Anthony Franciosa

Franciosa was once touted as a superstar in the making, a prediction that never quite came true. The handsome, cleft-chinned, dark-haired actor initially won raves for his performance on Broadway in A Hatful of Rain and was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar when he reprised the role two years later in the 1957 movie version. He'd previously made his movie debut in This Could Be the Night and also appeared in Elia Kazan's A Face in the Crowd (also 1957). With such an impressive first year in movies, the pundits said, Franciosa could turn into another Gable. Showy roles in The Long Hot Summer (1958), Career, The Naked Maja (both 1959), Period of Adjustment (1962, opposite Jane Fonda), The Pleasure Seekers and Rio Conchos (both 1964), among others, followed before Franciosa found small-screen stardom on the TV series "Valentine's Day" (1964-65), "The Name of the Game," (1968-71), and "Matt Helm" (1975-76). His latter-day film roles have been mostly in action-oriented dramas, including Across 110th Street (1972), Firepower (1979), and Death Wish II (1981).