A much-loved actor who was best known for his roles in the 1971 movies “Shaft” and “Klute,” and for playing Ernesto Toscano in 32 episodes of soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” has sadly passed away at the grand old age of 90.
Charles Cioffi was born in New York City on October 31, 1935. TMZ reports he died on Friday, May 22, at his home in Marina del Rey, California, surrounded by his family.
His loving wife, Anne, broke the news to the popular publication on Wednesday, May 27. Anne did not disclose her husband’s cause of death.
Charles Cioffi Had Many Notable Screen Credits
Above is a social media post featuring images from “Shaft.” Cioffi can be seen in the second image, bottom right.
In addition to the aforementioned blaxploitation crime action thriller “Shaft,” the neo-noir psychological thriller “Klute,” and TV’s “Days of Our Lives,” Charles Cioffi had many notable appearances on both the big and small screens.
Cioffi’s additional movie credits include the 1973 comedy caper “The Thief Who Came to Dinner,” the 1983 sports drama “All the Right Moves,” the 1985 action-adventure “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins,” the 1997 political thriller “Shadow Conspiracy,” and his final movie, 2001’s erotic rom-com “Amy’s Orgasm.”
On television, he was a truly prolific star. His major credits included four episodes of police procedural “Hawaii Five-0,” 13 episodes of soap opera “Ryan’s Hope,” three episodes of crime drama “The Equalizer,” eight episodes of soap opera “All My Children,” six episodes of sci-fi drama “The X-Files,” and five episodes of legal drama “The Practice.”
He also appeared in single episodes of Western series “Bonanza,” historical Western series “Little House on the Prairie,” superhero series “The New Adventures of Wonder Woman,” crime drama “Murder, She Wrote,” action-adventure series “The A-Team,” superhero series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” sitcom “Cybill,” and sitcom “Frasier.”
Keen gamers may know Cioffi for voicing Chairman Prescott and Adam Fenix in 2008’s “Gears of War 2.”
A translated X post about Cioffi’s passing reads, “Farewell to the colossal Charles Cioffi, one of the finest supporting actors in film and TV. Unsettling and menacing like few others in KLUTE, by Alan J. Pakula; cop with Shaft in THE RED NIGHTS OF HARLEM; also with badge in the tube’s SEARCH FOR CHRISTIE LOVE, and from the FBI in THE X-FILES.”
Cioffi Was Also a Stage Actor
Above is a social media post with a picture of Cioffi alongside Al Pacino on stage.
As well as being a significant star of movies and television shows, Charles Cioffi was also a notable stage star.
TMZ explained that he made his professional debut at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis before his career seriously took off. He went on to have an illustrious stage career spanning decades.
Per L.A. Theatre Works, his theatre credits include playing Duke of Albany/Others in “King Lear,” playing Claudius in “Hamlet,” playing Choragos in “Antigone,” playing Major Nicholas Radzi in “In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” playing Jacob Manheim in “Chinese Coffee,” playing Father Ed Larkin in “Stand Up Tragedy,” and playing John Hancock in “1776.” Those performances comprised both Broadway productions and others.
TMZ noted that Cioffi is survived by his wife, two sons, and several beloved nieces and nephews.
We send our heartfelt condolences to Charles Cioffi’s family at this sad time. May he rest in eternal peace.
Charles Cioffi’s filmography info was courtesy of IMDb.
