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Joseph Mascolo
Joseph Mascolo.JPG
Mascolo, on the red carpet at the 62nd Annual Mother Goose Parade in San Diego County, 2008
Born
Joseph Peter Mascolo

(1929-03-13)March 13, 1929
Died December 8, 2016(2016-12-08) (aged 87)
Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills
Alma mater
Occupation Actor
Years active 1957–2016
Spouse(s)
Rose Maimone
(m. 1953; died 1986)
Patricia Schultz
(m. 2005)
Children 1

Joseph Peter Mascolo (March 13, 1929 – December 8, 2016) was an American musician and dramatic actor. During his long career, he acted in numerous motion pictures and television series. He played villain Stefano DiMera on NBC's soap opera Days of Our Lives from 1982 to 2016. He also starred as Massimo Marone on the CBS' soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful from 2001 to 2006.

Early life

Mascolo was born on March 13, 1929, and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut. His parents, Anna Mascolo (née DeTuccio; 1910–2010) and Peter Mascolo (1901–2008), were immigrants from Naples, Italy, and had their 80th wedding anniversary shortly before his father died. Mascolo had one sister, Marie LaVoie. He attended the United States Military Academy after graduating high school. Mascolo attended the University of Miami. To support himself financially, he studied acting under famed acting coach Stella Adler in New York City. He originally was trained in classical music and opera.

Career

Theatre

Mascolo was in the 1962 production of Night Life as Kazar and the understudy of Neville Brand. He was in the 1966 production of Dinner at Eight as Ricci. Mascolo was in the 1969 production of The Time of Your Life as Blick. His final theatrical appearance was in 1972's That Championship Season as Phil Romano.

Film

Mascolo's first film appearance was in 1968's Hot Spur as Carlo. He was in 1972's neo-noir action crime–drama film Shaft's Big Score! as Gus Mascola. Mascolo was in 1973's The Spook Who Sat by the Door and 1978's Jaws 2 as Len Peterson. He was in 1981's Sharky's Machine as JoJo Tipps and 1982's Yes, Giorgio Mascolo's last film appearance was in 1986's Heat as Baby.

Television

Mascolo was best known in the recurring role of Stefano DiMera on Days of Our Lives from 1982 to 1985, returning briefly in 1988, again from 1993 to 2001, and making appearances again since 2007 until Stefano's death in 2016, making his final appearance on February 9, 2017, airing 2 months after his death, and won three Soap Opera Digest Awards. He has also played a wide range of roles on many different series including (but not limited to) a Stefano-like villain named Nicholas Van Buren on General Hospital, and Carlos Alvarez on Santa Barbara. Before achieving his fame, he was seen in the earlier soap operas Where the Heart Is and From These Roots. He also made primetime television appearances on All in the Family, The Eddie Capra Mysteries, Lou Grant and The Rockford Files.

Mascolo portrayed Massimo Marone on CBS's The Bold and the Beautiful beginning August 2001. He decided not to renew his contract with the show in July 2006, due to a lack of storyline and decided to return to Days of Our Lives, where his character Stefano DiMera was resurrected after six years.

Mascolo also appeared in The Incredible Hulk in October 1979, as Mr. Arnold in the episode "Brain Child". 10 years later, he would appear again in NBC's The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, as Albert G. Tendelli, a police confidant of Daredevil. He also appeared in an episode of Hart to Hart on 1/3/84 as villan Mr. Rhodes.

Personal life and death

Mascolo married Rose Maimone in 1953. Together they had a son named Peter. Maimone died in 1986. In 2005, he married his second wife, Patricia Schultz. In January 2016, Mascolo told Soap Opera Digest that he had suffered from a stroke in the spring of 2015. "During my rehab, I thought this would be a good time for Stefano to leave."

Mascolo died on December 8, 2016, in Santa Clarita, California at the age of 87 after years of battling Alzheimer's disease. Mascolo was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).

Theatre

Year Title Venue Role Dates Notes Ref.
1962 Night Life Brooks Atkinson Theatre Kazar October 23, 1962 – December 15, 1962
1966 Dinner at Eight Alvin Theatre Ricci September 27, 1966 – January 14, 1967 Directed by Tyrone Guthrie, written by George S. Kaufman & Edna Ferber, and produced by Elliot Martin, Lester Osterman, Jr., Alan King & Walter A. Hyman, Ltd.
1968 West Side Story Lincoln Center Schrank June 24, 1968 – September 7, 1968 Directed and choreography by Lee Theodore and produced by The Musical Theater of Lincoln Center & Richard Rodgers.
1969 The Time of Your Life Vivian Beaumont Theatre Blick November 6, 1969 – December 20, 1969 Directed by John Hirsch, written by William Saroyan, and produced by Jules Irving.
1970 Camino Real Officer January 8, 1970 – February 21, 1970 Directed by Milton Katselas, written by Tennessee Williams, and produced by Jules Irving.
Operation Sidewinder Colonel Warner March 12, 1970 – April 25, 1970 Directed by Michael Schultz, written by Sam Shepard, music composed and performed by The Holy Modal Rounders, and produced by Jules Irving.
The Good Woman of Setzuan Policeman November 5, 1970 – December 13, 1970 Directed by Robert Symonds, written by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Ralph Manheim, featuring songs by John Lewin & Herbert Pilhofer, and produced by Jules Irving.
1971 Murderous Angels Playhouse Theatre Col. Alcibiade Zbyre December 20, 1971 – January 9, 1972
  • Based on the novel of the same name by Conor Cruise O'Brien.
  • Directed by Gordon Davidson, written by O'Brien, produced by T. Edward Hambleton with arrangement by Elliot Martin & George W. George.
1972 That Championship Season Booth Theatre Phil Romano September 14, 1972 – April 21, 1974

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1968 Hot Spur Jason O'Hara Western film written and directed by R.L. Frost.
1972 Shaft's Big Score! Gus Mascola Neo-noir action crime–drama film directed by Gordon Parks.
1973 Happy Mother's Day, Love George Piccolo
  • Mystery film produced and directed by Darren McGavin.
  • Credited as Joe Mascolo.
  • Also known as Run Stranger, Run.
The Spook Who Sat by the Door Senator Hennington
1978 Jaws 2 Len Peterson Horror thriller film directed by Jeannot Szwarc.
1981 Gangster Wars Salvatore Maranzano
Sharky's Machine Detective Joe "Joe-Joe" Tipps
  • Drama–thriller film directed by Burt Reynolds.
  • Adaptation of William Diehl's first novel Sharky's Machine.
1982 Yes, Giorgio Dominic Giordano
1986 Heat "Baby"
  • Action–thriller film directed by Dick Richards and Jerry Jameson.
  • Based on William Goldman's 1985 novel of the same name.

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1957 True Story Tony Brenner Episode: "The Accident" (S 1:Ep 3)
1961 From These Roots Jack Lander American soap opera
True Story Tony Brenner Episode: "6 May 1961" (S 5:Ep 11)
1967 Coronet Blue Bodyguard Episode: "A Dozen Demons" (S1:Ep 3)
1969 The Good Guys Chauffeur Episode: "The World's Second Greatest Lover" (S 1:Ep 18)
The Doctors Policeman Episode: "Episode #1.1668" (S 6:Ep 96)
Episode: "Episode #1.1669" (S 6:Ep 97)
1973 The Resolution of Mossie Wax Guest Made-for-TV-Movie and drama film directed by Bob Walsh.
Where the Heart Is Ed Lucas Episode: "Episode #1.868"
Episode: "Episode #1.873"
1974 All in the Family Pat Bushmill Episode: "Gloria's Boyfriend" (S 4:Ep 19)
Dominic's Dream Dominic Bente Pilot sitcom written and directed by Garry Marshall.
1975 Baretta Frank Cassell Episode: "He'll Never See Daylight" (S 1:Ep 1–Pilot)
1975–1976 Bronk Mayor Pete Santori Contract role
1976 NBC Special Treat Papa Episode: "Papa and Me" (S 1:Ep 5)
Kojak Detective Jeff Braddock Episode: "A Summer Madness" (S 4:Ep 2)
Monster Squad Lawrence of Moravia Episode: "Lawrence of Moravia" (S 1: Ep 12)
ABC Afterschool Special Mr. Singleton Episode: "Mighty Moose and the Quarterback Kid" (S 5:Ep 3)
1977 Switch Phillip Aspen / Martin Lorrimer Episode: "Portraits of Death" (S 2:Ep 13)
Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model? Max Pierce Made-for-TV-Movie and mystery film directed by Russ Mayberry.
The Rockford Files Gibby Episode: "Crack Back (S 3:Ep 21)
1978 The Eddie Capra Mysteries Dr. Weller Episode: "Dirge for a Dead Dachshund" (S 1:Ep 6)
Lou Grant McIntyre Episode: "Babies" (S 2:Ep 10)
1979 The Incredible Hulk Mr. Arnold Episode: "Brain Child" (S 3:Ep 3)
1981 The Gangster Chronicles Salvatore Maranzano Miniseries directed by Richard C. Sarafian.
1982–2017 Days of Our Lives Stefano DiMera
  • Contract role: 1982–85; 1993–2001; 2007–16
  • Recurring: 1988; 2016–17
1984 Hart to Hart Nick Rhodes Episode: "Harts on the Run" (S 5:Ep 12)
Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter Richards Made-for-TV-Movie and biographical film directed by Lamont Johnson and written by April Smith.
1985 Comedy Factory Peter Wagner Episode: "Side by Side" (S 1:Ep 1–Pilot)
Brothers Howard Dovall Episode: "A House Divided" (S 2:Ep 10)
Crazy Like a Fox Guest Episode: "Fox in 3/4 Time" (S 2:Ep 5)
Santa Barbara Carlo Alvarez Recurring
1986 CBS Schoolbreak Special Ed Martinson Episode: "Have You Tried Talking to Patty?" (S 3:Ep 2)
Hill Street Blues Melvin Jardino Episode: "I Want My Hill Street Blues" (S 6:Ep 15)
Joe Bash Captain Charles Taylor Episode: "Joe's First Partner (S 1:Ep 5)
1987 Hunter Mick Shaughnessy Episode: "Shades" (S 3:Ep 22)
It's Garry Shandling's Show Lieutenant Gerard Episode: "The Fugitive" (S 2:Ep 3)
Rags to Riches Viktor Leskov Episode: "Russian Holiday" (S 2:Ep 10)
1988 The Equalizer Tony Costa Episode: "Always a Lady" (S 3:Ep 22)
1989 General Hospital Nicholas Van Buren Recurring
The Trial of the Incredible Hulk Albert G. Tendelli Made-for-TV-Movie and superhero film directed by Bill Bixby.
2001–2006 The Bold and the Beautiful Massimo Marone IV Contract role: 2001–06
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