Tony Franciosa (October 25, 1928 – January 19, 2006) was an American film, TV, and stage actor. He began his career on the stage, working with the Cherry Lane Theatre Group and the Actor’s Studio. He then appeared on Broadway in A Hatful of Rain, for which he received a Tony Award nomination.
He reprised his role in the 1957 film version of the show, and received an Academy Award nomination. He went on to make several other successful feature films, including A Face in the Crowd (1957) and Career (1959) for which he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor/Drama. In television, along with many minor parts, he played lead roles in five television series: the sitcom “Valentine’s Day” (1964–65), drama “The Name of the Game” (1968–71), “Search” (1972–73), “Matt Helm” (1975) and “Finder of Lost Loves” (1984).
