Robert Pastorelli, a rugged and imposing actor, was a former boxer and admitted drug addict who turned his life around and pursued a career in theater in the 1970s. He worked on various productions in New York, including "Rebel Without a Cause," "The Rainmaker," and "Death of a Salesman."
In the early 1980s, Pastorelli headed west and began working in film and television. He quickly found a niche playing tough, street-smart characters with a Runyonesque flair and a truck driver's mentality. He appeared in several films, including "Outrageous Fortune" (1987) and "Beverly Hills Cop II" (1987),before landing his first significant role in "Dances with Wolves" (1990) alongside Kevin Costner.
However, it was his role as the lovable but gruff house painter on the hit TV show "Murphy Brown" (1988-1995) that brought him the most recognition. He stayed with the show for seven seasons and appeared in a number of other films and TV shows during the 1990s, including "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993),"Michael" (1996),and "Modern Vampires" (1998).
In the early 2000s, Pastorelli appeared in the mini-series remake of "South Pacific" (2001) and on stage in a production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" (2002) alongside Glenn Close. Despite his success, Pastorelli struggled with drug addiction throughout his life. He died in 2004 at the age of 49 from a heroin overdose, with a syringe found in his arm in the bathroom by his assistant.
