Johnny Seven (actor)
| Johnny Seven | |
|---|---|
| Born |
John Anthony Fetto, II February 23, 1926 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died |
January 22, 2010 (aged 83) Mission Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse(s) | Edith Fetto (m. 1949) |
| Children | 2 |
John Anthony Fetto, II (born February 23, 1926 – January 22, 2010),[1][2] known professionally as Johnny Seven, was an American character actor who appeared in 26 films[1] and approximately 600 television shows[1] during his career, which spanned more than 40 years.[1][2] His credits included a recurring role as Lt. Carl Reese on the 1968–1975 NBC television series Ironside and the 1960 film The Apartment.[1]
Early life
Seven was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, who were Italian immigrants, also had five daughters.[2] He began acting and singing as a teenager.[2] He served with the United States Army in the Philippines during World War II[2] and performed with the United Service Organizations (USO).[2] Fetto earned his nickname "Johnny Seven" while serving in the Army and kept it as his stage name following the end of the war.[2]
Career
Seven began his acting career in New York City theater.[1] He portrayed Karl Matuschka, the brother in-law of Shirley MacLaine's character, in The Apartment. In the film, he beats up the character played by Jack Lemmon.[1] His other film credits include a small role in The Last Mile (1959), Guns of the Timberland (1960), What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1968) and Murder at the World Series (1977).[1] Seven co-wrote, produced, directed, and starred in Navajo Run, his western independent film released in 1964.[1]
On television, in addition to Ironside, he was cast in a spin-off series, Amy Prentiss.[2] His other television credits included roles on Rescue 8, The Man from Blackhawk, Bonanza, Hennesey, The Everglades, Gunsmoke, CHiPs, Naked City, Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, The Phil Silvers Show, Batman (episodes 25 and 26), Death Valley Days, Peter Gunn, The Untouchables, The Rockford Files, The Wild Wild West, and Charlie's Angels.[1][2]
In addition to his acting career, Seven also owned a real estate business in the San Fernando Valley.[2]
Death
Seven died of complications from lung cancer at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, California, on January 22, 2010, at the age of 83.[2] He was survived by his wife of 60 years, Edith.[1] His memorial service was held at St. John Baptist de La Salle Parish in Granada Hills, California on February 6, 2010.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Barnes, Mike (2010-01-26). "Prolific character actor Johnny Seven dies". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 30, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Johnny Seven, character actor, dies at 83". Los Angeles Times. 2010-01-27. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
External links
- Johnny Seven at the Internet Movie Database
- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived March 5, 2010)
- Johnny Seven at Find a Grave