Tony Musante

Anthony Peter Musante Jr. (June 30, 1936 – November 26, 2013) was an American actor, best known for the TV series Toma as Detective David Toma, Nino Schibetta in Oz (1997), and Joe D'Angelo in As the World Turns (2000–2003). In movies, he achieved fame relatively early in his career, starring or having significant roles in such films as Once a Thief (1965), The Incident (1967), The Detective (1968) and The Last Run (1971), and also in a number of Italian productions, including The Mercenary (1968), Metti, una sera a cena (1969) and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970).

Life and career
Musante was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, into an Italian-American family, the son of Natalie Anne (née Salerno), a school teacher, and Anthony Peter Musante, an accountant. He attended Oberlin College and Northwestern University.

Musante acted in numerous feature films, in the United States and elsewhere, including Italy. Among his body of work are the 1973 television series Toma (predecessor to Baretta) and the soap opera As the World Turns, and the 1975 Broadway play P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!, for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.

Toma did well in the ratings despite tough opposition, but Musante insisted upon leaving the series after one year, as was permitted by his contract. The series was revised as Baretta, with Robert Blake in the lead role, and it was a success. At the time of his death, The New York Times referred to Toma as "the show that got away." But Musante never regretted leaving the series, despite sacrificing money and fame.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work in a 1975 episode of Medical Center, A Quality of Mercy. Musante also played Nino Schibetta, a feared Mafia boss and the Italian gang leader inside of Emerald City during the first season of the HBO television series Oz.

Death
Musante died of a hemorrhage following oral surgery on November 26, 2013, aged 77, in Manhattan.

Filmography

 * The DuPont Show of the Week: Ride with Terror (1963, TV series episode) – Joe Ferrone
 * Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre: A Wind of Hurricane Force (1964, TV series episode) – Major DeGuisado
 * Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Memo from Purgatory (1964, TV series episode) – Candle
 * Once a Thief (1965) – Cleveland 'Cleve' Shoenstein
 * The Trials of O'Brien: Bargain Day on the Street of Regret (1965, TV series episode) – Coley Thomas
 * The Trials of O'Brien: The Blue Steel Suite (1966, TV series episode) – Callison
 * The Fugitive: The Blessings of Liberty (1966, TV series episode) – Billy Karnes
 * The Incident (1967) – Joe Ferrone
 * The Detective (1968) – Felix
 * The Mercenary (Italy, 1968) – Paco Román
 * Metti, una sera a cena (Italy, 1969) – Max
 * The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (Italy, 1970) – Sam Dalmas
 * The Anonymous Venetian (Italy, 1970) – Enrico
 * Grissom Gang (1971) – Eddie Hagan
 * The Last Run (1971) – Paul Rickard
 * Il caso Pisciotta (Italy, 1972) – Francesco Scauri
 * Marcus Welby, M.D.: The Tall Tree (1973, TV series episode) – David
 * Toma (1973–1974, TV series, 23 episodes) – Det. David Toma
 * Police Story: Fathers and Sons (1974, TV series episode) – Joe Basic
 * Judgment: The Court Martial of Lieutenant William Calley (1975, TV film) – Lt. William Calley
 * The Rockford Files: Charlie Harris at Large (1975, TV series episode) – Charlie Harris
 * The Desperate Miles (1975, TV film) – Joe Larkin
 * Medical Story: The God Syndrome (1975, TV series episode) – Dr. Paul Brandon
 * Police Story: Breaking Point (1975, TV series episode) – Sgt. Vince Della Maggiori
 * Medical Story: The Quality of Mercy (1976, TV series episode) – Dr. Hoffman
 * Origins of the Mafia (Italy, 1976, TV miniseries) – Michele Borello
 * Police Story: The Other Side of the Badge (1976, TV series episode) – Jack Mitchell
 * Nowhere to Hide (1977 film) (1977, TV film) – Joey Faber
 * Goodbye & Amen (Italy, 1978) – John Dhannay
 * Break Up (Italy, 1978) – Paolo Naviase
 * My Husband Is Missing (1978, TV film) – Derek Mackenzie
 * Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (1979, TV film) – Sal Falcone
 * The Thirteenth Day: The Story of Esther (1979, TV film) – King Ahasuerus
 * High Ice (1980, TV film) – Lt. Col. Harris Thatcher
 * American Playhouse: Weekend (1982, TV series episode) – George
 * Notturno (1983 film) (Italy, 1983) – Jurek Rudinski
 * The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984) – Pete
 * Rearview Mirror (1984, TV film) – Vince Martino
 * MacGruder and Loud (1985, TV pilot episode) – Caferelli
 * The Trap (Italy, 1985) – Michael Parker
 * The Repenter (Italy, 1985) – Vanni Ragusa
 * The Equalizer: Pretenders (1986, TV series episode) – John Parker
 * Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder (1987, TV miniseries) – Vittorio
 * Night Heat: Grace  (1987, TV series episode) – Roy Barnett
 * La collina del diavolo (Italy, 1988, TV film) – Daniele
 * Jesse Hawkes: Little Girl Lost (1989, TV series episode)
 * Appuntamento a Trieste (Italy, 1989, TV miniseries) – Kirk Mesana
 * Il barone (Italy, 1995, TV miniseries) – Baron Sajeva
 * Deep Family Secrets (1997, TV film) – Lennox
 * Oz (1997, TV series, 7 episodes) – Nino Schibetta
 * Nothing Sacred: Song of Songs (1997, TV series episode) – Gary
 * Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998, TV film) – Don Giancarlo Uzielli
 * Acapulco H.E.A.T.: Code Name Million Dollar Man (1998, TV series episode) – Rocco Santora
 * The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) – Angelo Cappadora
 * The Seventh Scroll (miniseries) (1999, TV miniseries) – Duraid Al Simma
 * The Yards (2000) – Seymour Korman
 * Un bacio nel buio (Italy, 2000, TV miniseries)
 * As the World Turns (2000–2003, TV series) – Joe D'Angelo
 * 100 Centre Street (2001, TV series, 3 episodes) – Albert Esposito
 * Life as It Comes (Italy, 2003) – Karl, the Professor
 * Traffic (2004, TV miniseries) – Alex Edmonds
 * Promessa d'amore (Italy, 2004) – Amilcare
 * Pompeii (miniseries) (Italy, 2007, TV miniseries) – Alpius
 * We Own the Night (2007) – Jack Shapiro
 * Pupetta – Il coraggio e la passione (Italy, 2013, TV miniseries) – Don Luigi Vitiello