Greg Antonacci was a versatile and talented actor, director, producer, and writer who worked in the television industry for over four decades. He was best known for his roles as Johnny Torrio in Boardwalk Empire and Butch DeConcini in The Sopranos, two iconic shows that depicted the history and culture of organized crime in America. He also appeared in many other TV series and movies, such as The Rockford Files, Busting Loose, Makin’ It, The Family, and more. He was also a playwright, composer, and theatrical performer who created and starred in the Broadway musical Dance With Me. He was a respected and admired figure in the entertainment world who left behind a legacy of memorable characters and stories. But how did he die? What was the cause of his death? And what were his final moments like? In this article, we will explore the life and death of Greg Antonacci, the star of Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos.
Early Life and Career
Greg Antonacci was born on February 2, 1947, in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, a rough and tough neighborhood that shaped his personality and outlook. He grew up in a large Italian-American family that had roots in Sicily. He developed a passion for acting and writing at an early age and attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York City. He also studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Herbert Berghof Studio.
He began his career as a stage actor and playwright, working with the La MaMa Experimental Theater Club in the East Village. He wrote and performed in the 1971 Off-Off-Broadway musical Dance Wi’ Me (or, The Fatal Twitch), which was directed by Joel Zwick and produced at La MaMa. This play was produced again at La MaMa in 1974, and then renamed and re-staged as the Broadway musical Dance With Me, opening on January 23, 1975, at the Mayfair Theatre in New York City. Antonacci composed the music and played the lead role of Tony Manucci, a young Italian-American singer who falls in love with a Jewish girl.
He made his television debut in 1972 with a guest role in The Mod Squad. He then appeared in several other TV shows, such as The Odd Couple, Kojak, The Rockford Files, Laverne & Shirley, Barney Miller, MASH, Taxi, Cheers, and more. He also starred in two short-lived sitcoms: Busting Loose (1977), where he played Vinnie Morabito, a streetwise hustler who moves in with his uptight cousin; and Makin’ It (1979), where he reprised his role as Tony Manucci from Dance With Me.
He also ventured into directing, producing, and writing for television.
