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ForbesBusinessHollywood & Entertainment

‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Star Joe E. Tata Dies At 85

Marc Berman
Senior Contributor
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
My beat is network and cable television, digital and syndication.
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If you were a fan of the original Fox drama Beverly Hills, 90210, you are certainly familiar with Joe E. Tata at Nat Bussichio, the man who ran everyone’s favorite hangout, The Peach Pit. Sadly, Tata passed away yesterday after losing his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 86.

Tata's daughter Kelly confirmed the news on the GoFundMe page she launched last October to raise funds as the actor struggled with declining health.

"I am devastated to report that my father Joe E. Tata passed away peacefully last night, August 24, 2022," she wrote. "My father and I are forever grateful for the love and support of family, friends, and fans. I'm also especially grateful to Joanna Konjevod for caring for my father in his final years and allowing me to be there to hold his hand in his final moments."

Born on September 13, 1936, Joe E. Tata made the rounds as a guest star early in his career in TV series like Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., No Time for Sergeants, Hogan’s Heroes, Batman, Lost in Space, and Mission: Impossible. From 1974 to 1978, he appeared on eight episodes of The Rockford Files. Other guest appearances prior to Beverly Hills, 90210 included Quincy, M.E., Wonder Woman, The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, and the original Magnum, P.I.

Tata was a fixture on Beverly Hills, 90210 throughout its 10 season run, and he reprised his role for three episodes on 90210, The CW reboot, in 2008.

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"One of the happiest people I've ever worked with, he was as generous with his wisdom as he was with his kindness," wrote his Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Ian Ziering on Instagram. "Though the Peach Pit was a 90210 set, it often felt like the backdrop to the Joe E Tata show. The stories of days gone by that he would share, incredible experiences in the entertainment industry that he was a part of would keep us all captivated."

Tata’s final television appearance was on the 2014 sitcom Mystery Girls opposite his former Beverly Hills, 90210 cast members Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling.

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Marc Berman
Marc Berman
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