Vincent Gardenia - Death

Death

In December 1992, Gardenia was in Philadelphia to perform in the stage production of the Tom Dulack comedy “Breaking Legs”, beginning a three-week run in the off Broadway hit, at the famed Forrest Theatre on Walnut St. In the play, Gardenia had performed the role of restauranteur ‘Lou Garziano’, since the show’s New York opening in May 1991.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 9, 1992, just hours after the Philly preview of “Breaking Legs”, Gardenia had returned to his hotel about 1 a.m. after dining with stage director John Tillinger, producer Elliot Martin and the play’s cast after the show’s preview. According to Martin, Gardenia showed no signs of illness, adding, “It was just a jolly evening.”

According to authorities, when Gardenia failed to appear for a radio interview to promote the play’s run, press representative Irene Gandy and a fellow cast member Vince Viverito became alarmed. When they arrived at Gardenia’s hotel, and there was no answer from Gardenia, they entered his hotel room. It was there where they found him dead of a heart attack, in his room, dressed and clutching a telephone. He was 72. In true theatrical tradition of “the show must go on”, hours after the sad discovery, the play’s official opening went on that evening at the Forrest Theatre.

He is interred in Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, along with his parents Elisa (1901–1967) and Gennaro Gardenia Scognamiglio (1896–1965). A section of 16th Ave. in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, where he lived until his death, bears the secondary name of Vincent Gardenia Boulevard in his honor.