Frank Pesce, a character actor best known for his work in Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, and Miami Vice, as well as inspiring the film 29th Street, has passed away at the age of 75. The news was confirmed in a statement from Pesce’s girlfriend, Tammy Scher, who revealed that he died on Sunday, February 6th in Burbank, California due to complications with dementia. In addition to his onscreen work, Pesce was known for being a longtime close friend of actors such as Sylvester Stallone, Tony Danza, Robert Forster, and more. According to Sher, Pesce’s epitaph will have a quote from the actor — “they make movies about guys like me.”
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Pesce was born on December 8, 1946 in New York City, and began acting onscreen in the late 1970s in uncredited appearances in films such as Rocky, American Gigolo. As his career stretched into the 80s, his filmography included brief stints on Knight Rider, Flashdance, The Greatest American Hero, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun, Midnight Run, and Matlock. He would continue to have a role in some of these franchises, portraying Carlotta in Beverly Hills Cop II, Vito in Another Midnight Run, and having roles in the second and third Maniac Cop movies. He also appeared in various roles in four episodes of Who’s the Boss?.
The avenue movie fans might best known Pesce from is 29th Street, the 1991 film loosely based on his life, which he co-wrote with director George Gallo. Set in 1976, the film followed Pesce (played by Anthony LaPaglia) buying a winning lottery ticket, which is complicated by the revelation that his father (played by Danny Aiello) has gambling debts with the mob. Pesce portrayed his real-life brother, Vito, in the film. The only caveat was that Pesce didn’t actually win the lottery, and actually turned down an offer to sell his ticket for $10,000.
“It’s the only part of the movie that isn’t true,” Pesce told The New York Times in 1991. “I held onto the ticket. I went to the drawing at Madison Square Garden and I won beans. I said to my father, ‘Are you happy now? I told you I should have sold the ticket.’ “
In the 2000s, Pesce’s onscreen appearances became a bit more scattered, but included roles in Stallone films such as Tower Heist, Grudge Match, The Expendables 3, and Creed. His last onscreen role was as Sheriff Conway in the 2018 short film Nasty.
Pesce is survived by Scher, Vito, his nieces Vanessa Pesce and Danielle Pesce; and sister-in-law Catherine Pesce. He will be buried on February 18 in the Bronx at Saint Raymond’s Cemetery.
Our thoughts are with Pesce’s family, friends, and fans at this time.
h/t: Deadline
