Tony Genaro obit

'Tremors' Actor Tony Genaro Dies at 72

He was not on the list.

He also appeared in such films as “The Milagro Beanfield War,” “Heart and Souls,” “The Craft” and “World Trade Center.”

Tony Genaro, a veteran character actor who is perhaps best known for playing the cattle rancher Miguel in the Kevin Bacon cult classic Tremors and its second sequel, has died. He was 72.

Genaro died May 7 of natural causes at his Hollywood home, his daughter Zhanara told The Hollywood Reporter.

A native of Gallup, N.M., Genaro’s first big break came with a role as store owner Nick Rael in Robert Redford’s American Southwest-set The Milagro Beanfield War (1988).

In the supernatural teen film The Craft (1996), Genaro played the bus driver who drops off the four girls (Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Rachel True) outside Los Angeles and warns them to “watch out for those weirdos.”

“We are the weirdos, mister,” replies Balk’s character, Nancy.

Genaro also portrayed the father of Michael Pena’s Port Authority police officer character in Oliver Stone’s gripping World Trade Center (2006).

His film résumé includes such films as La Bamba (1987); Ted & Venus (1991); Final Analysis (1992); Heart and Souls (1993) and Mighty Joe Young (1998), both directed by Tremors helmer Ron Underwood; Phenomenon (1996); The Mask of Zorro (1998); Anger Management (2003); and The Soloist (2009).

On television, he appeared on such shows as The Shield, CSI: Miami, Will & Grace and Walker, Texas Ranger, among many others.

In Tremors, his character escaped the first Graboid attack, but he’s killed by a creature when he’s knocked off a cliff in the straight-to-video sequel Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001).

Born Anthony Genaro Acosta, the oldest sibling of four boys and one girl, he attended San Diego State University and worked as a licensed psychiatric technician at Patton State Hospital in Patton, Calif., for several years.

He was a member of SAG/AFTRA and Actors Equity since 1970.

In addition to his daughter, survivors include his brothers Michael, Carlos and Larry, his sister DeAnna and his other children Christopher, Brenden and Lauren.

Filmography

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1972      Bunny O'Hare    Collector #2       

1972      Wacky Taxi          The Friends: Tony            

1987      La Bamba             Mr. Caballero    

1988      The Milagro Beanfield War           Nick Rael             

1990      Tremors               Miguel

1991      Switch   Mental Patient

1991      Ted & Venus      Bailiff    

1992      The Waterdance               Victor   

1992      Final Analysis     Hector

1992      Equinox                Eddie Gutierrez                

1993      Heart and Souls                 Man at Farmhouse         

1994      Speechless          Truck Driver       

1995      Scorpion Spring                 Arturo  

1995      Lone Justice 2                   

1996      The Craft              Bus Driver          

1996      Phenomenon    Tito       

1996      The Big Squeeze               Older Man          

1998      The Mask of Zorro            Watering Station Owner              

1998      Mighty Joe Young             Boxer Shorts Man           

2000      Price of Glory     Malave

2000      Auggie Rose        Romeo

2001      Double Take       Gov. Quintana  

2001      Tremors 3: Back to Perfection     Miguel

2001      My Father's Camera        Grandpa              

2003      Anger Management        Cabbie

2005      Sueño   Barber #2           

2005      Pissed   Mr. Chavez        

2006      World Trade Center        Will's Father      

2009      Blue       Pappi    

2009      The Soloist          Globe Lobby Guard         

2010      Boyle Heights     Louie Flores       

2011      Coming & Going                Pedro