Another unfortunate death has been announced, as character actor Robert Loggia has now died. He was 85 years old.
Loggia will forever be known by all for his supporting turn in Big, where he famously performs "Chopsticks" with Tom Hanks on the giant foot-powered piano at FAO Schwarz. Modern viewers also will recall him for his cameo on Family Guy, where he goofily spells out his name to an airport worker.
But the tough-talking Italian-American had more to offer than just those two roles. His background and unique voice made him a perfect fit as a mobster, appearing in such crime flicks as Scarface and Prizzi's Honor and eventually making his way onto the television series The Sopranos. He was thankfully able to parody this type-casting in the underrated horror-comedy Innocent Blood, wonderfully playing a mob boss who eventually becomes a vampire. Disney fans will recall the sinister timbre he gave to villain Sykes in Oliver and Company and also the pretty horrific death he's given compared to the rest of Disney's bad guy stable. He was a constant bridesmaid during awards season, picking up a couple of Emmy nominations and even an Oscar nom for his supporting role as a private detective in the legal thriller Jagged Edge. Additionally, many internet sites today have pointed at an odd, meta-infused orange juice commercial he did in the late 90's, where he mockingly plays a random celebrity who enters a normal household to hock a product.
He will be missed.
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