Tony Musante, actor and hometown son of Stratford, died in Manhattan on November 26, 2013. The cause of death was unexpected complications from oral surgery. He was 77.
Anthony P. Musante was born in Bridgeport, CT on June 30, 1936, to Anthony P. Musante, Sr and Natalie Anne Salerno Musante.
He graduated from Stratford High School in 1954 and Oberlin College in 1958.
Tony is survived by his wife of 51 years, Jane Sparkes Musante, his brother, Thomas A.Musante and his two sisters, Cecelia Musante Sisti and Katherine Musante Walker.
Tony began his acting career while in Stratford High School, and at the Polka Dot Playhouse. His professional career in theater, American and Italian film and television spanned more than 50 years.
Musante was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in “ P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!,” and an Emmy Award for his work in a 1975 episode of Medical Center, “A Quality of Mercy.” He won the Best Actor Award at the Mar del Plata Film Festival for his role in “ The Incident.” Musante played Nino Schibetta, during the first season of the HBO television series Oz.
Tony was fortunate to work with such actors as George C. Scott (The Last Run), Frank Sinatra (The Detective), Martin Sheen (The Incident), Robert Duvall, Joaquine Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes (We Own the Night) and other fine actors such as Bonnie Franklin, Sally Ann Struthers, Meryl Streep, Mickey Rourke, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
On December 4, Tony was buried on Block Island which his much beloved wife Jane described as their “refuge” and “sanctuary for the soul.”
Memorial contributions may be made to Block Island Health Services, 6 Payne Road, PO Box 919, Block Island, RI 02807 or financial contribution to the Tony Musante Scholarship (Stratford High School), c/o Katherine M Walker, 357 Bantam Road, Litchfield, CT 06759.