Anthony Caruso (actor)

Anthony Caruso
Caruso in an episode of The Public Defender (1955)
Born(1916-04-07)April 7, 1916
Frankfort, Indiana, U.S.
DiedApril 4, 2003(2003-04-04) (aged 86)
Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Film, television actor
Years active1940–1990
Spouse
Tonia Valente
​
​
(m. 1940)​
Children2

Anthony Caruso (April 7, 1916 – April 4, 2003) was an American character actor in more than one hundred American films, usually playing villains and gangsters, including the first season of Walt Disney's Zorro as Captain Juan Ortega.[1]

Life and career

[edit]

Caruso was born in Frankfort, Indiana.[2] While acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, he met Alan Ladd, beginning a friendship that continued as they made 11 films together.[3]

Caruso's early acting experience included performing with The Hart Players, a stock theater company that presented tent shows. He also acted with the Federal Theatre Project and was a star in plays at the Hollywood Playhouse.[4]

He made his film debut in Henry Hathaway's Johnny Apollo (1940) starring Tyrone Power.[4]

In 1960, on Gunsmoke, Caruso played a cowboy named Gurney. He also played “Lone Wolf” in a 1961 episode entitled “Indian Ford”. He returned in 1963, playing the title character “Ash Farior”, in a performance outside of his normal roles, partnering with & befriending “Ben” (John Dehner), where the latter has an accident that disrupts his brain, and Caruso shows his friend sympathy, love, patience, care & loyalty. In 1964 he played “Sims”, a surly cowboy in “Father’s Love”, as well as “Bull Foot” in a semi-comedic role in the episode “The Warden”.

In 1954, Caruso played Tiburcio Vásquez in an episode of the Western series Stories of the Century. He appeared in the first Brian Keith series, Crusader. Among Caruso's other Western credits was 1954's Cattle Queen of Montana starring Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. In 1957, he appeared in the fourth episode of the first season of the TV Western Have Gun – Will Travel starring Richard Boone titled "The Winchester Quarantine".

In 1956 Caruso appeared as Disalin with war hero Audie Murphy, Charles Drake and Anne Bancroft in Walk the Proud Land.

In 1957, Caruso appeared in episode "The Child" on NBC's The Restless Gun.[5] In 1959, he was cast as George Bradley in the episode "Annie's Old Beau" on the NBC children's Western series, Buckskin.

That same year, he portrayed Matt Cleary on CBS's Wanted: Dead or Alive episode "The Littlest Client", with Steve McQueen. Also 1959, he also guest-starred on the ABC/Warner Brothers Western series, Sugarfoot, in the episode "The Extra Hand", along with guest stars Karl Swenson and Jack Lambert as well as the series star, Will Hutchins.[6] The same year he appeared in the 'Syndicate Sanctuary' episode of The Untouchables.

In 1960, Caruso played a Cherokee Indian, Chief White Bull, in the episode "The Long Trail" of the NBC Western series, Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin.[7]

Also in 1960, he returned to Gunsmoke playing a cowboy named Gurney in S6E5’s “Shooting Stopover”.

In 1961, he appeared twice on the ABC/Warner Brothers drama series, The Roaring 20s, including the role of Lucky Lombardi in "The Maestro".[8] He was also cast with Will Hutchins in a second The Roaring 20s episode entitled, "Pie in the Sky."[8] Early in 1961, he was cast as Velde in the episode "Willy's Millionaire" of the short-lived ABC adventure series, The Islanders, with Diane Brewster.

Anthony Caruso as Bela Oxmyx in Star Trek: "A Piece of the Action"

Caruso guest-starred in an episode of the ABC Western series, The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, based on a Robert Lewis Taylor novel of the same name. Caruso guest-starred three times on CBS's Perry Mason. In 1962, he played Keith Lombard in "The Case of the Playboy Pugilist." Also in 1962, Caruso played Cody Durham in "Cody's Code" on Gunsmoke. In 1965, he made two Perry Mason appearances, both times as the murder victim: first as title character Enrico Bacio in "The Case of the Sad Sicilian," then as Harvey Rettig in "The Case of the Runaway Racer."

Caruson portrayed the title character in the 1963 Gunsmoke episode "Ash", Also appearing with him are John Dehner and Adam West.

In 1964, he guest-starred in the Bonanza episode "The Saga of Squaw Charlie" playing a Native American man shunned by almost everybody and with only two friends, Ben Cartwright and a little girl named Angela. In 1969 he starred alongside Ricardo Montalbán in Desperate Mission, a fictionalized telling of the life of Joaquin Murrieta. From 1966 to 1970 he guest-starred three times on the long-running NBC Western The Virginian, starring James Drury. In 1965 he guest-starred on ABC's The Addams Family as Don Xavier Molinas.

Some of his other roles were that of the alien gangster "Bela Oxmyx" in the classic Star Trek episode "A Piece of the Action", Chief Blackfish on the NBC series Daniel Boone, Mongo in the film Tarzan and the Leopard Woman, Sengo in Tarzan and the Slave Girl, and Louis Ciavelli (the "box man" or safecracker) in The Asphalt Jungle. Caruso played the comical character of the Native American "Red Cloud" on the 1965 Get Smart episode "Washington 4, Indians 3," and Chief Angry Bear in the episode "You Can't Scalp a Bald Indian" of Rango.

In 1970, Caruso made a guest appearance on the ABC crime drama The Silent Force in the episode "A Family Tradition." In 1974, he appeared in the final episode, entitled "The Fire Dancer," of the ABC police drama Nakia. Caruso also had a recurring roll as El Lobo on The High Chaparral.

Personal life

[edit]

Caruso met his future wife, Tonia at the Alcazar Theater in 1939 in San Francisco, when the play she was in was closing and the play he was in was opening.[clarification needed] Caruso was married for 63 years. He enjoyed gardening and cooking. He was the father of son Tonio.[9]

On April 4, 2003, Caruso died at age 86 at his home in Los Angeles, California, three days before his 87th birthday.[2]

Selected filmography

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  1. Johnny Apollo (1940) as Joe – Henchman
  2. The Bride Wore Crutches (1940) as Max
  3. North West Mounted Police (1940) as Half-breed at Riel's HQ (uncredited)
  4. The Devil's Pipeline (1940) as Natoni – Henchman (uncredited)
  5. Tall, Dark and Handsome (1941) as Gunman
  6. The Corsican Brothers (1941) as Baron's Henchman (uncredited)
  7. You're in the Army Now (1941) as Apache Dancer (uncredited)
  8. Always in My Heart (1942) as Frank
  9. Sunday Punch (1942) as Nat Cucci
  10. Across the Pacific (1942) as Taxi Driver (uncredited)
  11. Lucky Jordan (1942) as Hired Gun
  12. The Ghost and the Guest (1943) as Henchman Ted
  13. Above Suspicion (1943) as Italian Border Sentry (uncredited)
  14. Jitterbugs (1943) as Mike (uncredited)
  15. Watch on the Rhine (1943) as Italian Man
  16. The Girl from Monterrey (1943) as Alberto 'Baby' Valdez
  17. The Phantom (1943, Serial) as Count Silento (uncredited)
  18. Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) as Henchman Fingers (uncredited)
  19. The Racket Man (1944) as Tony Ciccardi (uncredited)
  20. The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944) as Pharmacist's Mate on 'Marblehead' (uncredited)
  21. U-Boat Prisoner (1944) as Benny, Seaman's Union Hall Man (uncredited)
  22. Maisie Goes to Reno (1944) as George – Blackjack Dealer (uncredited)
  23. The Conspirators (1944) as Fisherman (uncredited)
  24. And Now Tomorrow (1944) as Peter Gallo (uncredited)
  25. Objective, Burma! (1945) as Miggleori (uncredited)
  26. The Crime Doctor's Courage (1945) as Miguel Bragga
  27. Don Juan Quilligan (1945) as One Eyed Barton (uncredited)
  28. Pride of the Marines (1945) as Johnny Rivers
  29. Star in the Night (1945) Jas osé Santos (as Tony Caruso)
  30. I Love a Bandleader (1945) as Tony Ramon, Bandleader at El Caro (uncredited)
  31. That Night with You (1945) as Tenor (uncredited)
  32. The Stork Club (1945) as Joe – Fisherman (uncredited)
  33. Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1946) as Mongo
  34. To Each His Own (1946) as Mobster (uncredited)
  35. Night Editor (1946) as Tusco (uncredited)
  36. The Blue Dahlia (1946) as Marine Corporal Playing Jukebox (uncredited)
  37. The Catman of Paris (1946) as Raoul
  38. Don't Gamble with Strangers (1946) as Pinky Luiz
  39. The Last Crooked Mile (1946) as Charlie – Gang Member
  40. Monsieur Beaucaire (1946) as Masked Horseman (uncredited)
  41. My Favorite Brunette (1947) as First Man on Death Row (uncredited)
  42. They Won't Believe Me (1947) as Tough Patient (uncredited)
  43. News Hounds (1947) as Dapper Dan Greco
  44. Wild Harvest (1947) as Pete
  45. Escape Me Never (1947) as Dino Carbatto (uncredited)
  46. Where There's Life (1947) as John Fulda
  47. Devil Ship (1947) as Venetti
  48. To the Victor (1948) as Nikki
  49. Incident (1948) as Nails
  50. Song of India (1949) as Major Doraj
  51. Bride of Vengeance (1949) as Captain of the Guard
  52. The Undercover Man (1949) as Salvatore Rocco
  53. Illegal Entry (1949) as Teague
  54. Anna Lucasta (1949) as Eddie
  55. Scene of the Crime (1949) as Tony Rutzo
  56. The Threat (1949) as Nick Damon
  57. The Asphalt Jungle (1950) as Louis Ciavelli
  58. Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950) as Sengo
  59. Prisoners in Petticoats (1950) as Nicky Bowman
  60. According to Mrs. Hoyle (1951) as Morganti
  61. His Kind of Woman (1951) as Tony (uncredited)
  62. Pals of the Golden West (1951) as Lucky Grillo aka Jim Bradford
  63. Boots Malone (1952) as Joe
  64. Desert Pursuit (1952) as Hassan
  65. The Iron Mistress (1952) as Black Jack Sturdevant
  66. Blackbeard the Pirate (1952) as Pierre La Garde
  67. Adventures of Superman (1953) as Luigi Dinelli
  68. The Man Behind the Gun (1953) as Vic Sutro
  69. Desert Legion (1953) as Lt. Massaoud
  70. Raiders of the Seven Seas (1953) as Renzo
  71. Fort Algiers (1953) as Chavez
  72. The Steel Lady (1953) as Zagora
  73. Fighter Attack (1953) as Aldo
  74. The Boy from Oklahoma (1954) as Barney Turlock
  75. Saskatchewan (1954) as Spotted Eagle
  76. Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954) as Jacques the One-Eyed
  77. Passion (1954) as Sergeant Muñoz
  78. Drum Beat (1954) as Manok
  79. Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) as Natchakoa
  80. Santa Fe Passage (1955) as Chavez
  81. The Magnificent Matador (1955) as Emiliano
  82. City of Shadows (1955) as Tony Finetti
  83. Jail Busters (1955) as Percival P. Lannigan
  84. Tennessee's Partner (1955) as Turner
  85. Toughest Man Alive (1955) as Pete Gore
  86. Hell on Frisco Bay (1956) as Sebastian Pasmonick
  87. When Gangland Strikes (1956) as Duke Martella
  88. Walk the Proud Land (1956) as Disalin
  89. A Cry in the Night (1956) as Tony Chavez
  90. The Big Land (1957) as Brog
  91. The Oklahoman (1957) as Jim Hawk
  92. The Lawless Eighties (1957) as Wolf Chief
  93. Omar Khayyam (1957) as Shah's Guard (uncredited)
  94. Joe Dakota (1957) as Marcus Vizzini
  95. Baby Face Nelson (1957) as John Hamilton
  96. The Restless Gun (1957) as Father Basilico in "The Child" (Christmas episode)
  97. Fort Massacre (1958) as Pawnee
  98. The Badlanders (1958) as Comanche
  99. Legion of the Doomed (1958) as Sgt. Calvelli
  100. Never Steal Anything Small (1959) as Lt. Tevis
  101. The Wonderful Country (1959) as Santiago Santos
  102. Bonanza (1959, Episode: "The Paiute War") as Chief Winnemucca
  103. Most Dangerous Man Alive (1961) as Andy Damon
  104. Gunsmoke (1962, S7E17: “Cody’s Code”) as Cody
  105. Escape from Zahrain (1964) as Tahar
  106. Where Love Has Gone (1964) as Rafael
  107. Sylvia (1965) as Muscles
  108. Young Dillinger (1965) as Rocco
  109. Perry Mason (1965, Episode: "The Sad Sicilian") as Enrico Bacio
  110. Star Trek (1968, Episode: "A Piece of the Action") as Bela Oxmyx
  111. Never a Dull Moment (1968) as Tony Preston (uncredited)
  112. Flap (1970) as Silver Dollar
  113. Brother, Cry for Me (1970)
  114. Eye for an Eye (1970)
  115. Mission Impossible (1971) as Leonard Morgan
  116. The Legend of Earl Durand (1974) as Sheriff Trask
  117. Mean Johnny Barrows (1975) as Don Da Vince
  118. Zebra Force (1976) as Salvatore Moreno
  119. Mission to Glory: A True Story (1977) as Father Rodriguez
  120. Claws (1977) as Henry
  121. Hawaii Five-O (1978) "Invitation to Murder" as David Thorpe
  122. Tierra sangrienta (1979)
  123. Savage Harbor (1987) as Harry
  124. The Legend of Grizzly Adams (1990) as Don Carlos (final film role)

References

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  1. ^ Cotter, Bill (1998–2004). "Zorro Episode Descriptions: First Season (1957–1958)". Walt Disney's Zorro tribute site. Archived from the original on November 27, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Anthony Caruso, 86, Film and TV Villain". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 10, 2003. p. A 25. ProQuest 92535740. Retrieved January 20, 2021 – via ProQuest.
  3. ^ Bergan, Ronald (April 22, 2003). "Anthony Caruso". The Guardian. England, London. p. 23. Retrieved September 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Yule Parade Draws Celebrities". The Hanford Sentinel. California, Hanford. November 15, 1975. p. 2. Retrieved September 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "The Child", The Restless Gun, DVD, Timeless Media Group.
  6. ^ "Sugarfoot". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "Riverboat". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "The Roaring '20s". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  9. ^ "Anthony Caruso Popular and versatile screen villain". The Independent. February 5, 2014. Archived from the original on May 7, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
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