{{short description|American actor (1913–1996)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Tom Pedi | image = Tom Pedi - Factory scene from Arnie 1971 (cropped).JPG | caption = Pedi in a scene from ''Arnie'' (1971) | birth_name = Thomas Joseph Pedi | birth_date = {{birth date|1913|9|14}} | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York City, US | death_date = {{death date and age|1996|12|29|1913|9|13}} | death_place = Burbank, California, US | occupation = Actor | spouse = Stacey Hunter | children = 1 | alma_mater = New Utrecht High School | years_active = 1937–1987 }}
'''Thomas Joseph Pedi'''<ref name="familysearch.org">"United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K9W-W9CH : 10 February 2023), Thomas Joseph Pedi, .</ref> (September 14, 1913 – December 29, 1996) was an American actor whose work included roles on stage, television and film in a career spanning 50 years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tom Pedi |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/tom-pedi |website=Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=February 11, 2019}}</ref> He was particularly well-known for his portrayal of Rocky, the night barman, in ''The Iceman Cometh'', a part which he originated and played on stage, film and television.<ref name="TPB @ BDE">[https://www.newspapers.com/image/52883282/?clipping_id=150023321 "Tom Pedi, Brooklynite, Makes Hit With O'Neil and Public"]. ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle''. November 10, 1946. p. 32. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=iU0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA110&dq=%22characters+in+the+play%22+%22barkeep+is+played+by+tom+pedi%22 "HIGHBROW BROADWAY (continued): THE ICEMAN COMETH; O'Neill's play is too long, too wordy, but deeply absorbing"]. ''Life''. October 28, 1946. p. 110. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref> Pedi was the cousin of voice actress Christine Pedi.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Christine Pedi Keeps Making an Impression With Her Parodies of Broadway's Divas|author=Pogrebin, Robin|date=March 20, 2001|work=The New York Times|page=E1|quote=She said she was also influenced by her cousin, Tom Pedi, a character actor who was in the original productions of 'Guys and Dolls,' 'Death of a Salesman' and 'A View from the Bridge.' 'Tom did it for the love of theater,' she said. 'He didn't care about the approval of anyone else. He did it because he loved to be onstage.'|id={{ProQuest|431693232}}}}</ref>
== Early life == Pedi was born in Brooklyn,<ref name="TPB @ BDE"/> the son of Angelo Pedi and Carmen Raimondo.<ref name="familysearch.org"/> He attended New Utrecht High School, graduating in 1933.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle/150024923/ "648 Graduated at New Utrecht; Dr. Fritz A. H. Luchs, Herman Barshay Address Class"]. ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle''. p. 34.</ref>
==Career== {{expand section|date=May 2025}}
Pedi made his professional debut in 1937 as Benito Mussolini in the Harold Rome revue, ''Pins and Needles''.<ref name="TPB @ BDE"/><ref name="G&DPB">[https://archive.org/details/guys-and-dolls-playbill-1953/page/24/mode/2up?q=%22Pedi+comes%22+%22Pedi+partook%22 "Guys and Dolls: Who's Who in the Cast (continued)"]. ''Playbill''. March 23, 1953. p. 24. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref>
== Personal life and death == On August 7, 1953, Pedi married Philadelphia-born showgirl Stacey Hunter in London, while in the midst of an extended engagement with the touring company of ''Guys and Dolls''.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/789904800/?clipping_id=150027036 "Guy With Doll"]. ''Daily Mirror''. August 8, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref><ref name="New York 1909">"New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H41-2WR : Sun Mar 10 01:57:17 UTC 2024), Entry for Stacey Pedi, 1954.</ref> By the time the couple returned to the U.S. the following October, they had a young son, Alexander, in tow.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tom Pedi Returning to U. S.; Miriam Burton Wins Grant|author=|date=October 9, 1954|work=New York Herald Tribune|page=9|quote=Tom Pedi, who created the role of Harry the Horse in 'Guys and Dolls,' is to return Saturday from London, after a record of 1,500 performances in the part at the Coliseum Theater. He married while in London and will be accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Stacy [sic] Hunter Pedi and their son, Alexander.|id={{ProQuest|1322557730}}}}</ref>
Pedi died of a heart attack on December 29, 1996, at age 83, in Burbank, California. His cremated remains are interred at Loma Vista Memorial Park in Fullerton, California.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOHgDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA581|title=Resting Places – The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d Ed.|publisher=McFarland|date=August 19, 2016|page=581|isbn=978-1-4766-2599-7}}</ref><ref name="New York 1909"/>
== Performances ==
=== Theater === Except where indicated, listings come from the ''Internet Broadway Database''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tom Pedi – Broadway Cast & Staff |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tom-pedi-77259 |website=The Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |accessdate=February 11, 2019}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Start ! End ! Title ! Role |- | September 28, 1937<ref>C., G. M. (August 11, 1937). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle/150032052/ "Stage News: The First Big Week"]. p. 12. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref> | | ''Pins and Needles'' | Benito Mussolini<ref name="TPB @ BDE"/><ref name="G&DPB"/> |- | December 21, 1941 | February 7, 1942 | ''Brooklyn USA'' | The Dasher |- | October 27, 1945 | November 17, 1945 | ''Beggars Are Coming to Town'' | Heinz |- | October 9, 1946 | March 15, 1947 | ''The Iceman Cometh'' | Rocky Pioggi |- | February 10, 1949 | November 18, 1950 | ''Death of a Salesman'' | Stanley |- | September 29, 1955 | February 4, 1956 | ''A View from the Bridge'' / ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' | Mike / Mechanic |- | February 28, 1957 | July 13, 1957 | ''A Hole in the Head'' | Lenny |- | March 23, 1963 | April 6, 1963 | ''My Mother, My Father and Me'' | Tonio Crazzo |- | November 11, 1963 | November 16, 1963 | ''The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui'' | Bodyguard |- | April 28, 1965<br />April 20, 1955<br />November 24, 1950 | May 9, 1965<br />May 31, 1955<br />November 28, 1953 | ''Guys and Dolls'' | Harry the Horse |- | October 4, 1966 | December 31, 1966 | ''The Investigation'' | The Accused |- | April 18, 1968 | April 20, 1968 | ''Mike Downstairs'' | Paul |}
Pedi also performed in the premiere of the stage version of ''State Fair'' at The Muny in St. Louis in 1969. The show had a two week run.
=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1942 | ''Native Land'' | Union member intently watching game of checkers | <ref>Campbell, Russ (1982). ''[https://archive.org/details/cinemastrikesbac0000camp/page/318/mode/2up?q=%22tom+pedi%22+ Cinema Strikes Back : Radical Filmmaking in the United States, 1930-1942]''. Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI Research Press. p. 364. {{ISBN|083571330X}}.</ref><ref>21 Momen (June 25, 2024). [https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxBhG_b6ze-VufzJzdZq9DQxTxGhRwkXqV?si=JBa-LfhDi-kMabJ2 Native Land: 40-second union hall scene with Tom Pedi watching checkers]. Youtube.</ref> |- | 1948 | ''The Naked City'' | Detective Perelli | <ref name="TGAMB">Michael, Paul (1980). ''[https://archive.org/details/greatamericanmov00mich/page/192/mode/2up?q=%22tom+pedi%22+ The Great American Movie Book]''. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. pp. 192, 269. {{ISBN|0-13-363663-1}}.</ref> |- | 1948 | ''State of the Union'' | Barber | <ref name="TGAMB"/> |- | 1948 | ''Up in Central Park'' | O'Toole | <ref>Fitzgerald, Michael G. (1977). ''[https://archive.org/details/hollywoodsgolden00senn/page/532/mode/2up?q=%22tom+pedi%22+%22up+in+central+park%22 Universal Pictures : APanoramic History in Words, Pictures, and Filmographies]''. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House. p. 532. {{ISBN|0-87000-366-6}}.</ref> |- | 1949 | ''Criss Cross'' | Vincent | <ref name="MFK's FNG">Keaney, Michael F. (2003). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=HEWeCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA102 Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era, 1940-1959]''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 102. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-6366-4}}.</ref> |- | 1949 | ''Sorrowful Jones'' | Once Over Sam | <ref>Carmody, Jay (July 8, 1949). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/868165957/?clipping_id=150043175 "Hope Gets Cheerful Change in Fare in Warner Film"]. ''Evening Star''. p. 14. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref> |- | 1950 | ''Cry Murder'' | Santorre | <ref>Masters, Dorothy (March 1, 1950). [https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/150045853/ "The Durango Kid Tops New Bill at New York"]. ''New York Daily News''. p. 77. Retrieved June 25, 2024.</ref> |- | 1973 | ''The Iceman Cometh'' | Rocky Pioggi | <ref name="sigoloff">Sigoloff, Marc (2000). ''[https://archive.org/details/filmsofseventies0000sigo_c4k9/page/146/mode/2up?q=Dolowicz+pioggi+%22Tom+Pedi%22 The Films of the Seventies : A Filmography of American, British and Canadian Films 1970-1979]''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. pp. 146, 290. {{ISBN|0786408820}}.</ref> |- | 1974 | ''The Taking of Pelham One Two Three'' | Caz Dolowicz | <ref name="sigoloff"/> |- | 1976 | ''Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' | Moving Man | Uncredited{{Citation needed |date=June 2024}} |- | 1976 | ''St. Ives'' | Fat Angie Polaterra | <ref>Vermilye, Jerry (1980). ''[https://archive.org/details/filmsofcharlesbr0000verm/page/228/mode/2up?q=%22tom+pedi%22+%22Fat+Angie+Polaterra%22 The Films of Charles Bronson]''. Secaucus, NJ: The Citadel Press. p. 228. {{ISBN|0806506954}}.</ref> |- | 1978 | ''The Cat from Outer Space'' | Honest Harry | <ref name="JWSW79">Willis, John (1979). ''[https://archive.org/details/johnwillisscreen0000unse/page/52/mode/2up?q=%22cat+from+outer+space%22+%22tom+pedi%22 John Willis's Screen World 1979; Vol. 30]''. New York : Crown Publishers. p. 136. {{ISBN|0517538350}}.</ref> |- | 1978 | ''The One Man Jury'' | Angie | <ref name="JWSW79"/> |- | 1979 | ''The North Avenue Irregulars'' | Bartender | <ref>[https://catalog.afi.com/Person/147836-Tom-Pedi Tom Pedi Filmography]. American Film Institute.</ref> |- | 1980 | ''Little Miss Marker'' | Vittorio | <ref>Parish, James Robert (1987). ''[https://archive.org/details/greatgangsterpic0000pari/page/242/mode/2up?q=%22tom+pedi++vittorio%22 The great gangster pictures II]''. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. p. 242. {{ISBN|0-8108-1961-9}}.</ref> |}
=== Television === Except where indicated, listings come from the ''Internet Movie Database''.{{better source needed|date=July 2021}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Series ! Role ! Notes |- | 1949 | ''Repertory Theatre'' | | Episode: "The Five Lives of Richard Gordon" |- | 1949 | ''The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre'' | | Episode: "The Door" |- | 1950 | ''The Stage Door'' | Rocco | |- | 1952 | ''Repertory Theatre'' | Joe | Episode: "Rich Boy" |- | 1956 | ''Stanley'' | Mr. Ferris | Episode: "Opera Tickets" |- | 1958 | ''Decoy'' | Maxie Pardo | Episode: "Odds Against the Jockey" |- | 1958 | ''Omnibus'' | Bolo | Episode: "The So-Called Human Race"<ref>{{Cite news|title=What's On? Menasha Skulnik Stars in Heavy-Handed Spoof|author=Gross, Ben|date=November 24, 1948|work=New York Daily News|page=57|quote=Kay Medford and Arny Freeman as the problem boy's parents, Michael Pollard, as the lad himself, Tom Pedi as Bolo, and Margo Bennett as the latter's sweetheart gave good accounts of themselves. So did Jerome Cowan as the judge, Walter Abel as Dr. Montefusco and others of the cast.|id={{ProQuest|2292436877}}}}</ref> |- | 1958 | ''Adventures of the Sea Hawk'' | Le Gross | Episode #1.23 |- | 1960 | ''Play of the Week'' | Rocky | Episode: ''The Iceman Cometh Parts: 1 & 2'' |- | 1967 | ''The Edge of Night'' | Hector | Episode #1.3048 |- | 1970 | ''That Girl'' | Tony | Episode: "The Night They Raided Daddy's" |- | 1971 | ''Night Gallery'' | Mr. Boucher | Episode: "A Fear of Spiders" |- | 1970–1971 | ''Arnie'' | Julius | 15 episodes<ref name="MFK's FNG"/> |- | 1972 | ''The Family Rico'' | Angelo | TV movie |- | 1973 | ''The New Treasure Hunt'' | Various | Uncredited |- | 1973 | ''Maude'' | Mr. Bungay | Episode: "Maude Takes a Job" |- | 1973 | ''Lotsa Luck'' | First Moving Man | Episode: "The Family Plot"Arnie" |- | 1974 | ''McMillan & Wife'' | News Vendor | Episode: "Cross & Double Cross" |- | 1974 | ''Dominic's Dream'' | Uncle Willie | TV movie |- | 1974 | ''Kojak'' | Filacchione | Episode: "You Can't Tell a Hurt Man How to Holler" |- | 1975 | ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' | Al | Episode: "The System" |- | 1975 | ''The Odd Couple'' | Louie Menninni | Episode: "Old Flames Never Die" |- | 1975 | ''Lucas Tanner'' | Policeman | Episode: "The Noise of a Quiet Weekend" |- | 1976 | ''McCloud'' | Santa Claus | Episode: "'Twas the Fight Before Christmas..." |- | 1977 | ''Serpico'' | Nick | Episode: "The Party of Your Choice" |- | 1977 | ''Black Market Baby'' | Uncle Sanchi | TV movie |- | 1978 | ''CHiPs'' | Bruno | Episode: "Vintage '54" |- | 1978 | ''Human Feelings'' | Frank | TV movie |- | 1979 | ''The Ropers'' | Moving Man | Episode: "Friends and Neighbors" |- | 1979 | ''Stone'' | Aaron Abromowitz | TV movie |- | 1987 | ''Laguna Heat'' | Jimmy Hylkama | TV movie, (final film role) |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IBDB name|77259}} * {{IMDb name|0670017}} * {{Playbill person|tom-pedi-vault-0000052043}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pedi, Tom}} Category:1913 births Category:1996 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from Brooklyn Category:New Utrecht High School alumni