Joseph Sirola
Joseph Sirola | |
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Cast of The Montefuscos (1975). Sal Viscuso, John Aprea, Linda Dano, Bill Cort. Middle row: Phoebe Dorin, Naomi Stevens, Joseph Sirola, Ron Carey. Front: Dominique Pinassi, Jeffrey Palladini, Damon Raskin and Robby Paris. | |
Born | Joseph Anthony Sirola October 7, 1929 Carteret, New Jersey, U.S. |
Died | February 10, 2019[1] New York, U.S. | (aged 89)
Alma mater | Columbia University[2] |
Occupation(s) | Commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer |
Years active | 1959–2015 |
Joseph Anthony Sirola (October 7, 1929 – February 10, 2019)[3][4] was an American commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer.
Life and career
[edit]Sirola was born in Carteret, New Jersey to Croatian parents Anton, a carpenter and Ana (née Dubrovich), who ran a boardinghouse at 363 West 19th Street in Chelsea. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1947 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Columbia University in 1951.[5][6] He then worked as a sales promotion manager at the multinational personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, at the age of 28.[7]
Sirola began his acting career in 1959, appearing as Peter Nino in the television soap opera The Brighter Day.[8] In 1960 he co-starred in the Broadway play, The Unsinkable Molly Brown.[9][10] Sirola co-starred in another Broadway play, Golden Rainbow, in 1968.[11][10] During the 1960s he also appeared in a few films and television programs including Gunsmoke, Hang 'Em High, The Andy Griffith Show,[12][13] Chuka, Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Perry Mason, Strange Bedfellows and The Greatest Story Ever Told.[7][14][15] His work on television commercials, for which he won over 20 Clio Awards, led to The Wall Street Journal nicknaming him “The King of the Voice-Overs” in 1970.[7]
Over the next 30 years Sirola appeared and guest-starred in numerous film and television programs including Hawaii Five-O; The Super Cops; Mannix; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Wonder Woman; Quincy, M.E.; Seizure; The Rockford Files; Spin City; Love, American Style; Charlie's Angels; Terrible Joe Moran; Diagnosis: Murder; The Ellen Burstyn Show and Washington: Behind Closed Doors.[14][15] He was recurring in the short-lived TV series, The Magician, and he also starred in two short-lived television programs, The Montefuscos[16] and Wolf.[17] Sirola continued in voice-over work for television commercials including ads for Ford, Mobil, Wendy's and Nyquil.[2]
In the 21st century Sirola began producing Broadway plays, including, Time Stands Still, Stick Fly, The Trip to Bountiful, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder and Love Letters.[10] He also won and was nominated for Drama Desk Awards and Tony Awards.[10][18] Sirola retired in 2015.[citation needed]
Death
[edit]Sirola died in February 2019 of complications from respiratory failure at the hospital in New York, at the age of 89.[2][7][19][14][20]
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | Happy Anniversary | Waiter at El Morocco | Uncredited |
1965 | Strange Bedfellows | Petracini | |
1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told | Dumah | |
1967 | Chuka | Jake Baldwin | |
1968 | Hang 'Em High | Reno, Cooper Hanging Party | |
1969 | Three | ||
1970 | The Delta Factor | Sal Dekker | |
1972 | Hail | Rev. Jimmy Williams | |
1974 | The Super Cops | Police Lt. O'Shaughnessy | |
1974 | Seizure | Charlie Hughes | |
1994 | Love Is a Gun | Al Kinder | |
1997 | Sunday | Joe Subalowsky |
References
[edit]- ^ Palladino, Lisa. "Joseph A. Sirola '51, Actor, Voiceover Artist". Columbia College Today. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b c Yang, Rachel (February 11, 2019). "Joseph Sirola, 'King of the Voice-Overs,' Dies at 89". Variety. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ "The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware – Page 50". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. October 24, 1989. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ BWW News Desk (January 12, 2017). "BWW Audio: 'King of Voice-Overs' Joe Sirola Records TV Spot for Off-Broadway's CAGNEY". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Vinciguerra, Thomas. "Joe Sirola ’51 Is an Actor for All Seasons," Columbia College Today, Winter 2011–12. Retrieved September 23, 2021
- ^ Palladino, Lisa. "Joseph A. Sirola ’51, Actor, Voiceover Artist" (obituary), Columbia College Today, Summer 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2021
- ^ a b c d Barnes, Mike (February 10, 2019). "Joseph Sirola, Actor and Tony-Winning Producer, Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Schemering, Christopher (1988). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Ballantine Books. ISBN 9780345353443 – via Google Books.
- ^ "The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida - Page 56". The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. January 26, 1974. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Joseph Sirola". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ "The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey – 47". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. February 5, 1968. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Robinson, Fernandes, Dale, David (August 24, 2012). The Definitive Andy Griffith Show Reference: Episode-by-Episode, with Cast and Production Biographies and a Guide to Collectibles. McFarland. p. 132. ISBN 9781476601878 – via Google Books.
((cite book))
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ MeTV Staff (February 11, 2019). "R.I.P. Joseph Sirola, Mayberry musician Freddy Fleet who was later dubbed The King of the Voice-Overs". MeTV. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c Lentz, Harris (November 6, 2020). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2019. McFarland. p. 379. ISBN 978-1476679785 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Joseph Sirola List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ "Albany Democrat-Herald from Albany, Oregon – 34". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. September 6, 1975. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Vinciguerra, Thomas. "Joe Sirola '51 Is an Actor for All Seasons". Columbia College Today. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ Haun, Harry (August 21, 2014). "Joseph Sirola: A Late-Life Broadway Producer Hits It Big". Observer. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (February 10, 2019). "Joe Sirola, Actor Who Found Riches in Commercials, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (February 11, 2019). "Joseph Sirola, Broadway Actor and Tony-Winning Producer, Dead at 89". Playbill. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
External links
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