The actor died on June 11 at his home in Poolesville, Maryland.
Actor Tony Lo Bianco, who rose to fame in the ‘70s with standout performances in “The Honeymoon Killers” and “The French Connection,” among other cult classics, has died at the age of 87 following a battle with prostate cancer.
Mr. Lo Bianco’s wife, Alyse, confirmed his death with The Hollywood Reporter, sharing that he passed away on June 11 at his horse farm in Poolesville, Maryland, located about 30 miles northwest of Washington, D.C.
Born on Oct. 19, 1936, to Sicilian immigrants, the Brooklyn native was fond of sports in his youth, competing in the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament, dominating the court as an all-star basketball player in high school, and even trying out for the Major Leagues. Unable to nab a spot on the Brooklyn Dodgers, Mr. Lo Bianco turned his attention to acting instead with the guidance of his high school drama teacher.
He went on to get his start on the small screen in the ‘60s with guest-starring roles on a slew of television shows, including “The Doctors” and “N.Y.P.D.” He also found his place on the stage, acting in various Broadway productions throughout the decade, such as “Incident at Vichy” (1964), “Tartuffe” (1965), and “The Ninety Day Mistress” (1967), among others.
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Mr. Lo Bianco landed his breakthrough role on the big screen in 1970, playing con man Ray Fernandez in the romance thriller “The Honeymoon Killers.” The following year, the actor starred in the Academy Award-winning crime drama “The French Connection,” playing Italian-American mobster Salvatore ‘Sal’ Boca opposite actors Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider.
Mr. Lo Bianco portrayed more than 100 roles throughout his illustrious acting career, most notably garnering film roles in “God Told Me To” (1976), “Bloodbrothers” (1978), “City Heat” (1984), “Boiling Point” (1993), “Nixon” (1995), “The Juror” (1996), and “Kill the Irishman” (2011).
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Tributes Pour In
Mr. Lo Bianco’s tragic passing elicited an outpouring of touching tributes and supportive messages from fellow entertainment industry stalwarts, including actor Michael John Benzaia, who recently starred in Amazon MGM Studios’ post-apocalyptic television drama series “Fallout.”
Mr. Benzaia told The Epoch Times via email that Mr. Lo Bianco “was such a down-to-earth man with a huge heart for humanity.” He wrote, “I was fortunate enough to work with him a few years ago as well as spend time with him and Alyse at Tribeca. They truly were each other’s biggest supporters and had such a love for horses. It saddens my heart to hear of his passing.”
They continued: “Our hearts ache with his absence. He was a brilliant actor, director, and producer, leaving a lasting imprint on the world of entertainment. He adored his wife Alyse, his family was his pride, and his patriotism for his country was unwavering. God must have needed another angel.”
Basil M. Russo, the national president of Italian Sons and Daughters of America, also paid tribute to Mr. Lo Bianco, who was a member of the Italian American National Hall of Fame and served as the national spokesperson for the Order Sons of Italy, now called The Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA).
Mr. Russo also highlighted the actor’s support of various veterans organizations, which included The USO, The Gold Shield, Building Homes for Heroes, and The Wounded Warrior.
According to his biography, Mr. Lo Bianco garnered many awards for his humanitarian efforts, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Humanitarian Award of the Boys’ Town of Italy, Man of the Year for Outstanding Contributions to the Italian-American Community from the Police Society of New Jersey, and the Eleanora Duse Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Performing Arts.
Mr. Lo Bianco is survived by his third wife, Alyse, two daughters from his first marriage, two stepchildren, a brother, and many grandchildren.
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