Joseph Sirola
Cast of The Montefuscos (1975). Sal Viscuso, John Aprea, Linda Dano, Bill Cort. Middle row: Phoebe Dorin, Naomi Stevens, Joseph Sirola, Ron Carey. Front: Dominique Pinassi, Jeffrey Palladini, Damon Raskin and Robby Paris.
Born
Joseph Anthony Sirola

(1929-10-07)October 7, 1929
Carteret, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedFebruary 10, 2019(2019-02-10) (aged 89)[1]
New York, U.S.
Alma materColumbia University[2]
Occupation(s)Commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer
Years active1959–2015

Joseph Anthony Sirola (October 7, 1929 – February 10, 2019)[3][4] was an American commercial, film, television, theatre actor and theatre producer.

Life and career

Sirola was born in Carteret, New Jersey to Croatian parents Anton, a carpenter and Ana (née Dubrovich), who ran a boardinghouse at 363 West 19th Street in Chelsea. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1947 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Columbia University in 1951.[5][6] He then worked as a sales promotion manager at the multinational personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, at the age of 28.[7]

Sirola began his acting career in 1959, appearing as Peter Nino in the television soap opera The Brighter Day.[8] In 1960 he co-starred in the Broadway play, The Unsinkable Molly Brown.[9][10] Sirola co-starred in another Broadway play, Golden Rainbow, in 1968.[11][10] During the 1960s he also appeared in a few films and television programs including Gunsmoke, Hang 'Em High, The Andy Griffith Show,[12][13] Chuka, Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Perry Mason, Strange Bedfellows and The Greatest Story Ever Told.[7][14][15] His work on television commercials, for which he won over 20 Clio Awards, led to The Wall Street Journal nicknaming him “The King of the Voice-Overs” in 1970.[7]

Over the next 30 years Sirola appeared and guest-starred in numerous film and television programs including Hawaii Five-O; The Super Cops; Mannix; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Wonder Woman; Quincy, M.E.; Seizure; The Rockford Files; Spin City; Love, American Style; Charlie's Angels; Terrible Joe Moran; Diagnosis: Murder; The Ellen Burstyn Show and Washington: Behind Closed Doors.[14][15] He was recurring in the short-lived TV series, The Magician, and he also starred in two short-lived television programs, The Montefuscos[16] and Wolf.[17] Sirola continued in voice-over work for television commercials including ads for Ford, Mobil, Wendy's and Nyquil.[2]

In the 21st century Sirola began producing Broadway plays, including, Time Stands Still, Stick Fly, The Trip to Bountiful, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder and Love Letters.[10] He also won and was nominated for Drama Desk Awards and Tony Awards.[10][18] Sirola retired in 2015.

Death

Sirola died in February 2019 of complications from respiratory failure at the hospital in New York, at the age of 89.[2][7][19][14][20]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1959Happy AnniversaryWaiter at El MoroccoUncredited
1965Strange BedfellowsPetracini
1965The Greatest Story Ever ToldDumah
1967ChukaJake Baldwin
1968Hang 'Em HighReno, Cooper Hanging Party
1969Three
1970The Delta FactorSal Dekker
1972HailRev. Jimmy Williams
1974The Super CopsPolice Lt. O'Shaughnessy
1974SeizureCharlie Hughes
1994Love Is a GunAl Kinder
1997SundayJoe Subalowsky

References

  1. ↑ Palladino, Lisa. "Joseph A. Sirola '51, Actor, Voiceover Artist". Columbia College Today. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 3 Yang, Rachel (February 11, 2019). "Joseph Sirola, 'King of the Voice-Overs,' Dies at 89". Variety. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  3. ↑ "The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware – Page 50". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. October 24, 1989. p. 50 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ BWW News Desk (January 12, 2017). "BWW Audio: 'King of Voice-Overs' Joe Sirola Records TV Spot for Off-Broadway's CAGNEY". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  5. ↑ Vinciguerra, Thomas. "Joe Sirola ’51 Is an Actor for All Seasons," Columbia College Today, Winter 2011–12. Retrieved September 23, 2021
  6. ↑ Palladino, Lisa. "Joseph A. Sirola ’51, Actor, Voiceover Artist" (obituary), Columbia College Today, Summer 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2021
  7. 1 2 3 4 Barnes, Mike (February 10, 2019). "Joseph Sirola, Actor and Tony-Winning Producer, Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  8. ↑ Schemering, Christopher (1988). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Ballantine Books. ISBN 9780345353443 – via Google Books.
  9. ↑ "The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida - Page 56". The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. January 26, 1974. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Joseph Sirola". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  11. ↑ "The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey – 47". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. February 5, 1968. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Robinson, Fernandes, Dale, David (August 24, 2012). The Definitive Andy Griffith Show Reference: Episode-by-Episode, with Cast and Production Biographies and a Guide to Collectibles. McFarland. p. 132. ISBN 9781476601878 – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ MeTV Staff (February 11, 2019). "R.I.P. Joseph Sirola, Mayberry musician Freddy Fleet who was later dubbed The King of the Voice-Overs". MeTV. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  14. 1 2 3 Lentz, Harris (November 6, 2020). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2019. McFarland. p. 379. ISBN 978-1476679785 – via Google Books.
  15. 1 2 "Joseph Sirola List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Albany Democrat-Herald from Albany, Oregon – 34". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. September 6, 1975. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ Vinciguerra, Thomas. "Joe Sirola '51 Is an Actor for All Seasons". Columbia College Today. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ Haun, Harry (August 21, 2014). "Joseph Sirola: A Late-Life Broadway Producer Hits It Big". Observer. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  19. ↑ Genzlinger, Neil (February 10, 2019). "Joe Sirola, Actor Who Found Riches in Commercials, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  20. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (February 11, 2019). "Joseph Sirola, Broadway Actor and Tony-Winning Producer, Dead at 89". Playbill. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
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