| Frank Campanella | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 12, 1919 New York City |
| Died | December 30, 2006 (aged 87) Los Angeles, California |
Frank Campanella (March 12, 1919 - December 30, 2006) was an American character actor.
Campanella was born in New York City, the son of Sicilian immigrants Mary O. and Philip Campanella, a musician.[1] He was the brother of actor Joseph Campanella and spoke mostly Italian growing up; this proved useful during World War II, when he worked as a civilian translator for the U.S. government. Campanella attended Manhattan College, where he studied drama.
Campanella's first film roles was as "Mook the Moon-Man" in the 1949 science fiction series Captain Video and His Video Rangers. He went on to appear in more than 100 film and television episodes, usually playing the "tough guy." He helped Robert De Niro learn Sicilian for his role as young Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II.
Campanella died on December 30, 2006 at his home in Los Angeles, California.