Sam Coppola

Sam Coppola (July 31, 1932 – February 5, 2012) was an American character actor of stage, film, and television,^[1] appearing in more than 35 films and nearly 40 television shows, since 1968.

Sam Coppola
Born	(1932-07-31)July 31, 1932 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	February 5, 2012(2012-02-05) (aged 79) Leonia, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1968–2012

Education

Coppola was an alumnus of the Lee Strasberg acting studio.^[1]

Career

Coppola's film roles include, a Cop (uncredited) in Serpico (1973),^{[citation needed]} Dan Fusco, owner of the hardware and paint store who gave John Travolta's character Tony Manero advice in Saturday Night Fever (1977), and Fuselli in Fatal Attraction (1987).^[1]

On television, Coppola's appearances include roles in the series Ryan's Hope (1975-76), The Equalizer (1986), The Practice (1997), The Wire (2006), The Good Wife (2011), and on shows in the Law & Order franchise.^[1]

On The Sopranos (1999), Coppola made a brief appearance as the idiosyncratic family therapist of Jennifer Melfi.

In the 2001 A&E television movie The Big Heist, Coppola portrayed mob boss Paul Castellano.

Coppola played a nursing home resident in a Chevy commercial that aired during 2011's Super Bowl and a hot dog vendor in a Ball Park Franks spot starring Michael Jordan.^[1]

On stage, Coppola portrayed Aaronow, an aging real estate salesman in a 2000 production of Glengarry Glen Ross at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ, and in a 2005 off-Broadway production of Waiting for Godot he portrayed the hobo Vladimir.^[1]

Personal life

Coppola resided in Leonia, New Jersey for 38-years. He was predeceased by his wife, and survived by two children, Jason and Samantha, and by three grandchildren.^[1]

Sam Coppola is not related to Francis Ford Coppola, the film director.^[1]

Death

Coppola died February 5, 2012, from an aneurysm.^[1]

Filmography

Film

• No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) - Customer (uncredited)
• Interplay (1970) - Mel
• The Anderson Tapes (1971) - Private Detective
• The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971) - Julie
• Serpico (1973) - Cop (uncredited)
• Crazy Joe (1974) - Chick
• Death Journey (1976) - Detective Johnson
• Saturday Night Fever (1977) - Dan Fusco
• Fingers (1978) - Sam
• King of the Gypsies (1978) - (uncredited)
• Without a Trace (1983) - Schoyer
• Fatal Attraction (1987) - Fuselli
• Zits (1988) - Principal
• Blue Steel (1989) - PBA Representative
• She's Back (1989) - Det. Brophy
• Street Hunter (1990) - Jannelli
• Jacob's Ladder (1990) - Taxi Driver
• A Kiss Before Dying (1991) - Detective Michaelson
• Joey Breaker (1993) - Sid Kramer
• Money for Nothing (1993) - Bartender Lindey
• Palookaville (1995) - Mr. Kott, Money Truck Driver
• The Deli (1997) - Mr. Bishop
• A Wake in Providence (1999) - Uncle Joe
• Blue Moon (2000) - Bill
• Sally (2000) - Dr. Felch
• Friends & Family (2001) - Carlo Ricci
• Empire (2002) - Bobby Gold
• Nola (2003) - Gus
• True Crime: New York City (2005) - Additional voices^[2]
• Heavy Petting (2007) - Old Codger #1
• House of Satisfaction (2008) - Barry
• Reunion (2009) - Max
• Run It (2009) - Vinny
• Driving Me Crazy (2012) - Larry Petterson

Television

Sam Coppola television credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1975–1976	Ryan's Hope	Angie	4 episodes
1986	The Equalizer	Frank Polinski	Episode: "Shades of Darkness"
1991	Law & Order	Bartender	Episode: "Reunciation"
1997	The Practice	Carl Mazone	Episode: "The Blessing"
1998	Witness to the Mob	Judge Leo Glasser	TV movie
1999	The Sopranos	Dr. Reise	1 episode
2001	The Big Heist	Paul Castellano	TV movie. A&E
2001	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Uncle Sammy	Episode: "Paranoia"
2002	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Neal Dornan	Episode: "The Pilgrim"
2004	Law & Order	US Federal Judge Vance	Episode: "City Hall"
2006	The Wire	Former Mayor "Young Tony"	2 episodes
2011	The Good Wife	Merrick	1 episode