Anthony Franciosa
Promoting media: pictures, videos, wallpapers, quotes, bio, filmography.
| Known for: |
Unsane, A Face in the Crowd, Period of Adjustment |
| Birth name: |
Anthony Papaleo |
| Birthday: |
25 October 1928,
New York, New York, USA |
| Height: |
5' 10" (1.78 m) |
Trivia

Starred in the first TV-movie produced as a TV series pilot to be picked up as a regular series, the two-hour TV-movie
Fame Is the Name of the Game, which was produced by Universal for N.B.C. Universal and N.B.C. were the same entities that pioneered the made-for-TV movie (with 1964's
See How They Run, the first full-length film produced especially for home television). The series,
The Name of the Game, debuted in 1968 with three leads: Franciosa,
Gene Barry and
Robert Stack. Franciosa subsequently was fired from the show and, instead of being replaced by one actor, was replaced by a series of actors filling in on his rotation including
Robert Culp,
Peter Falk,
Darren McGavin and
Robert Wagner.

His second ex-wife,
Judy Balaban, is author of the book, "The Bridesmaids", about her friend,
Grace Kelly. She served as a bridesmaid in the princess's wedding. Judy and Tony had a daughter together.

Father of actor
Christopher Franciosa and Marco Franciosa with wife,
Rita Thiel; and
Nina Franciosa with wife
Judy Balaban.

Mentioned in
Tom Waits's song "Goin' Out West".

Was nominated for Broadway's 1956 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for "A Hatful of Rain," a role he recreated in an Oscar-nominated performance in the film version with the same name,
A Hatful of Rain.

Studied at the Actors Studio and the New School for Social Research.

Troubled characters made him a Hollywood star in the 1950s and 60s but combative behavior on movie sets hampered his career. In 1957 he served 10 days in the Los Angeles County jail for slugging a press photographer.

Longtime friend of
Jesse Jackson.

A fervent civil rights activist, he was joined by
Marlon Brando and
Paul Newman in Gadsden, Alabama in 1963 for a desegregation drive.

First wife Beatrice Bakalyar was a writer.

Son of a construction worker and seamstress who divorced when he was a year old. He seldom saw his father after this.

He was infamous on and off the set for his hot temper.

Earned an acting scholarship and became an alumnus of
Lee Strasberg's famed Actor's Studio, where he met future wife
Shelley Winters.

His death came only five days after that of his ex-wife
Shelley Winters (19 January 2006).

Was due to appear as mafia boss Charlie in "The Long Good Friday" (1980). After accepting the job and flying from Los Angeles to London to film, he was unhappy with some of the rewrites and just returned home. The part was then played by Eddie Constantine.
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