Val Bisoglio, ‘Saturday Night Fever’ star and stellar character actor, dies at age 95
Val Bisoglio, the venerable character actor best known for his role in “Saturday Night Fever,” died Oct. 18. He was 95.
Bisoglio died at his home near Los Olivos, Calif., NBC News reported. His cause of death was not announced.
While racking up 65 credits between 1963 and 2002, Bisoglio appeared in some of the best and most popular television shows of all-time, including “The Sopranos,” “All in the Family” and “M*A*S*H.”
But his most enduring work was as John Travolta’s demanding father Frank in “Saturday Night Fever,” the curmudgeonly counterweight who’d prefer if his son let go of all that disco nonsense.
Born Italo Valentino Bisoglio on May 7, 1926 in New York, the man later known as Val got his start on the stage, starring in plays such as “Kiss Mama” and “Wait Until Dark.”
He moved to the small screen in 1963, appearing on “The DuPont Show of the Week” and “The Cool World.”
Bisoglio got his first recurring role in 1969, appearing on several episodes of daytime soap “The Doctors” as Mr. Grant.
Perhaps that was where he caught the eye of the folks running “Quincy, M.E.” Bisoglio got his most prolific role, as restaurant owner Danny Tovo, on the medical drama and is credited on 138 episodes of the 148-episode, eight-season show.
While staring on “Quincy,” Bisoglio continued popping into other popular shows, including “Starsky & Hutch” and “M*A*S*H.” He later stopped by “Miami Vice” for an appearance in 1986.
Bisoglio’s final role was as Murf Lupo in “The Sopranos,” where he portrayed a washed up elderly member of Junior Soprano’s crew, eventually shoved aside for Bobby Bacala.
Bisoglio is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and three children.
