R.I.P. Joseph Campanella. (1 Viewer)

[Flashgear]

It's just been reported that the great Joseph Campanella has passed away at 93. He is survived by his Wife of 53 years, 7 Sons and 8 Grandchildren. He is Survived also with our countless memories of appreciation for his legacy of fine work in his lengthy and remarkable career.
http://variety.com/2018/film/obituaries-people-news/joseph-campanella-dead-dies-1202812936/

 

[Doug Wallen]

Mannix, The Bold Ones and countless guest star roles. What a great body of work. He willbe missed. RIP. Thoughts and prayers for his family.

 

[Bert Greene]

One of TV's foremost character actors. I always perked up when I'd see his name in the credits of something I was about to watch. Because he always gave engaging performances. I think I vaguely remember spotting him as a background 'extra' on one of those live "Suspense" kinescopes from the early-1950s. Probably one of his first appearances. I think at that time his brother Frank might have been marginally more prominent onscreen. I met Frank once, but never Joseph. Always hoped to catch up with him one day. Miss seeing actors like Campanella all over television. Really liked him. The newer crops just don't do it for me. RIP.

 

[Flashgear]

Joseph Campanella with George C. Scott on the set of East Side, West Side, summer 1963 (filming for "No Hiding Place" Dec. 2, 1963).

As guest star in Big Valley season two, "Turn of a Card" (Mar. 20, 1967) with Lee Majors and Marayat Andriane...

In The Fugitive season three,"Set Fire to a Straw Man" (Nov. 30, 1965) with Shelly Morrison and Clint Howard...

 

[Tony Bensley]

It was this mid-late '70s Canadian Science show that represented my earliest Joseph Campanella exposure:


Eventually, I did get to see him in some of his many guest spots. A very solid character actor who will be missed. May Mr, Campanella Rest in Peace.

 

[Dave Lawrence]

Such a great character actor, with real longevity as well as great talent.

Regarding Mannix...As much as I enjoy the series as a whole and recognize the benefits that came with the Season 2 change in direction, I really enjoyed Season 1 with Joseph as co-star. He and Mike Connors played really well off of each other, and I miss that element after the Intertect agency setting is dropped and his character written out.

As a One Day at a Time fan, I thought he was great in his occasional appearances as Ann's ex-husband. He played the character's flaws but also the humanity, avoiding what might have had the potential of being a stereotypical rotten-ex role.

Randall, thanks for posting that behind the scenes pic from East Side / West Side. His guest appearance there is not one of the all too few episodes I've seen. I still hope (likely in vain) that this series will one day get a release. Wish we could see a set for his series The Doctors and the Nurses, too (along with its earlier incarnation, The Nurses). Never seen it but think I would like it.

I could easily talk about The Bold Ones or his wide range of guest appearances, from Gunsmoke to Dallas to Mama's Family. Quite a body of work.

R.I.P., Mr. Campanella.

 

[bmasters9]

I saw him on quite a few Colbys episodes on the long-defunct SoapNet, IIRC.

And, his title credit from the first-season Mannix opening (from first-season DVD):

 

[Matt Hough]

Always loved him and felt he was a solid, dependable actor who could do just about anything.

I remember when he was added to the cast of The Nurses during its third season, and CBS changed the title of the series to The Doctors and the Nurses. A lot of people objected to this fundamental change to the series, but I argued that if it saved the show, I could quickly accept it. Sadly, it didn't result in increased ratings and it was canceled at the end of the third season.

 

[Flashgear]

Matt, how I wish The Nurses / Doctors and the Nurses was on DVD, or at least streaming, or better yet, on the roster of some nostalgia tv channel. Hopefully, more of The Defenders also from Shout on DVD, with CBS remastering their own properties!

Joseph Campanella's impressive work on season one of The Nurses encouraged producers Herbert Brodkin and Reginald Rose to ask him to join the regular cast, along with Beverly Garland who co-starred with Joseph Campanella in the episode "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down" (S1Ep2, Oct. 4, 1962)...Campanella was of course a NYC based actor (and this was a NYC produced show), but Beverly had recently married and was determined to remain in Hollywood where she was busy with work and household. So, Joseph Campanella joined the cast but Beverly Garland declined. Joseph Campanella had, of course, previously worked with Beverly Garland on her NYC produced show Decoy, alongside his older brother Frank in many episodes. The Nurses regular cast of Shirl Conway and teenage Zina Bethune were highly competent, with Conway receiving an Emmy nomination in 1963. But for them to carry the show in prime time would have defied the social conventions of the early '60s era. And the show itself was in a dogfight for ratings (up against My Three Sons, McHale's Navy, Hazel and Dr. Kildare). When Joseph Campanella and Michael Tolan joined the cast as regulars, they still had to compete for screen time with the many great and well known guest stars that came and went.

Here is a CBS publicity photo for the Nurses episode "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down", the second episode aired...a great photo of Joseph Campanella and the lovely Beverly Garland in the closing scene of that episode. Shirl Conway in the background under the studio lighting...

Joe and Frank Campanella together in Decoy, "Fiesta at Midnight"

Speaking of Joseph Campanella and his brother Frank working together on camera, you can't do better than seeing them together in season two of The Rockford Files, "In Hazard" (S2Ep18, Feb.6, 1976). Joe was also in the first Rockford Files reunion tv movie in the '90s, "I Still Love L.A."

 

[Dave Lawrence]

Joe and his wife once did a week of the 70s game show Tattletales. I caught it a few months ago when the game show channel Buzzr aired it, and it was a fun week of shows. I see someone posted this episode awhile back. (The other episodes from that week are probably searchable as well.) The Campanellas appeared along with Betty White & Allen Ludden and Scoey Mitchlll & his wife.

 

[bmasters9]

Matt, how I wish The Nurses / Doctors and the Nurses was on DVD, or at least streaming, or better yet, on the roster of some nostalgia tv channel. Hopefully, more of The Defenders also from Shout on DVD, with CBS remastering their own properties!

Didn't I hear somewhere that the dry spell on The Defenders (nothing more after the first go) was owing to lack of sales for that first go?

 

[Regulus]

RIP

 

[Matt Hough]

Nothing would thrill me more than to get the three seasons of The Nurses/Doctors on home video. (Well, maybe Way Out...)

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Very sad news, like others have stated, Joseph Campanella was always a bright spot in any TV show he appeared in, and always brought a suavity and authority to his roles. He could be convincingly rugged when required as well:

He seemed to have appeared in almost everything in the 60s and 70s. Wish he would have guest starred as a killer in Columbo, though...can imagine him and Falk playing cat-and-mouse games with each other. He was definitely a highlight in season one of Mannix.

Looking forward to catching him in Petrocelli, The Magician and Decoy in the coming months. Will check my inventory of TV shows on DVD and try to watch something with him in it this weekend, to honor his passing.

 

[bmasters9]

Looking forward to catching him in Petrocelli

A little preview of the same, to whet your whistle (a shot of him in his Petrocelli role, and also one of his credit from the closing credits of that 1974 episode; both from my copy of VEI's Petrocelli both-in-one DVD):

 

[Tony Bensley]

Didn't I hear somewhere that the dry spell on The Defenders (nothing more after the first go) was owing to lack of sales for that first go?

I believe it was posted on The Defenders thread that someone from Shout! stated they were still waiting to see if Season 1 sales eventually meet their expectations, or something along that line.

CHEERS!

 

[Harry-N]

Joe Campanella guesting on a first-season MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE with John Colicos.

Both were subsequently hired by Desilu for roles in the MANNIX pilot - Campanella as a regular, and Colicos a guest star in that first episode.

 

[Rodney]

A solid performer. RIP.

 

[Malcolm R]

I didn't recognize the name, but the face was familiar. I remember him most from the guest appearance on The Golden Girls where he played a detective and his partner was a young George Clooney. They set up in the girls' house to perform surveillance on the neighbors who were suspected jewel thieves.

 

[JohnHopper]

Joseph Campanella also played twice a horrific figure on television:
Talamantes in “The Night of the Wolf” from The Wild Wild West
Count Dracula in “Miss Lovecraft Sent Me” from Rod Serling’s Night Gallery