John Beradino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Berardino |
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| Second baseman / Shortstop | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: Giovanni Berardino May 1, 1917 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Died: May 19, 1996 (aged 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||||||||||||||||
| April 22, 1939, for the St. Louis Browns | |||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | |||||||||||||||||
| September 19, 1952, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .249 | ||||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 36 | ||||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 387 | ||||||||||||||||
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John Beradino (born Giovanni Berardino, May 1, 1917 – May 19, 1996) was an American Major League Baseball player and a famous actor. During his baseball career, he was known as Johnny Berardino. Later, as an actor, he was usually called John Beradino.
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Early Life and School
John Beradino was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up near Hollywood. He went to Belmont High School in downtown Los Angeles. In 1936, he earned a scholarship to the University of Southern California for football. However, he soon decided to focus on baseball instead.
Some people thought Beradino might have been a child actor in the silent Our Gang comedies. But there is no proof that he appeared in any of those films.
Career Highlights
Baseball Star
After attending the University of Southern California, John Beradino became a professional baseball player. He played in the major leagues from 1939 to 1952. He took a break from 1942 to 1945 to serve in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II.
He played for teams like the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, and Pittsburgh Pirates. A big moment in his baseball career was winning the World Series with the Cleveland Indians in 1948. He mostly played second baseman or shortstop, but he also played first and third base.
In 1952, after a leg injury, he left baseball. He then started a new career in acting, which he had actually begun in 1948.
Acting Career
After his baseball career, John Beradino became a busy actor. He appeared in many movies and TV shows. He often played roles like policemen or tough guys.
He had small roles in famous movies such as Suddenly (1954) with Frank Sinatra. He also appeared in the Hitchcock thriller North by Northwest (1959). In this movie, he played a policeman who helps the main character, Roger Thornhill.
Beradino also appeared in several TV series. He was in an episode of Adventures of Superman in 1956. He also guest-starred in Western shows like Annie Oakley. He even played a gangster in the pilot episode of The Untouchables.
His most famous acting role was Dr. Steve Hardy on the popular soap opera General Hospital. He played this character for many years, from 1963 until his death in 1996. He even played a version of Dr. Hardy on an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Achievements and Awards
John Beradino achieved great success in both sports and entertainment. For his work in television, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. He was also honored by his old college, the University of Southern California, and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame.
He is the only person ever to have won a World Series (in 1948) and also have his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (which he received in 1993).
Beradino was nominated three times for a Daytime Emmy Award for best actor in a daytime drama.
After he passed away, General Hospital honored him by keeping his image in the show's opening credits for over a year. A short clip of his character remained in the opening sequence until 2004.
Personal Life and Passing
John Beradino had four children. He had two daughters, Toni and Cindy, from his first marriage. He also had a daughter, Katherine Ann, and a son, John Anthony, from his second marriage. His third wife was Marjorie, who was with him when he died.
In 1996, John Beradino was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away later that year, on May 19, 1996, at the age of 79, in his Los Angeles home.
Images for kids
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John and Marjorie Beradino in 1971.
