Camille Saviola Dies: ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’, Broadway Actor Was 71
She was not on the list.
Camille Saviola, whose many stage and TV roles included the Bajoran religious leader Kai Opaka in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the mother of the hapless Turtle in Entourage and characters in Nine and Chicago on Broadway, died yesterday. She was 71.
Her death was reported on the Star Trek website WarpFactorTrek.com, and in social media posts by friends. Additional details were not immediately available.
Longtime friend and actor Harvey Fierstein tweeted: “She was a friend for 40 years who could always be counted on for a laugh, a shoulder or a kick in the ass. The Italian Godmother of Soul! Farewell.”
Actor Wilson Cruz, who said he performed with Saviola at many AIDS benefits over the years, tweeted: “What a presence this woman was! My heart is heavy. My love to Camille’s family and family of friends throughout the industry. She will be missed.”
On Facebook friend and actress Mary Jo Mecca wrote, “We lost Camille Saviola today- A DIVA of the greatest kind. I met her when we played Mother & Daughter in The Rink for The Musical Theatre Guild. We spent everyday on a park Bench sharing stories of our Italian upbringing and building a relationship that we transferred to the stage. She called me ‘Jersey’ and I called her ‘Walk-Up’…She was a tough cookie with a huge heart a wicked sense of humor and a voice that would shake the rafters….She fought the good fight in silence.”
A Bronx native who got her start in show business as a singer in 1970s New York rock band the Margo Lewis Explosion, Saviola made her Broadway debut as Mama Maddelena in the 1982 production of the Tommy Tune-directed musical Nine. In 2003, joined the replacement cast of Chicago as Matron Mama Morton.
Her film debut came just two years after her Broadway bow when she was cast in a small part in Woody Allen’s 1984 Broadway Danny Rose. She reunited with Allen the following year for a role in The Purple Rose of Cairo and from then on enjoyed a prolific career in both TV and film. She reteamed with Allen yet again in 1991’s Shadows and Fog. Other film roles included Betsy’s Wedding and Last Exit to Brooklyn.
On television, she made appearances on Remington Steele, Baby Boom, JAG, Some of My Best Friends, Saving Grace, Without a Trace and Nip/Tuck, among many others. In 1992 she recurred on both The Heights and Civil Wars, and in 1993 began playing Kai Opaka in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a role that would be featured in four episodes through 1996.
In 2002, she recurred on the James Garner legal drama First Monday as Justice Esther Weisenberg. She also played an attorney in several episodes of Judging Amy from 2002-05.
From 2006-09, Saviola recurred on HBO’s Entourage, portraying the mother of Jerry Ferrara’s character Turtle.
Saviola’s most recent credit is the recurring role of Filomena in the Darren Star-created series Younger.
Harvey Fierstein tweeted - Camille Saviola…. How could you leave us like this? She was a friend for 40 years who could always be counted on for a laugh, a shoulder or a kick I. The ass. The Italian Godmother of Soul! Farewell.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1984 Broadway Danny Rose Lady at Party
1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo Olga
1985 Remington Steele Shirley Tannenbaum Episode: "Steele in the Chips"
1986 Weekend Warriors Betty Beep
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Belle Meyers Episode: "Son of Gunz"
1989 Penn & Teller Get Killed Airport Security Guard
1989 Last Exit to Brooklyn Ella
1989 Baby Boom Ofelia Episode: "When It Rains"
1990 Nightlife Rosa Mercedes
1990 Betsy's Wedding Angelica
1991 Queens Logic Madame Rosa
1991 All I Want for Christmas Sonya
1992 Shadows and Fog Landlady
1992 L.A. Law Dr. Bernardi Episode: "Christmas Stalking"
1992 The Heights Shelley Abramowitz 6 episodes
1992–1993 Civil Wars Louise Iannello Episode: "Captain Kangaroo Court"
Episode: "Denise and De Nuptials"
Episode: "Mob Psychology"
1993 Addams Family Values Concetta
1994 Friends The Horrible Woman Episode: "The One With the East German Laundry Detergent"
1995 Stuart Saves His Family Roz Weinstock
1995 Hope & Gloria Cookie Episode: "Love with an Improper Stranger"
Episode: "Salon, It's Been Good to Know You"
1995 The West Side Waltz TV Movie
1995 NYPD Blue Episode: Curt
1996 Mr. Wrong Consuela
1993–1996 Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine Kai Opaka Episode: "Accession"
Episode: "The Collaborator"
Episode: "Battle Lines"
Episode: "Emissary"
1996 Sunset Park Barbara
1997 Living Single Mabel Episode: "He's The One"
1998 L.A. Doctors Maureen Hart Episode: "Nate Expectations
1999 Becker Mrs. Corigliani Episode: "P.C. World"
2000 JAG Janet Vitaglianso Episode: "Florida Straits"
2001 Some of My Best Friends Connie Zito Episode: "Pilot"
Episode: "Scenes from an Italian Party"
Episode: "The Marriage Counselor"
2002 First Monday Justice Esther Weisenberg 13 episodes
2004 ER Margaret Episode: "Twas the Night"
2002–2005 Judging
Amy Molly Babitz
Atty. Molly Babitz
Mr. Powell's Attorney
Episode: "Getting Out"Episode: "The Song That Never Ends"
Episode: "Lost and Found"
2005 E-Ring Secretary of Colonel McNulty Episode: "Pilot"
2007 Lez Be Friends Older Ritta
2007 Standoff Sofia Marcovich Episode: "Severance"
2008 Saving Grace Burn unit nurse Episode: "Are You an Indian Princess?"
2008 Without a Trace Camilla Russo Episode: "Push Comes to Shove"
2006–2009 Entourage Turtle's Mom Episode: "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car"
Episode: "Return to Queens Blvd"
Episode: "Aquamom"
2009 Nip/Tuck Agent Sonja Thomas Episode: "Wesley Clovis"
2012 Silent But Deadly Fanny
2015 To Whom It May Concern Miss Bloomfield
2015 Staten Island Summer Mrs. Bandini
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