Anthony Franciosa (born Anthony George Papaleo, October 25, 1928 â€"
January 19, 2006) was an American film, TV and stage actor usually
billed at the height of his career as Tony Franciosa. He began as a
successful stage actor, gaining a Tony Award nomination for the
drug-addiction play A Hatful of Rain. After relocating to Hollywood he
made numerous feature films, including A Face in the Crowd (1957), The
Long, Hot Summer (1958), and Career (1959), for which he won the
Golden Globe for Best Actor. In television he played lead roles in
five television series: the sitcom Valentine's Day (1964â€"65), drama
The Name of the Game (1968â€"71), Search (1972â€"73), Matt Helm
(1975), and Finder of Lost Loves (1984).He was born in the Little
Italy district of New York to an Italian-American family (his
grandparents emigrated from Melfi, Basilicata, in the center of the
boot of Southern Italy, in 1890). His parents separated when he was
one and he was raised by his mother and aunt, adopting his mother's
maiden name Franciosa as his professional name.After high school he
worked as a welder, ship steward and cook. At the age of 18 he was
doing free dancing lessons at the YMCA. They offered him a role in a
production of The Seagull and the experience made him want to be an
actor.Franciosa studied privately for two years with Joseph Geigler.
He got a four-year scholarship at the Dramatic Workshop which led to
the New York Repertory Theatre.
January 19, 2006) was an American film, TV and stage actor usually
billed at the height of his career as Tony Franciosa. He began as a
successful stage actor, gaining a Tony Award nomination for the
drug-addiction play A Hatful of Rain. After relocating to Hollywood he
made numerous feature films, including A Face in the Crowd (1957), The
Long, Hot Summer (1958), and Career (1959), for which he won the
Golden Globe for Best Actor. In television he played lead roles in
five television series: the sitcom Valentine's Day (1964â€"65), drama
The Name of the Game (1968â€"71), Search (1972â€"73), Matt Helm
(1975), and Finder of Lost Loves (1984).He was born in the Little
Italy district of New York to an Italian-American family (his
grandparents emigrated from Melfi, Basilicata, in the center of the
boot of Southern Italy, in 1890). His parents separated when he was
one and he was raised by his mother and aunt, adopting his mother's
maiden name Franciosa as his professional name.After high school he
worked as a welder, ship steward and cook. At the age of 18 he was
doing free dancing lessons at the YMCA. They offered him a role in a
production of The Seagull and the experience made him want to be an
actor.Franciosa studied privately for two years with Joseph Geigler.
He got a four-year scholarship at the Dramatic Workshop which led to
the New York Repertory Theatre.
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