‘The French Connection’ star Tony Lo Bianco dead at 87
The celebrated Brooklyn-born actor Tony Lo Bianco has died at the age of 87. Best known for his performances in seminal works, including The French Connection, The Honeymoon Killers and The Seven-Ups, Bianco was an essential character in the American neo-noir scene of the 1970s.
Bianco passed away on the evening of June 11th at his home in Poolesville, Maryland, following a battle with prostate cancer. News of his death was broken by his wife, Alyse Muldoon. In addition to Muldoon, Bianco is survived by his two children, two step-children, six grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.
Although Bianco is most recognisable for his performances in classic neo-noir flicks like The French Connection, he made his first flirts with acting on the Broadway stage, which has given breakthrough opportunities to countless New Yorkers. Playing an understudy in 1964’s Incident at Vichy, it did not take long for the actor to rise through the ranks, playing a starring role in The Royal Hunt of the Sun only two years later.
Inevitably, though, the silver screen was calling, and Bianco made his first film appearance in 1965, starring in the obscure film The Sex Perils of Paulette. From there, the Brooklyn native landed a role in the cult-classic The Honeymoon Killers, and The French Connection followed only a year later. These appearances opened Bianco up to numerous roles in crime dramas in both film and television.
The actor returned to the stage multiple times throughout his career, earning himself a Tony Award nomination in 1983 for his role in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, in which he played the part of Eddie Carbone. He was also decorated with an Obie Award for his part in the off-Broadway production Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh.
Outside of the acting world, Bianco dedicated himself to humanitarian causes, usually relating to helping Italian Americans like himself. The actor was born the son of Sicilian immigrants, so he felt strongly about furthering the rights and conditions of Italians in the United States. For this work, Bianco was given multiple awards, including the Man of the Year Award from the State of New Jersey Senate.
Bianco’s final film role came in 2022, starring in the Ray Romano comedy-drama Somewhere in Queens, during which he played Dominic ‘Pops’ Russo. His incredible legacy, both in film and on the stage, will surely live on despite the actor’s passing, with his celebrated filmography still being enjoyed by viewers to this day.
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