Tony Musante Papers, 1954-2012 | Oberlin College Archives

Tony Musante, actor, director, and writer, was born on June 30, 1936 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Anthony Peter Musante, an accountant, and Natalie Anne (Salerno) Musante, a schoolteacher.

He attended Oberlin College from 1954 to 1958 where he studied psychology and performed in Oberlin Dramatic Association productions The Seagull, Death of A Salesman, Playboy of the Western World, Tiger At The Gates, View From the Bridge, Much Ado About Nothing, and Oberlin Mummers productions Banable Split and Brigadoon. He produced, directed, and wrote the book and lyrics for the musical When Time Stands Still, music by Tom Shepard and conducted by David Zinman. Tony received his B.A. from Oberlin in 1958.

Musante also acted in shows at the Northwestern Drama Festival (summer of 1957) and directed community theater in Stratford, CT, and at Oberlin High School.

Musante studied acting in New York City (1961-65) at Herbert Berghoff and Uta Hagen’s HB Studios with Walt Witcover.

He married Jane Ashley Sparkes, Oberlin Class of 1959, on June 2, 1962. Jane graduated with a Bachelor of Science in zoology-chemistry, and studied dance in New York while working as a medical writer and dancer in summer stock at Tamiment Playhouse in Pennsylvania. She later performed with Tony in L’Histoire du Soldat at Lincoln Center’s Library for the Performing Arts, and co-wrote screen- and tele-plays.

Musante began his professional acting career off-Broadway in Borak (1960), and in notable productions at Circle In The Square and Cherry Lane theatres. He made his film debut in MGM’s Once A Thief (1964). His initial television appearance was in the starring role of Joe Ferrone in Ride with Terror (1963), a role he repeated in the 20th Century-Fox film The Incident (1967). His first starring role on Broadway was Vito in P.S. Your Cat is Dead (1975). He became well known as Detective David Toma in the ABC-TV series Toma (1973-1974, 22 episodes), for which he co-wrote several episodes with his wife Jane Sparkes.

The New York Daily News referred to Tony Musante as “an actor’s actor.” Musante received the Photoplay Best Actor Award and the Hollywood Women’s Press Club Award for his role as David Toma in the Toma series. He received a nomination for the New York Drama Desk Award for his performance in P.S. Your Cat is Dead. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in the 1976 NBC movie The Quality of Mercy. He was awarded Best Actor for The Incident at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival in Argentina in 1968.

Italy served as another location for Musante’s acting career. He starred in films such as One Night At Dinner (Metti, Una Sera a Cena), The Anonymous Venetian, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (L’Uccello dalle Piume di Cristallo), and The Repenter (Il Pentito).

Tony Musante starred in television miniseries Oz, 100 Centre Street, Traffic, Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, Nutcracker: Money, Madness, and Murder, and Judgment: The Court-Martial of Lt. William Calley, as well as on PBS’ American Playhouse. Numerous further theatre credits include 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, premieres of The Lady From Dubuque, The Archbishop’s Ceiling, Widows, Anthony Rose, and films The Detective, The Grissom Gang, The Last Run, The Pope of Greenwich Village, The Yards, and We Own The Night.

Tony Musante died on November 26, 2013.

Sources Consulted:

Alumni Records Files for Tony and Jane Musante, Oberlin College Development and Alumni Affairs Office.

Biographical File, Tony Musante Papers.

Tony and Jane Musante provided additional information and editorial comments.

The following is a chronology of Tony Musante’s work in theater, films, and television.  Source: http://www.filmreference.com/film/4/Tony-Musante.html

Famous Works

• CREDITS

• Stage Appearances

• (As Anthony Musante) Soldier and villager, Borak, Martinique Theatre, New York City, 1960

• George, Kiss Mama, Actors Playhouse, New York City, 1964

• Marty, "Match Play," A Party for Divorce and Match-Play (double-bill), Provincetown Playhouse, New York City, 1966

• David Byron, Night of the Dunce, Cherry Lane Theatre, 1971

• L'Histoire du soldat, Lincoln Center Library Theatre, 1971

• Wallace, A Gun Play, Cherry Lane Theatre, 1971

• Stanley Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire, Hartford Stage Company, Hartford, CT, 1972

• Vito, P.S. Your Cat Is Dead, Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, NY, 1974

• (Broadway debut) Vito, P.S. Your Cat is Dead, John Golden Theatre, 1975

• Mark Sanders, Souvenir, Shubert Theatre, Century City, CA, 1975

• Silva Vicarro, 27 Wagons Full of Cotton; and Larry, A Memory of Two Mondays (double-bill), Phoenix Theatre Company,              Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1976

• The Archbishop's Ceiling, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1977

• Two Brothers, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1978

• Calogero Di Spelta, Grand Magic, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1979

• Sam, The Lady from Dubuque, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1980

• Edgar Degas, Cassatt, Playhouse 46, New York City, 1980

• Falling Man, Theatre at Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 1981

• Petruchio, The Taming of the Shrew, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA, 1982

• Charlie, The Big Knife, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Stockbridge, MA, 1983

• Coach Dean, Dancing in the End Zone, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami, FL, 1983

• Double Play, Westwood Playhouse, Los Angeles, CA, 1984

• Charlie, The Big Knife, Walnut Street Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA, 1986

•  Johnny, Frankie and Johnnie in the Clair de Lune, Westside Arts Theatre, New York City, 1987-88

•  Widows, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA, 1988

• Nick, Anthony Rose, Annenberg Center, Philadelphia, PA, 1989

• Harry Roat, Jr., Wait until Dark, Birmingham Theatre, Birmingham, MI, 1990

• Mount Allegro, GeVa Theatre, Rochester, NY, 1992

• Mike, Breaking Legs, Coconut Grove Playhouse, 1993

• Joe, The Flip Side, HB Playwrights Foundation, New York City, 1994

• Love Letters, Hermosa Beach Playhouse, Hermosa Beach, CA, 1995

• Vincent, The Sisters, Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA, 1995

• John, Italian Funerals and Other Festive Occasions, Seven Angels Theatre, Waterbury, CT, 1996

• Also appeared in Madame Mousse, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT; The Tender Heel, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA; APA Shakespeare Repertory and Miss Julie, both McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ; The Glass Menagerie and Traveller without Luggage, both Branford Montowese Playhouse, CT; Death of a Salesman, Desire under the Elms, and Ring 'round the Moon, all Clinton Playhouse; Love's Labour's Lost, Theatre at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; appeared in off-Broadway productions, including Benito Cereno, The Balcony, Half Past Wednesday, Pinter Plays, Theatre of the Absurd, and The Zoo Story; appeared in The Collection and Snow Orchid; also appeared at McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, 1965-66.

• Stage Work

• Assistant Stage Manager

• Borak, Martinique Theatre, New York City, 1960

• Whisper into My Good Ear, Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City, 1962

• Mrs. Dally Has a Lover, Cherry Lane Theatre, 1962

• Film Appearances

• Cleve Schoenstein, Once a Thief (also known as Les tueurs de San Francisco), Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer, 1965

•  Joe Ferrone, The Incident, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1967

• Felix Tesla, The Detective, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1968

• Paco, The Mercenary (also known as Professional Gun, Il Mercenario, and Salario para matar), United Artists, 1968

• Max, The Love Circle (also known as One Night at Dinner and Metti una sera a cena), 1969

• Sam Dalmas, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (also known as Bird with the Glass Feathers, The Gallery Murders, The            Phantom of Terror, Das geheimnis der schwarzen handschule, and L'ucello dalle piume di cristallo), UM, 1970

• Enrico, The Anonymous Venetian (also known as Anonimo Veneziano), Allied Artists, 1971

• Eddie Hagan, The Grissom Gang, Cinerama, 1971

• Paul Richard, The Last Run, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1971

• Francesco, The Pisciotta Case, Columbia, 1972

• John Dannahay, Goodbye and Amen (also known as Goodbye e Amen), Rizzoli Films, 1977

• Paolo, Break Up (also known as Eutanasia di un amore), Rizzoli Films, 1978

• Nocturne (also known as Notturno), RTA/RAI, 1981

• Michael, The Trap (also known as The Cage, Collector's Item, La gabbia, and La jaula), 1984

• Pete Grillo, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1984

• Vanni Ragusa, The Repenter (also known as Il pentito), Columbia, 1985

• Dario Argento's World of Horror (also known as Il mondo dell'orrore di Dario Argento), 1985

• Daniele, La collina del diavolo, 1988

• Angelo Cappadora, The Deep End of the Ocean, Columbia, 1998

• Seymour Korman, The Yards, Miramax, 2000

• Karl, La vita come viene, Medusa, 2003

• Amilcare, Promessa d'amore, Leading Entertainment, 2004

• Enrico, The Anonymous Venetian (also known as Anonimo Veneziano), Allied Artists,

• Television Appearances

• Series

• Detective David Toma, Toma, ABC, 1973-74

• Robert "Mac" McKenzie Huston, Loving, ABC, 1983

• MacGruder and Loud, ABC, 1985

• Nino Schibetta, Oz, HBO, 1997

• Joe D'Angelo, As the World Turns, CBS, 2000-2003

•  Miniseries

• Michele Borello, Alle origini della Mafia (also known as Roots of the Mafia), 1976

• The Legend of the Black Hand, ABC, 1978

• Sal Falcone, Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, ABC, 1979

• Vittorio Gentile, Nutcracker: Money, Madness, and Murder, NBC, 1987

• Devil's Hill, RAI-TV (Italy), 1987

• Appointment in Trieste (also known as Appuntamento a Trieste), RAI-TV, 1987

• Baron Sajeva, the title role, The Baron (also known as Le Baron), RAI-TV, 1992

• The Seventh Scroll (also known as Il settimo papiro), 1999

• Alex Edmonds, Traffic (also known as Traffic: The Miniseries), USA Network, 2004

• Episodic

• Joe Ferrone, "Ride with Terror," DuPont Show of the Month, NBC, 1963

• "A Wind of Hurricane Force," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater, NBC, 1964

• Candle, "Memo from Purgatory," Alfred Hitchcock Hour, NBC, 1964

• Coley Thomas, "Bargain Day on the Street of Regret," Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1965

• "The Blue Steel Suite," Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1966

• Billy, "The Blessings of Liberty," The Fugitive, ABC, 1966

• N.Y.P.D., ABC, 1967

• "The Tall Tree," Marcus Welby, M.D., ABC, 1973

• Joe Basic, "Fathers and Sons," Police Story, NBC, 1974

• Vince Della Maggiore, "Breaking Point," Police Story, NBC, 1975

• Charlie Harris, "Charlie Harris at Large," The Rockford Files, NBC, 1975

• Dr. Paul Brandon, "The God Syndrome," Medical Story, NBC, 1975

• "The Quality of Mercy," Medical Story, NBC, 1975

• Jack Mitchell, "The Other Side of the Badge," Police Story, NBC, 1976

• George, "Weekend," American Playhouse, PBS, 1982

• John Parker, "Pretenders," The Equalizer, CBS, 1986

• Roy, "Grace," Night Heat, CBS, 1987

• Gary the cook, "Song of Songs," Nothing Sacred, ABC, 1997

• Rocco, Acapulco H.E.A.T., syndicated, 1998

• Frank Esposito, "Bobby & Cynthia," 100 Centre Street, Arts and Entertainment, 2001

• Albert Esposito, "A Shot in the Dark," 100 Centre Street, Arts and Entertainment, 2001

• Movies

• Joe Ferrone, Ride with Terror, 1963

• Joe Larkin, The Desperate Miles, ABC, 1975

• Lieutenant William Calley, Judgment: The Court-Martial of Lieutenant William Calley, ABC, 1975

• Derek MacKenzie (some sources cite the role Claude Boisson), My Husband Is Missing, NBC, 1978

• Lieutenant Colonel Harris Thatcher, High Ice, NBC, 1980

• Vince Martino, Rearview Mirror, NBC, 1984

• Brad Baxter, Last Waltz on a Tightrope, PBS, 1986

• Lennox, Deep Family Secrets (also known as Dark Family Secrets: The Dawna Kay Wells Story), CBS, 1997

• Don Giancarlo Uzielli, Exiled (also known as Exiled: A Law and Order Movie), NBC, 1998

• Un Bacio nel buio, 1999

• Specials

• Intimate Portrait: Bonnie Franklin (documentary), Lifetime, 2003

• Pilots

• David Toma, Toma, ABC, 1973

• Joey Faber, Nowhere to Hide (also known as Fatal Chase), NBC, 1977

• King Ahasuerus, The 13th Day: The Story of Esther, ABC, 1979

• MacGruder and Loud, ABC, 1985

• WRITINGS

• Television Episodes

• (With wife, Jane Sparkes) Toma, ABC, 1973-74