Robert Loggia, gravelly-voiced character actor from "Scarface," "The Sopranos," and "Big," has died of Alzheimer's disease according to The Associated Press. He was 85.
Loggia's gruff voice and tough-guy looks found him plenty of work in the movies and on TV as both criminal and crime-fighter. He played a Miami drug lord usurped by Al Pacino in "Scarface" (1983), a sadistic crime boss in David Lynch's "Lost Highway" (1997), and as violent ex-con Feech La Manna in several episodes of "The Sopranos."
He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor playing hard-nosed private detective Sam Ransom in "Jagged Edge" (1985). He was nominated for an Emmy in 1989 when he starred in the series, "Mancuso, FBI."
In "Big" (1988) he showed off his lighter side, famously dancing on a foot-operated keyboard with Tom Hanks. He was also nominated for another Emmy as a guest star on the sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle," which referenced his humorous turn as the celebrity endorser of Minute Maid orange tangerine juice in the late 1990s.
His iconic voice found its way into Disney's "Oliver & Company" (1988) as well as the hit video game "Grand Theft Auto III." He also voiced himself in an animated appearance on "Family Guy" among countless other roles.
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My favorite Robert Loggia memory: