Tony Rosato obit

Tony Rosato, former “Saturday Night Live” cast member passes at 62

 

He was not on the list.

Tony Rosato was an Italian-Canadian comedian, actor and voice actor who was a member of both Saturday Night Live and SCTV. He has passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 62.

Originally from Naples, Italy, he moved to Canada at age four. Rosato first gained attenion when he joined the cast of the first incarnation of SCTV in its final season during 1980. After SCTV wrapped, he found his way on the cast of Saturday Night Live becoming the first member to be born outside of North America.

Celebrities that Rosato impersonated over the years included Lou Costello, William Conrad, Danny Thomas, Woodstock co-organizer Chip Monck as well as SNL cast member John Belushi. He also did Tony Orlando and Ella Fitzgerald. Despite his short tenure on the show his impressions of Ed Asner, Captain Kangaroo, and U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese were all very memorable.

Rosato also found his way into the voice over industry most notably as the voice of Nintendo’s Luigi character. A role he carried on from The ADventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 to the Super Mario World cartoon. Other voice work included Hello Kitty and Friends, The Neverending Story, Flash Gordon, Sailor Moon, and Highlander: The Animated Series.

Here we see Rosato delivering a public service message on Weekend Update, he conducts a test of the Emergency Broadcast Network with his own screams of panic and terror over nuclear bombs being dropped and aliens invading.

Filmography

 

Film

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1978    The Silent Partner            Person Standing Outside Bank Door Being Unlocked        

1979    Running            Italian Athlete

1980    Nothing Personal            Truck Driver  

1980    Hog Wild     "Bull"   

1981            Improper Channels            Dr. Arpenthaler     

1983    Utilities            Wendell          

1985            Shellgame        Chuck            Television film

1986            Separate Vacations            Harry Blender           

1986    Busted Up       Irving Drayton           

1986    Popeye Doyle   Wise-Ass Reporter            Television film

1986    Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star            Joe Devito (uncredited)            Television film

1986    One Police Plaza            Sol            Television film

1987            Nightstick        Tony            Television film

1987    Sadie and Son            Morris            Television film

1987    Hearts of Fire  Woody

1987    City of Shadows            Rosie   

1988            Switching Channels            "Joker"

1989    Brown Bread Sandwiches            Older Michaelabgelo Buonanotto (voice) 

1989            Friends, Lovers & Lunatics            Mat's Boss    

 

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1980–1981            SCTV            Various Characters            Season 3

1981–1982            Saturday Night Live            Various Characters       

1983            Amanda's By The Sea            Aldo            13 Episodes (3 unaired)

1985–1989            Night Heat     Whitey            54 episodes

1987–1989            Diamonds         Lou Gianetti

1990    The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 Luigi (voice) 

1991            Sweating Bullets            Malto            Episode: "The Mariah Connection"

1991    Super Mario World            Luigi (voice) 

1994            RoboCop: The Series            Kevin Frosh            Episode: "Trouble in Delta City"

1996-1998            Stickin' Around            Additional Voices (voice) 

1996–2003            Monster by Mistake            Dad (voice) 

1998–1999            Mythic Warriors            Orpheus, Male Peasant (voice) 

1999–2000            George and Martha            Duke (voice) 

1999–2000            Relic Hunter  Stewie Harper Season 1 (3 episodes)

2000–2002            Pelswick          Quentin Eggert (voice)  

2001–2004            Doc            Don / Jake     (2 episodes)

2002    The Ripping Friends            Goat Waiter / Minister of War            Episode: "The Infernal Wedding"

2003    Odd Job Jack            Sheriff Ironsides (voice)            Episode: "Odd Job John"

2003            Monster by Mistake            Tom (voice)            Episode: "Warren's Nightmare"

2003    Lucky            Tony            Episode: "Up the Steaks"

2004–2005            Da Boom Crew            Namdra (voice)          

2005    6Teen            Zane (voice)            Episode: "Unhappy Anniversary"

2005–2006            Get Ed            Crouch (voice) 

2011-2013            Scaredy Squirrel            Additional Voices (voice) 

2014–2016            Odd Squad            Sabatino Confalone     

Video games

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1999            Resident Evil 3: Nemesis            Dario Rosso / Nemesis