Robert Pastorelli

Robert Pastorelli
Born	Robert Joseph Pastorelli (1954-06-21)June 21, 1954 New Brunswick, New Jersey
Died	March 8, 2004(2004-03-08) (aged 49) Hollywood Hills, California
Years active	1982-2004
Partner	Charemon Jonovich (?-1999; her death) Jalee Carder (1992-2004; his death)
Children	two daughters (Gianna Li, Giannina Marie)

Robert Joseph Pastorelli (June 21, 1954 – March 8, 2004) was an American actor. He had many roles on TV, in movies, and on the stage, including the seven years he played the portly painter Eldin Bernecky on the television series Murphy Brown. His last role was as an oddball hit man in Be Cool, reuniting him with Michael star John Travolta. Pastorelli died of a heroin overdose in 2004.^[1]

Early life

Pastorelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of Dotty, an artist, and Ledo Pastorelli, an insurance salesman.^[2] Pastorelli was of Italian descent. His sister, Gwen Pastorelli, is an opera singer and a real estate agent. He was a 1972 graduate of Edison High School in Edison, New Jersey. A near-fatal car crash on his 19th birthday cost him his dream of boxing professionally.^[3]

Death

Pastorelli was found dead in his home at Hollywood Hills in 2004; a syringe, a spoon and a plastic bag with white powder were discovered near his body.^[4] His death occurred at the time the authorities were reopening the investigation into the March 1999 shooting death of his then-girlfriend, 25-year-old Charemon Jonovich, at their home.^[5] Pastorelli, who knew of the investigation, had been considered a person of interest.^[4] The investigation into Jonovich's death, initially ruled an accident or undetermined, was closed after Pastorelli's death; the cause of death on her death certificate was changed to homicide.^{[citation needed]} The Coroner's Office later reported that Pastorelli died of "acute cocaine-morphine (heroin) toxicity".^{[citation needed]}

Pastorelli was interred at Saint Catherine's Cemetery in Sea Girt, New Jersey.

Personal life

Pastorelli had two daughters. One is Gianna Li Pastorelli (born February 6, 1998), with Charemon Jonovich. His second daughter is Giannina Marie Pastorelli (born March 6, 2000) with long-time girlfriend Jalee Carder, a former fashion designer and co-owner of Stone Marten.^[6]

Filmography

• I Married a Centerfold as Guard (1984)
• California Girls as Mechanic (1985)
• Beauty and the Beast as Eric Ramos (1987-1988), Television series
• Outrageous Fortune as Dealer #2 (1987)
• Hands of a Stranger as Handyman (1987) (TV)
• Beverly Hills Cop II as Vinnie (1987)
• Memories of Me as Al (1988)
• Lady Mobster as Matteo Villani (1988)
• Murphy Brown as Eldin Bernecky (1988-1994), Television series
• Dances with Wolves as Timmons (1990)
• The Paint Job as Willie (1992)
• Folks! as Fred (1992)
• Striking Distance as Det. Jimmy Detillo (1993)
• Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as Joey Bustamante (1993)
• Harmful Intent as Devlin O'Shea (1993)
• The Yarn Princess as Jake Thomas (1994)
• The West Side Waltz as Sookie Cerullo (1995)
• Double Rush as Johnny Verona (1995)
• Eraser as John "Johnny C" Casteleone (1996)
• Michael as Huey Driscoll (1996)
• A Simple Wish as Oliver Greening (1997)
• Cracker as Gerry Fitzgerald (1997)
• Scotch and Milk as The Skipper (1998)
• Heist as T-Bone (1998)
• Modern Vampires as The Count (1998)
• Bait as Jaster (2000)
• The Ballad of Lucy Whipple as Clyde Claymore (2001)
• South Pacific as Luther Billis (2001)
• Be Cool as Joe Loop(2005)

References

External links

Biography portal

• Robert Pastorelli at the Internet Movie Database
• Robert Pastorelli at Find a Grave