Tony Musante, an actor who was seen on television, in films and on stage in the United States and Europe for over 50 years, died on Tuesday in Manhattan. He was 77.His wife, Jane, said the cause was a hemorrhage, which occurred while he was recovering from oral surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital.
On daytime television, he played Rose's (Martha Byrne) adoptive father, Joe D'Angelo, on AS THE WORLD TURNS. He also appeared as Robert McKenzie Houston in LOVING.
In primetime, he starred as Det. David Toma in TOMA in the 1973-74 season. He famously had a one-year out clause in his contract and left the show to take the lead role in TV movie, Judgment: The Court Martial of Lt. William Calley. TOMA was remade as BARETTA, a vehicle for a replacement star, Robert Blake.