Character Actor Al Ruscio Dies at 89
Al Ruscio, an often-seen character actor who appeared on TV, in films and on stage for more than a half-century, died Tuesday, his daughter Elizabeth said. He was 89.
Ruscio played the new restaurant manager at Monk’s whom Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) accuses of employing only buxom women as waitresses (they turn out to be his daughters) in the 1993 Seinfeld episode “The Pilot”; a casino owner on Showgirls (1995); and an opera-loving grandfather on the late-1980s ABC drama Life Goes On, the first TV series to feature a major character with Down syndrome.
In The Godfather: Part III, he plays crime boss Leo Cuneo and screams at Joe Mantegna’s character, “Joey Zaza, you son of a bitch!”
Ruscio also played a foul-mouthed ex-cabbie on Steambath, an early series for pay-TV outlet Showtime; Bonnie Franklin’s dad in one episode of One Day at a Time; and Elder No. 4 on The X-Files.
Ruscio appeared on scores of other shows, including 77 Sunset Strip, Bonanza, Sea Hunt, Peter Gunn, The Untouchables, McCloud, Phyllis, Lou Grant, Shannon, Barney Miller, Falcon Crest, St. Elsewhere, Matlock, Hill Street Blues, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, NYPD Blue and 7th Heaven.
He also acted in the soap operas Santa Barbara, Port Charles and Days of Our Lives.
His film résumé includes Fever Heat (1968), Any Which Way You Can (1980), The Hunter (1980), Jagged Edge (1985), Guilty by Suspicion (1991), The Silence of the Hams (1994) and The Phantom (1996).
A native of Salem, Mass., Ruscio moved to New York and trained for two years at the Neighborhood Playhouse School for the Theatre. He moved to Los Angeles in 1958 and that year appeared on TV’s Gunsmoke and then in the Rod Steiger film Al Capone (1959).
In the '60s, Ruscio created the drama department at the newly formed Midwestern College in Denison, Iowa. He then served as a professor of acting at the University of Windsor in Canada and as artistic director of the Academy of Dramatic Art at Oakland (Mich.) University. Over the years, he conducted workshops with his wife, actress Kate Williamson.
On stage, he starred in such productions as After the Fall, King Lear, Mizlansky-Zalinsky, The Merchant of Venice and The Man in the Glass Booth. He toured with Steve McQueen in A Hatful of Rain and was Jack Lemmon’s standby in Tribute.
His book, So Therefore …: A Practical Guide for Actors, was published last year.
“Every scene or action or speech has a ‘so therefore.’ It is the goal, the ultimate statement of the character. You should know the so therefore as you begin your scene.… The climax and the payoff is the ‘so therefore.’ ”
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1959 Al Capone Tony Genaro
1960 The Music Box Kid Thomas Morrell aka Five Points Uncredited
1964 Deadline for Murder Walter Sorkin
1968 Fever Heat Al Demarco
1980 The Hunter Mr. Bernardo Uncredited
1980 Any Which Way You Can Tony Paoli Sr.
1983 Deadly Force Sam Goodwin
1985 Jagged Edge Carl Siegal
1987 Medium Rare Detective Hill
1989 Blood Red Antonio Segestra
1989 Romero Bishop Estrada
1989 Cage Costello
1990 The Godfather: Part III Leo Cuneo
1991 Guilty by Suspicion Ben Saltman
1991 Future Kick Kramer
1992 I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore Uncle Dominic
1994 Dickwad Mr. Leon
1994 The Silence of the Hams Phillip Morris Alternative title: Il Silenzio dei Prosciutti
1995 Showgirls Mr. Karlman
1995 Xtro 3: Watch the Skies The General
1996 The Phantom Police Commissioner Farley
1998 The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon Barney's father
2001 Boss of Bosses Carlo Gambino
2005 Complete Guide to Guys Senior Husband
2007 The Gift: Life Unwrapped Hank Alternative title: The Gift: At Risk
2008 Winged Creatures Angelo Alternative title: Fragments
2011 Goy Donald Ritter (unfinished production), (final film role)
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1958 Playhouse 90 Weinshank 1 episode
1959 Mr. Lucky Lieutenant 1 episode
1960 Lock-Up Willy Carson 1 episode
Sea Hunt Season 3, Episode 21
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater Pietro Poli 1 episode
M Squad Freddie Canelli 1 episode
Wrangler Wes Martin 1 episode
1961 Thriller Allah El Kazim 1 episode
The Islanders Rami 1 episode
Peter Gunn Inspector Georges 1 episode
1962 87th Precinct Joe Brooks 1 episode
Going My Way Jimmy Cipollaro 1 episode
Follow the Sun Gus 1 episode
1963 Ripcord Carlo Minelli 1 episode
Have Gun – Will Travel Machado 1 episode
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Dr. Taylor 1 episode
1964 The Greatest Show on Earth Julio 1 episode
The Great Adventure Nez Coupe 1 episode
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Dimitri 1 episode
1975 The Six Million Dollar Man Chester Goddard 1 episode
Marcus Welby, M.D. Judge Angelotti 1 episode
Police Woman Scotto 1 episode
1976 One Day at a Time Mr. Romano 1 episode
1977 The Rockford Files Vic Cassell 1 episode
Barney Miller episode: Atomic Bomb
Starsky and Hutch Roper 1 episode
1978 The Incredible Hulk Mr. Sariego 1 episode
1979 Salvage 1 Agamemnon 1 episode
Fantasy Island Anton 1 episode
1980 A Rumor of War Uncle Al miniseries
1981 Hart to Hart Mr. Six 1 episode
Taxi Dr. Webster 1 episode
1982 The Fall Guy Harvey 1 episode
Police Squad! Dutch 1 episode
T. J. Hooker Gino Minelli 1 episode
1983 Bring 'Em Back Alive Miklos 1 episode
1984 Highway to Heaven Petros 1 episode
1985 The A-Team Gino Gianni 1 episode
Stir Crazy Mike Forbes 1 episode
Who's the Boss? Joseph 1 episode
1986 Riptide Monty Paradise 1 episode
Hardcastle and McCormick Charlie Masaryk 1 episode
Sledge Hammer! Don Phillip Souza 1 episode
Simon & Simon Nicky Walters 1 episode
The Wizard Pransk 1 episode
1987 Starman Matteo Gionetti 1 episode
MacGyver Paul Webber 1 episode
Brothers Uncle Charlie 1 episode
1989 Amen Willie Garlotti 1 episode
Santa Barbara R.J. Bentson
Hard Time on Planet Earth Carlo Caretti 1 episode
War and Remembrance Marshal Josef Stalin Miniseries
1990 The Fanelli Boys Archbishop Mosconi 1 episode
1991 Beverly Hills, 90210 Henry Silver 1 episode
Ferris Bueller Tony 1 episode
Dead Silence Reducci TV film
Brooklyn Bridge Johnny 1 episode
The Wonder Years Mr. Harris 1 episode
1992 Tequila and Bonetti Stefano 1 episode
Mad About You Uncle Jules 1 episode
1993 Murder, She Wrote Santo Angelini 1 episode
1994 Seinfeld Restaurant Manager 1 episode
Diagnosis: Murder John Strega 1 episode
1995 Pig Sty Father Poma 1 episode
1996 ER Mr. Dellanova 1 episode
1997 Brotherly Love Harry "Old Man" Gibbs 1 episode
Malcolm & Eddie Johnny Beaumont 1 episode
1998 Tracey Takes On... Otto Cornowitz 1 episode
NYPD Blue Artie Rosen 1 episode
1999 The X-Files Elder #4 2 episodes
The Norm Show Father O'Haberly 1 episode
2002 First Monday Uncle Willie 2 episodes
The Guardian Albert "Sparky" Walters 1 episode
2007 'Til Death Len 1 episode
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