Bob Lupone, who was best known for his role on The Sopranos and his Broadway career, passed away at the age of 76 after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
LuPone, a Brooklyn native, grew up in Northport, Long Island, and studied dance at Martha Graham Studio. He was a top oboe player in high school and went on to college at Adelphi University before getting into Juilliard, where he studied dance. He made his Broadway debut in Noel Coward’s Sweet Potato (1968).
LuPone also worked as an actor, beginning in 1966 as an ensemble member of the Westbury Music Fair’s production of The Pajama Game starring Liza Minnelli. In 1968, he made his Broadway debut in Noel Coward’s Sweet Potato. LuPone later earned a Tony nomination for the best-featured actor for his performance as Zach in A Chorus Line.
Along with his theater career, LuPone also made appearances on The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Guiding Light, and All My Children, for which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy.
The MCC Theater, an off-broadway space Bob founded, released a statement, saying he “lived fearlessly and with great curiosity, good humor, a boundless passion for connection, and a whole lot of heart. We will miss him deeply and always.” Read more in their tweet.
Bob is survived by his wife Virginia, his son Orlando, his sister Patti, and his brother, William. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time.
