Tony Musante


Anthony Peter Musante Jr. was an American actor, best known for the TV series Toma as Detective David Toma, Nino Schibetta in Oz, and Joe D'Angelo in As the World Turns. In movies, he achieved fame relatively early in his career, starring or having significant roles in such films as Once a Thief, The Incident, The Detective and The Last Run, and also in a number of Italian productions, including The Mercenary, Metti, una sera a cena and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

Life and career

Musante was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, into an Italian-American family, the son of Natalie Anne, 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 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

Film

  • Once a Thief – Cleveland 'Cleve' Shoenstein
  • The Incident – Joe Ferrone
  • The Detective – Felix
  • The Mercenary – Paco Román
  • Metti, una sera a cena – Max
  • The Bird with the Crystal Plumage – Sam Dalmas
  • The Anonymous Venetian – Enrico
  • Grissom Gang – Eddie Hagan
  • The Last Run – Paul Rickard
  • Il caso Pisciotta – Francesco Scauri
  • Goodbye & Amen – John Dhannay
  • Break Up – Paolo Naviase
  • ' – Jurek Rudinski
  • The Pope of Greenwich Village – Pete
  • The Trap – Michael Parker
  • The Repenter – Vanni Ragusa
  • The Deep End of the Ocean – Angelo Cappadora
  • The Yards – Seymour Korman
  • Life as It Comes – Karl, the Professor
  • ' – Amilcare
  • We Own the Night – Jack Shapiro

    Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963The DuPont Show of the WeekJoe FerroneEpisode: "Ride with Terror"
1964Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreMajor DeGuisadoEpisode: "A Wind of Hurricane Force"
1964Alfred Hitchcock PresentsCandleEpisode: "Memo from Purgatory"
1965The Trials of O'BrienColey ThomasEpisode: "Bargain Day on the Street of Regret"
1966The Trials of O'BrienCallisonEpisode: "The Blue Steel Suite"
1966The FugitiveBilly KarnesEpisode: "The Blessings of Liberty"
1973Marcus Welby, M.D.DavidEpisode: "The Tall Tree"
1973–1974TomaDet. David Toma23 episodes
1974Police StoryJoe BosicEpisode: "Fathers and Sons"
1975'Lt. William CalleyTV movie
1975The Rockford FilesCharlie HarrisEpisode: "Charlie Harris at Large"
1975The Desperate MilesJoe LarkinTV movie
1975Medical StoryDr. Paul BrandonEpisode: "The God Syndrome"
1975Police StorySgt. Vince Della MaggioriEpisode: "Breaking Point"
1976Medical StoryDr. HoffmanEpisode: "The Quality of Mercy"
1976Origins of the MafiaMichele BorelloTV miniseries. Italy
1976Police StoryJack MitchellEpisode: "The Other Side of the Badge"
1977'Joey FaberTV movie
1978My Husband Is MissingDerek MackenzieTV movie
1979Breaking Up Is Hard to DoSal FalconeTV movie
1979The Thirteenth Day: The Story of EstherKing AhasuerusTV movie
1980High IceLt. Col. Harris ThatcherTV movie
1982American PlayhouseGeorgeEpisode: "Weekend"
1984Rearview MirrorVince MartinoTV movie
1985MacGruder and LoudCaferelliEpisode: Pilot
1986The EqualizerJohn ParkerEpisode: "Pretenders"
1987Nutcracker: Money, Madness and MurderVittorioTV miniseries
1987Night HeatRoy BarnettEpisode: "Grace"
1988La collina del diavoloDanieleTV movie. Italy
1989Jesse HawkesEpisode: "Little Girl Lost"
1989'Kirk MesanaTV miniseries. Italy
1995Il baroneBaron SajevaTV miniseries. Italy
1997Deep Family SecretsLennoxTV movie
1997OzNino Schibetta7 episodes
1997Nothing SacredGaryEpisode: "Song of Songs"
1998Exiled: A Law & Order MovieDon Giancarlo UzielliTV movie
1998Acapulco H.E.A.T.Rocco SantoraEpisode: "Code Name Million Dollar Man"
1999'Duraid Al SimmaTV miniseries
2000Un bacio nel buioTV miniseries. Italy
2000–2003As the World TurnsJoe D'Angelo4 episodes
2001100 Centre StreetAlbert Esposito2 episodes
2004TrafficAlex EdmondsTV miniseries
2007'AlpiusTV miniseries. Italy
2013'Don Luigi VitielloTV miniseries. Italy