorced in 1960. He next wed the former Judith Balaban, daughter of Barney Balaban, and author of the book ''The Bridesmaids'' about her friend

Princess Grace of Monaco Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Kelly ...

, in whose wedding she served as a bridesmaid. This union produced Franciosa's only daughter, Nina. His fourth and final marriage was to Rita Theil on November 27, 1970 -- coincidentally, the day his final episode of ''The Name Of The Game'' aired. The marriage lasted until his death in 2006. The pair had two sons, organic farmer Marco and actor Christopher. When asked about Franciosa's hair-trigger temper, Theil said "He was never taught how to control his temper ... I changed him a lot ... We still have good fights once in a while, but I can scream back at him." Franciosa, reflecting about Thiel's influence on him, said : "It took years of therapy and simply living through things to finally accept and enjoy myself. My wife Rita's influence has been profound in that process. Her family was a product of The Great Disaster — World War II. She emerged from the flames with a remarkable buoyancy. Each day she rises with an optimism, a serenity toward life that is certainly contagious. Does that sound romantic? If so, so be it."Source: ''TV Heaven''. During his later years, Franciosa lived in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. He died on January 19, 2006, at age 77 at nearby UCLA Medical Center after suffering a massive stroke.

Selected filmography

* '' This Could Be the Night'' (1957) - Tony Armotti * '' A Face in the Crowd'' (1957) - Joey DePalma * ''

A Hatful of Rain ''A Hatful of Rain'' is a 1957 American drama film about a young married man with a secret morphine addiction, based on a 1955 Broadway play of the same name.Wild Is the Wind ''Wild is the Wind'' is a 1957 film directed by George Cukor and starring Anna Magnani, Anthony Quinn, and Anthony Franciosa. It tells the story of an American rancher who, after his wife dies, goes to Italy to marry her sister, but finds that s ...

'' (1957) - Bene * ''

'' (1958) - Jody Varner * '' The Naked Maja'' (1958) - Francisco Jose De Goya * ''

'' (1959) - Sam Lawson * '' The Story on Page One'' (1959) - Victor Santini * ''

'' (1961) - Nick Stratton * '' Careless'' (1962) - Emilio Brentani * ''

'' (1962) - Ralph Bates * '' Rio Conchos'' (1964) - Rodriguez * '' The Pleasure Seekers'' (1964) - Emilio Lacayo * '' A Man Could Get Killed'' (1966) - Steve / Antonio * ''

'' (1966) - Vic Rossiter * ''

'' (1966) - Ric Colby * '' Fame Is the Name of the Game'' (1966) - Jeff Dillon * '' Fathom'' (1967) - Peter Merriwether * ''

'' (1968) - Gannon * '' The Sweet Ride'' (1968) - Collie Ransom * '' In Enemy Country'' (1968) - Charles * '' Web of the Spider'' (1971) - Alan Foster * '' Earth II'' (1971) - Frank Karger * ''

'' (1972) - Nick D'Salvio * '' Search'' (1972–1973) - Nick Bianco * '' Ghost in the Noonday Sun'' (1973) - Pierre Rodriguez * '' The Drowning Pool'' (1975) - Broussard * ''

'' (1977) - Mark Higbie * ''

'' (1979) - Dr. Charles Félix * '' The World Is Full of Married Men'' (1979) - David Cooper * '' The Cricket'' (1980) - Annibale Meneghetti, detto Ulisse * ''

Help Me Dream ''Help Me Dream'' (Italian: ''Aiutami a sognare'') is a 1981 Italian romance film directed by Pupi Avati and starring Mariangela Melato, Anthony Franciosa and Orazio Orlando. For this film Mariangela Melato was awarded with a David di Donatello Da ...

'' (1981) - Ray * ''

'' (1982) - Herman Baldwin, LA Police Commissioner * ''Kiss My Grits'' (1982) - Charlie Karkas * '' Tenebrae'' (1982) - Peter Neal * ''Julie Darling'' (1983) - Harold Wilding * '' Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife'' (1987) - Lou Di Luca * ''Zombie Death House'' (1987) - Vic Moretti * ''La morte è di moda'' (1989) - Commissioner Rizzo * ''Ghost Writer'' (1989) - Vincent Carbone * '' Backstreet Dreams'' (1990) - Angelo * ''Double Threat'' (1993) - Crocker Scott * ''El caçador furtiu'' (1995) - Walter * '' City Hall'' (1996) - Paul Zapatti

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Franciosa, Anthony 1928 births 2006 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Volpi Cup for Best Actor winners Activists for African-American civil rights Male actors from New York City American people of Italian descent People from Brentwood, Los Angeles Balaban family