“Beverly Hills
Farewell to her colleague Joe E. Tata
Joe E. Tata played Nat Bussichio on Beverly Hills, 90210.
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US actor Joe E. Tata has died at the age of 85. His “Beverly Hills, 90210” colleagues say goodbye.
Many still remember Joe E. Tata (1936-2022) as the always cheerful bistro owner Nat Bussichio in the 90s TV series “Beverly Hills, 90210”. The US actor played the role from 1990 to 2000. Tata has now died at the age of 85. This was shared by his daughter Kelly Tata on Thursday (August 25) in a statement on a GoFundMe page With.
“I am devastated to report that my father, Joe E. Tata, passed away peacefully in his sleep last night,” the statement said. “My dad and I will forever be grateful for the love and support from family, friends and fans.”
Tata did not disclose the cause of death, but the actor was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018.
“Beverly Hills, 90210” colleagues say goodbye
One of the first to publicly pay tribute to Joe E. Tata after his death was announced was “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-star Ian Ziering, 58. The actor shared two photos at Instagram and wrote: “Joey was a true original. (…) One of the happiest people I have ever worked with, he was so generous with his wisdom and kindness.”
In many scenes he was “only in the background”, but still a “leading force”, explains Ziering. “My laughter is clouded today, but I reminisce fondly and keep it in my heart.”
Jennie Garth (50) also said goodbye via Instagram by Joe E Tata. “Another great loss for our family today,” the actress writes about two photos that show her with Tata and co-star Tori Spelling (49). “I have a very sad heart but will always remember that laugh and that mischievous grin.”
Tori Spelling also dedicated to the actor a long Instagram post. He was one of the “friendliest, funniest, most professional, most amazing people” she’s ever worked with. “I never saw him without a huge smile on his face. His sense of humor was unique.”
Joe E. Tata was best known from TV series
Joe E. Tata began his acting career in 1960 with a guest appearance in the crime series “Peter Gunn”. In the following years he mainly focused on television series, including “Cobra, take over”, “Detective Rockford – call is enough” or “The A-Team”. It was only his role in the hit series “Beverly Hills, 90210” that made him known to a wider audience in the 1990s.
Overall, Tata has appeared in more than 80 different productions throughout his career. Most recently, he played an episode role in the series “Mystery Girls” in 2014.