Tony Mordente is dead to me

He was married to Valerie Harper

No, Valerie Harper was married to Richard Schaal and Tony Cacciotti.

But there is a Valerie connection. Tony Mordente directed several episodes of Rhoda.

Here’s an excellent book about the making of the 1961 movie as told by the dancers.

He played Action not Arab. At least he did in the Movie.

"When I like somebody... when they trick me... I just wanna beat them up, and beat them up... till they're all beat up!" - Tony Mordente as Genero Planetta in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬, 'The Invisibles' (1964). (approx 47:20)

There was already a thread about this a couple of days ago but it seems to have disappeared.

I met him backstage when I was a kid and he must have been in his 20s. I think it was after a Joffrey ballet performance of sorts. He said hello and I just stood there in awe.

This makes me sad. RIP.

R4 - quoting my own post: “ Played A-Rab in the original Broadway production of West Side Story where he met his future wife Chita Rivera. Went on to play Action in film.”