Robert pastorelli biography

Robert Pastorelli

Robert Joseph Pastorelli (June 21, 1954 – March 8, 2004) is an American actor known for having played the character of Eldin Bernecky on the 1990's TV sitcom Murphy Brown.

Early life[]

Pastorelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of Ledo Pastorelli, an insurance salesman and Dotty, an artist. He was of Albanian descent from Italy. His sister, Gwen Pastorelli, is an opera singer and a real estate agent.

Pastorelli was raised in Edison, New Jersey, and graduated from Edison High School in 1972. He initially intended a career as a professional boxer, but had to abandon the sport due to injuries sustained in a near-fatal high-speed car crash at the age of 19 (he later claimed that he had a "near death" experience at this time, and that he had experienced himself looking down from above upon his body in a hospital bed with his father at the bedside overcome with grief). Pastorelli acquired a narcotic habit in his early twenties prior to his acting career, which he overcame, but which he would relapse into throughout his later life.

Career[]

In 1982 Pastorelli headed west to Los Angeles seeking opportunities in Hollywood. Spending the early 1980s employed in television bit-part appearances, he found a niche playing streetwise characters, appearing also in supporting roles in Outrageous Fortune (1987) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). His first substantial film role came with Dances with Wolves (1990). His big break in television came in the role of the gruff but lovable house painter "Eldin Bernecky" on the series Murphy Brown, and he stayed with the show for seven seasons from 1988 to 1994. Murphy Brown producer Diane English was sufficiently impr

Born:21-Jun-1954
Birthplace:New Brunswick, NJ
Died:8-Mar-2004
Location of death:Hollywood Hills, CA
Cause of death:Accident - Overdose
Remains: Buried, Saint Catherines Cemetery, Sea Girt, NJ

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Actor

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Housepainter on Murphy Brown

According to a story in the National Enquirer [12-Apr-2004, p.54], police were about to reverse the decision of death by accidental gunshot to murder, in the death of Pastorelli's ex-girlfriend, Charemon Jonovich. The original claim was that Jonovich threatened to kill herself with the gun when it accidentally went off, but according to the story, "Insiders say the DA never believed Pastorelli's version" of events, particularly when gunpowder residue was found on Pastorelli's hands.

Father: Ledo Pastorelli
Mother: Dotty
Sister: Gwen
Girlfriend: Charemon Jonovich (d. 15-Mar-1999 gunshot, one daughter)
Daughter: Gianna Li Pastorelli (b. 6-Feb-1998)
Girlfriend: Jalee Carder (together from 1999, one daughter)
Daughter: Giannina Marie Pastorelli (b. 6-Mar-2000)

    High School: Edison High School, Edison, NJ (1972)

    Autopsy
    Italian Ancestry
    Risk Factors: Toupee, Cocaine, Heroin

    TELEVISION
    Cracker Gerry Fitzgerald (1997-98)
    Double Rush Johnny Verona (1995)
    Murphy Brown Eldin Bernecky (housepainter, 1988-94)

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    Be Cool (4-Mar-2005)
    Women vs. Men (4-Aug-2002)
    South Pacific (26-Mar-2001)
    The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (18-Feb-2001)
    Bait (29-Aug-2000)
    Modern Vampires (19-Sep-1998)
    Scotch and Milk (17-Apr-1998)
    A Simple Wish (11-Jul-1997) · Oliver
    Michael (25-Dec-1996)
    Eraser

American actor (1954–2004)

Robert Joseph Pastorelli (June 21, 1954 – March 8, 2004) was an American actor.

After he acquired a reputation as a skilled character actor in the 1980s and 1990s, Pastorelli's career went into decline after the death of his girlfriend under mysterious circumstances at his home in 1999. He died of a narcotic overdose in 2004. He was best known as Eldin in Murphy Brown (1988–1994), Johnny C. in Eraser (1996), and Hughey in Michael (1996).

Early life

Pastorelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of Ledo ("Tally") Pastorelli, an insurance salesman and Dorothy ("Dottie"), an artist. His sister, Gwen Pastorelli, is an opera singer and a real estate agent.

He spent his childhood years in Edison, New Jersey, graduating from Edison High School in 1972. He initially intended a career as a professional boxer, but had to abandon the sport due to injuries sustained in a near-fatal high-speed car crash at the age of 19 (he later claimed that he had a "near death" incident at this time, and that he had experienced himself looking down from above upon his body in the hospital bed with his father at the bedside overcome with grief). He acquired a narcotic habit in his early twenties prior to his acting career that he overcame, but he would relapse throughout his later life.

Theater career

He entered the acting profession via New York City theater in the late 1970s after studying at the New York Academy of Theatrical Arts and the Actors Studio, financially maintaining himself by working as a bartender and a male exotic dancer. I