Today we have sad news to pass along. It looks like DAY OF THE DEAD star Joseph Pilato has passed away at the age of 70. Pilato was perhaps best known for his performance as Captain Rhodes in writer-director George A. Romero's 1985 zombie film but he has also snagged roles in Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD (see above) along with films such as WISHMASTER, PULP FICTION, and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: ORIGINS 3D.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1949 to an Italian-American family, Pilato's bio tells us that his father was a professional trombonist with the Les Brown Orchestra. Pilato was enrolled in a Catholic school and became an altar boy, where his talent for acting was developed. He was originally planning on being a lawyer before he discovered he had a talent for acting. He was left-handed and played the guitar, accordion, and taught himself the trombone. He was close friends with DAWN OF THE DEAD stars David Emge and Ken Foree, and often attended horror conventions to meet his fans, pose for pictures and sign autographs.
The Arrow himself said this about Pilato and his role as Capt. Rhodes in his review of DAY OF THE DEAD from back in the day: "[Pilato] is a delight. He’s so damn badass and I couldn’t help but love him." Amen, Arrow. Amen. For those who may not know, DAY OF THE DEAD followed:
a small team of scientists, civilians and trigger-happy soldiers trapped in a missile silo who battle desperately to ensure the survival of the human race, but tension inside the base is reaching a breaking point, and the zombies are gathering outside.
Written and directed by George A. Romero DAY OF THE DEAD was produced by Richard P. Rubinstein. Pilato's costars included Lori Cardille as Dr. Sarah Bowman, Terry Alexander as John the helicopter pilot, and Richard Liberty as Dr. Matthew "Frankenstein" Logan. Buy it on Blu-ray HERE.