Michael DeLano, Actor in Rhoda, Commando and Oceans Eleven, Dies at 84

Michael DeLano, the actor and singer who in the 1970s played a Los Angeles firefighter opposite James Drury on ABC’s Firehouse and the lounge singer Johnny Venture alongside Valerie Harper on CBS’ Rhoda, has died. He was 84.

DeLano had a heart attack and died Oct. 20 in a Las Vegas hospital, Jean Delano, his wife of 28 years and companion for 38, told The Hollywood Reporter.

A Vegas resident since 1992, the charismatic DeLano played a casino manager in the heist film Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and the sequel Ocean’s Twelve (2004) and sang standards as a regular performer at the old-school Dispensary Lounge on Tropicana Avenue until recently.

(Watch and listen to DeLano perform the Gershwins’ “They All Laughed” here.)

DeLano starred as firefighter Sonny Caputo and received third billing behind Drury and Richard Jaeckel on Firehouse, a midseason replacement drama that bowed in January 1974 but aired just 13 episodes before it was canceled.

He’s probably best known for his turn as Venture, who attempts to date Rhoda (with little success) after her breakup with husband Joe Gerard (David Groh). He appeared on 11 episodes during seasons three and four in 1976-78.

He also had a regular role on Supertrain, portraying Lou Atkins on the ultra-expensive NBC bomb that lasted just nine episodes in 1979.

An only child, Michael Ace Del Fatti was born in Virginia on Nov. 26, 1940. His father was a pilot in the service — hence the “Ace” middle name —but died before his son was born.

Raised in Philadelphia, he received fan mail as a regular dancer on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand when the weekday TV show was based in that city and served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army.

In 1960, he signed with Swan Records as Key Larson and recorded the songs “A Web of Lies” and “A Little Lovin’ Goes a Long, Long Way.” Later, he adopted the stage surname DeLano after seeing a blinking neon sign on a hotel with that name, his wife said.

After appearing in a stage production of Hair in Chicago, he came to Hollywood and showed up in the films Catlow (1971) and The New Centurions (1972) and on episodes of Adam-12, Kojak, Banacek and Barnaby Jones before landing on Firehouse.

He also had a 1980-81 stint as the carny boss Frank Coyne on the NBC primetime soap Flamingo Road and a turn as the doomed car salesman Forrestal in Commando (1985), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His credits also included bit parts in Hollywood Man (1976), 9 to 5 (1980) and Another Stakeout (1993) and guest-star work on The Rockford Files, Wonder Woman, Starsky & Hutch, Soap, Charlie’s Angels, Taxi, Perfect Strangers, Private Benjamin, The Fall Guy, The A-Team, Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues, Hunter, Falcon Crest, Silk Stalkings, Chicago Hope and Royal Pains.

In addition to his wife, survivors include his daughter, Bree; grandsons Michael and Lincoln; and granddaughter Jaxon. A celebration of his life will take place Sunday at The Dispensary Lounge.