Character actor Frank Campanella dies at 87
Thursday, January 04, 2007
LOS ANGELES —
Frank Campanella, the hulking character actor who played tough guys in the 100-plus films and television shows he was in, has died. He was 87.
The 6-foot-5-inch Campanella died Saturday at his San Fernando Valley home, his family said.
“He always wanted to be an actor and kind of influenced me,” his older brother, actor Joseph Campanella, said.
One of Frank Campanella’s most distinctive roles was his first — Mook the Moon Man on the TV series “Captain Video and His Video Rangers” in 1949. “Guardian of the Safety of the World,” private citizen-scientist Captain Video, was assisted by teenage helper the Ranger in fighting off the evil Dr. Pauli of the Astroidal Society and other bad guys, including Nargola, Mook, Kul and Clysmok.
His movie credits included Judge Harper in the movie “Dick Tracy,” Pops in “Pretty Woman,” Frank the Doorman in “Beaches,” Capt. Karl in “Overboard” and Col. Eastland in “The Flamingo Kid.”
On television, he appeared on such shows as “The Fall Guy,” “Hardcastle and McCormick,” “St. Elsewhere,” “The Love Boat,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Maude,” “The Rockford Files,” “All in the Family,” “Kojak,” “Route 66” and “Quincy M.E.”
Born in New York on March 12, 1919, Campanella enrolled at Manhattan College as a drama major. During World War II he worked as a civilian interpreter, deciphering Italian and Sicilian dialects for the U.S. government.
“We grew up speaking Italian before speaking English,” Joseph Campanella said. “We were your big Italian family.”
Frank Campanella helped Robert De Niro with the Sicilian dialogue in “The Godfather Part II.”
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Jan. 17 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in suburban North Hollywood.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
LOS ANGELES —
Frank Campanella, the hulking character actor who played tough guys in the 100-plus films and television shows he was in, has died. He was 87.
The 6-foot-5-inch Campanella died Saturday at his San Fernando Valley home, his family said.
“He always wanted to be an actor and kind of influenced me,” his older brother, actor Joseph Campanella, said.
One of Frank Campanella’s most distinctive roles was his first — Mook the Moon Man on the TV series “Captain Video and His Video Rangers” in 1949. “Guardian of the Safety of the World,” private citizen-scientist Captain Video, was assisted by teenage helper the Ranger in fighting off the evil Dr. Pauli of the Astroidal Society and other bad guys, including Nargola, Mook, Kul and Clysmok.
His movie credits included Judge Harper in the movie “Dick Tracy,” Pops in “Pretty Woman,” Frank the Doorman in “Beaches,” Capt. Karl in “Overboard” and Col. Eastland in “The Flamingo Kid.”
On television, he appeared on such shows as “The Fall Guy,” “Hardcastle and McCormick,” “St. Elsewhere,” “The Love Boat,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Maude,” “The Rockford Files,” “All in the Family,” “Kojak,” “Route 66” and “Quincy M.E.”
Born in New York on March 12, 1919, Campanella enrolled at Manhattan College as a drama major. During World War II he worked as a civilian interpreter, deciphering Italian and Sicilian dialects for the U.S. government.
“We grew up speaking Italian before speaking English,” Joseph Campanella said. “We were your big Italian family.”
Frank Campanella helped Robert De Niro with the Sicilian dialogue in “The Godfather Part II.”
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Jan. 17 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in suburban North Hollywood.
