'Animaniacs' Actor Chick Vennera Dead at 74

07/09/2021 12:01 am EDT

Actor Chick Vennera, who starred in the disco movie Thank God It's Friday and The Golden Girls, died on Wednesday. He was 74. Vennera was also known for his voice acting, playing memorable roles in the 1980s The Jetsons episodes and Animaniacs. Vennera's daughter, Nicky Vennera, said her father died after a battle with lung cancer, reports Variety. He died at his home in Burbank, California. He is also survived by his wife, Suzanne.

Vennera was born in Herkimer, New York, and showed an interest in entertainment work at a young age when he started taking dance classes. He continued studying dancing through high school and moved to California after graduating. After serving in the Army, he toured in the Disney on Parade show and played Sonny in the national tour of Grease.

The actor made his first television appearances in 1975 and eventually scored a memorable role in Thank God It's Friday, the 1978 disco movie. Although the movie was negatively reviewed by critics, it won the Oscar for Best Original Song for Donna Summer's "Last Dance." The movie is also noted for early appearances by Jeff Goldblum and Debra Winger. Vennera's big scene saw him dancing atop parked cars. Other films featuring Vennera include Yanks, High Risk, The Milagro Beanfield War, The Terror Within II, Time Under Fire, and Glass Trap.

During the 1980s, Vennera began voicing characters in Hanna-Barbera shows like The Jetsons. His most famous voice performance is as Pesto in the Animanaics' The Goodfeathers segments, which required him to pull off a perfect Joe Pesci impression. He voiced Pesto in the original Animaniacs run and the 1999 movie Wakko's Wish. In 1989, Vennera also appeared in three episodes of The Golden Girls.

John Mariano, who voiced the Robert De Niro-inspired Bobby in The Goodfeathers, paid tribute to Vennera on Facebook Thursday. "It is with DEEP SADNESS to inform that CHICK VENERRA has passed," Mariano wrote. "We worked together on 'STEVEN SPIELBERG'S ANIMANIACS.' We were 'the Goodfeathers.' He's an amazing talent, but more so, an amazing person. I can go on, but I think you all get what I'm trying to say. Gentle rest grant unto thee, Chick."

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