‘Ocean’s Eleven’ and ‘Rhoda’ Actor Michael DeLano Dead at 84

Actor Michael DeLano has died. He was 84.

He died of a heart attack on October 20 in a hospital in Las Vegas, but his death was only just announced in a new THR article by Jean DeLano, his wife of 28 years.

A prolific singer, dancer, and actor, DeLano is probably best known to most for his role in Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Twelve, where he played Terry Benedict’s casino manager Frank Walsh, and for his role as the lounge singer Johnny Venture on the classic 1970s CBS sitcom Rhoda. DeLano was still working as a performer on the Strip until very recently.

He also had a starring role in ABC’s Firehouse, a 1974 firefighter drama series starring himself opposite James Drury and Richard Jaeckel, and on NBC’s Supertrain, a short-lived series from 1979. He had plenty of other supporting roles in major shows from the era, too, like The A-Team, Charlie’s Angels, and Perfect Strangers.

DeLano got his start as a dancer on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand in 1940 before progressing to releasing his own music in the 60s and then becoming an established actor in the 70s.

Aside from his TV roles, he was all over the big screen too. He appeared in the Western Catlow, the neo-noir The New Centurions, the Arnold Schwarzengger-starring 1985 action film Commando, and the aforementioned Ocean’s series.

He is survived by his wife, his daughter, and his three grandchildren.