Sam Coppola (July 31, 1932 â€" February 5, 2012) was an American
actor. He appeared in almost 70 films, beginning in 1968, but may be
best remembered for his role as Dan Fusco, owner of the hardware and
paint store in Saturday Night Fever, who gave John Travolta's
character sage but salty advice in the classic 1977 film. Later in his
career, Coppola made a brief but memorable appearance on The Sopranos
as the idiosyncratic family therapist of Jennifer Melfi.Coppola was a
cop in Serpico (1973), starring Al Pacino, and a detective in Fatal
Attraction (1987), starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. His many
TV credits include The Practice, The Good Wife, Law & Order, The
Sopranos, Ryan's Hope and the 2001 A&E movie The Big Heist, in which
he portrayed mob boss Paul Castellano. Coppola played a nursing home
resident in a Chevy commercial that aired during 2011's Super Bowl and
a hot dog vendor in a Ball Park Franks spot starring Michael
Jordan.Coppola, a 38-year resident of Leonia, with no relation to film
director Francis Ford Coppola, also had many stage roles. He played
the hobo Vladimir in a 2005 off-Broadway production of Waiting for
Godot and aging real estate salesman Aaronow in a 2000 production of
Glengarry Glen Ross at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton.Coppola died
February 5, 2012 from an aneurysm, and was predeceased by his wife
Helen. He is survived by his children Jason Coppola and Samantha
Coppola.
actor. He appeared in almost 70 films, beginning in 1968, but may be
best remembered for his role as Dan Fusco, owner of the hardware and
paint store in Saturday Night Fever, who gave John Travolta's
character sage but salty advice in the classic 1977 film. Later in his
career, Coppola made a brief but memorable appearance on The Sopranos
as the idiosyncratic family therapist of Jennifer Melfi.Coppola was a
cop in Serpico (1973), starring Al Pacino, and a detective in Fatal
Attraction (1987), starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. His many
TV credits include The Practice, The Good Wife, Law & Order, The
Sopranos, Ryan's Hope and the 2001 A&E movie The Big Heist, in which
he portrayed mob boss Paul Castellano. Coppola played a nursing home
resident in a Chevy commercial that aired during 2011's Super Bowl and
a hot dog vendor in a Ball Park Franks spot starring Michael
Jordan.Coppola, a 38-year resident of Leonia, with no relation to film
director Francis Ford Coppola, also had many stage roles. He played
the hobo Vladimir in a 2005 off-Broadway production of Waiting for
Godot and aging real estate salesman Aaronow in a 2000 production of
Glengarry Glen Ross at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton.Coppola died
February 5, 2012 from an aneurysm, and was predeceased by his wife
Helen. He is survived by his children Jason Coppola and Samantha
Coppola.
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