Al Ruscio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Ruscio
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Ruscio as Tony Paoli Sr. in Any Which Way You Can
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| Born | June 2, 1924 |
| Died | November 12, 2013 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1958–2011 |
| Spouse(s) | Kate Williamson (1954–2013; his death) |
Al Ruscio (born June 2, 1924 – died November 12, 2013) was an American actor. He was known as a character actor, which means he often played interesting and unique supporting roles instead of the main hero. He appeared in many TV shows and movies throughout his long career.
Early Life
Al Ruscio was born in Salem, Massachusetts on June 2, 1924. After finishing high school and college, he moved to New York City. During World War II, he served in the United States Army Air Corps.
Career
Al Ruscio studied acting for two years at The Neighborhood Playhouse School for the Theater. He performed in many plays in New York and in summer theater groups. He even acted alongside famous stars like Steve McQueen and Kim Stanley. His first acting jobs were on live television shows in New York City.
In 1958, Al Ruscio moved to Los Angeles to continue his acting career. His first role there was as Tony in the movie Al Capone (1958), where he acted with Rod Steiger. After that, he appeared in many popular TV shows. Some of these included Gunsmoke (1958), 77 Sunset Strip (1959), Bonanza (1960–1961), and Peter Gunn (1961).
He also acted in several soap operas, such as Port Charles, Days of Our Lives, and Santa Barbara. Al Ruscio was a frequent guest star on many other TV series. These included The Rockford Files, Lou Grant, Barney Miller, Hill Street Blues, and 7th Heaven. He also had longer roles on shows like Falcon Crest, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and Life Goes On.
Besides his TV work, Al Ruscio also acted in several movies. Some of his notable film roles include Any Which Way You Can (1980) with Clint Eastwood, Jagged Edge (1985) starring Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges, and The Godfather Part III (1990). He also appeared in Guilty by Suspicion (1991) with Robert De Niro, Showgirls (1995), and The Phantom (1996).
Later Years and Death
In the 1960s, Al Ruscio took a break from Los Angeles. He helped start the drama department at Midwestern College in Denison, Iowa. After five years, he moved to Windsor, Ontario, Canada, where he taught acting at the University of Windsor. Later, he became the artistic director at the Academy of Dramatic Art at Oakland University. His wife also taught acting there.
In 1975, Al and his wife moved back to Los Angeles. They continued their acting and teaching careers. Al Ruscio also wrote a book called So Therefore …: A Practical Guide for Actors, which was published in 2012.
Al Ruscio married Kate Williamson in 1954. They had four children: Elizabeth, Michael, Maria, and Nina. Most of their children also work in show business. Al and Kate were married for 59 years until his death in November 2013. Kate Williamson passed away just one month later.
