Joseph Bologna facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph Bologna
Bologna in 1974
Born	(1934-12-30)December 30, 1934 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	August 13, 2017(2017-08-13) (aged 82) Duarte, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Brown University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1970–2012
Spouse(s)	Renée Taylor ​ (m. 1965)​
Children	1

Joseph Bologna (born December 30, 1934 – died August 13, 2017) was an American actor, writer, and screenwriter. He was well-known for his roles in funny movies like My Favorite Year, Blame It on Rio, and Transylvania 6-5000.

About Joseph Bologna's Life and Career

Joseph Bologna was born in Brooklyn, New York. His family was Italian-American. He went to St. Rose of Lima school and later studied art history at Brown University. Bologna also served in the United States Marine Corps. Before becoming an actor, he worked producing and directing TV commercials in Manhattan.

Early Career and Family Collaborations

Bologna had a long and successful career in movies and television. His first big movie was Lovers and Other Strangers. He wrote this film with his wife, Renée Taylor. The story was based on their own experiences planning a wedding quickly. It included his Italian family and her Jewish family. Some of their relatives even appeared as extras in the movie! Joseph and Renée were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for their writing.

A year later, in 1971, the couple worked together again. They wrote and acted in the movie Made for Each Other.

Famous Roles in Movies and TV Shows

Joseph Bologna played many memorable characters. In 1976, he starred with Lucille Ball in the TV drama What Now, Catherine Curtis?.

Some of his other movie roles include:

• Playing the brother of James Caan's character in the 1979 romance Chapter Two.
• His role as King Kaiser in the 1982 comedy hit My Favorite Year. This character was based on the real-life comedian Sid Caesar.
• Playing Lenny Koufax, the dad of Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) in the 1999 comedy Big Daddy.

In 1987, Bologna starred in the TV musical show Rags to Riches. He played Nick Foley, a rich businessman who adopted several girls. He also played the funny mad scientist Dr. Malavaqua in the 1985 comedy Transylvania 6-5000.

From 1996 to 1998, he was the voice of Inspector Dan Turpin. This character was a police officer in Superman: The Animated Series. In 2006, he lent his voice to Mr. Start in the animated movie Ice Age: The Meltdown.

Working with His Wife and Later Years

Joseph and his wife, Renée Taylor, had a son named Gabriel. Gabriel also became an actor, writer, and director. He even directed his father in his last movie, "Tango Shalom."

Taylor and Bologna often acted together on stage and TV. Joseph played a love interest for his wife in an episode of the sitcom The Nanny. Renée played Sylvia, the mother of Fran Drescher's character on the show.

From 2012 until his death in 2017, Bologna continued to act. He appeared in TV shows, movies, stage plays, and commercials. In 2017, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award celebrated his 60-year career and his efforts to help the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in 2012.

Joseph Bologna's Passing

Joseph Bologna passed away on August 13, 2017. He was 82 years old. He died from pancreatic cancer at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

See also

In Spanish: Joseph Bologna para niños