American actor Val Bisoglio – who starred in the iconic 1977 film Saturday Night Fever – has passed away at his home in California.
The actor was 95-years-old and famously played John Travolta's on-screen father in the dance drama, directed by John Badham.
The actor's widow, Bonnie Bisoglio, shared the sad news on Saturday, revealing that he had passed away in his mountain home near Los Olivos, California.
He had also played roles in Quincy, M.E. in the '70s and '80s and in American war comedy-drama television series M*A*S*H.
Grieving widow Bonnie confirmed to Variety that Val had passed away – with the outlet reporting on Saturday: "[the] character actor whose credits across film, television and theater date back more than 50 years, died on Oct. 18."
Val's impressive career spanned from the early 1960s when he had roles on shows including The Cool World and The DuPont Show of the Week in 1963 – and stretched all the way to 2002 when he played a character called Murf in iconic gangster show The Sopranos.
Val began his career on stage, featuring in New York based productions of Kiss Mama, A View from the Bridge and Wait Until Dark.
He also worked alongside iconic American theatre producer Arthur Penn for New York City’s Shakespeare in the Park productions.
In his standout role in Saturday Night Fever, his character, Frank, clipps his son, Anthony "Tony" Manero – played by John Travolta – who retorts: "Watch the hair".
He also starred opposite Linda Lovelace in a 1970s comedy called Linda Lovelace For President.
While his role on M*A*S*H saw him involved in a three-episode arc where he played a cook, while on Quincy M.E. he played the owner of a restaurant where Jack Klugman's Quincy would dine.
Away from acting, Val was involved in the Mobilization for Youth pilot project of the Kennedy Administration.
The program aimed to reduce poverty and helped train teenagers of disadvantaged backgrounds to gain employment.
He leaves behind his wife, Bonnie, who he wed in 1996, and three sons – Joseph Valentino Bisoglio, Scott Chapman and Casey DeFranco.
