Gordon, who played mobster on 'Untouchables,' dies ('Frank Nitti' is dead at 94)

Yahoo ^ | 1/26/11 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

SANTA FE, N.M. – Actor Bruce Gordon, who played a mobster on the television series "The Untouchables" from 1959 to 1963, died at his Santa Fe home. He was 94.

Gordon, who had lived in Santa Fe since the 1970s, died Jan. 20, 12 days before his 95th birthday.

[NormsRevenge]

RIP Bruce

[NormsRevenge]

I always enjoyed his work. He was the kind of mobster ya’d want to run up to and give a big hug, he was such a big fuzzy bear.

[allmendream]

What a lousy movie that was. Just like anything Costner is involved with.

The real Frank Nitti survived Capone, I believe the movie had him killed personally by Elliot Ness.

History, Hollywood uses it like a rented mule. And they don't get as good a story as they otherwise might.

[NormsRevenge]

[ConorMacNessa]

Rest in Peace, Bruce Gordon - thanks for the memories!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[Kartographer]

From TVRage:Burly, cleft-chinned actor best known for his role as gangster Frank Nitti on the classic 1959-63 ABC crime drama The Untouchables. Though the role of Nitti typecast him as a gangster for much of the remainder of his acting career, Gordon was also adept at playing comic versions of his gangster personna on shows such as The Lucy Show, Jackie Gleason and The Partners. He also starred as a comic gangster on the short-lived 1966 comedy Run, Buddy, Run and had a recurring role in the 1960's ABC primetime soap Peyton Place. Before being cast on The Untouchables, Gordon had starred in the 1958-59 NBC espionage drama Behind Closed Doors and had appeared in numerous prestigious Broadway productions such as Arsenic and Old Lace, Antony and Cleopatra, and The Lark.

RIP Bruce!

Rest easy Elliot, Frank Nitti sleeps with the fishes.

[Kartographer]

[allmendream]

Oops, the TV series; NOT the movie.

Disregard my remarks.

[JoeProBono]

Produced by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’ Desilu Studios, The Untouchables was a weekly crime drama series that followed the adventures of Ness (Stack) and his gang of untouchables as they pitted forces against some the toughest gangsters this side of a Coppola film. Among the guest stars in this set are Martin Landau, Jack Klugman, Cloris Leachman, Peter Falk, Telly Savalas, Charles Bronson, Martin Balsam, Albert Salmi, Vincent Gardenia, Victor Buono, Frank Cady, Ed Asner, Marc Lawrence (what sort of gangster series or film would be complete without him?), Roger Corman regular Antony Carbone, and even a really young Dyan Cannon. Frequent guest star Bruce Gordon returns as Frank Nitti.

[safeasthebanks]

This has nothing to do with the movie.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Actually I think the first few episodes of The Untouchables had Nitti getting killed and other “happy endings” I guessed that the series was getting popular so they rewrote to include the gangsters on an ongoing basis

[Billthedrill]

Too bad about the typecasting, but you know you’ve done a brilliant job when it happens. RIP for a childhood memory.

[stuartcr]

Do you know they’re not talking about the movie?

[allmendream]

I eventually figured it out. Thanks.

[Daveinyork]

Also guest starring were Mike Kellen and a very young Robert Redford.

[Doctor 2Brains]

Peter Falk was great in the episode I saw him in.

[Jolla]

Hey young’un this was back in the 60s Costner was in grade school, it was a TV show.

[allmendream]

Yes, yes; I figured it out.

That is what I get for commenting first and reading the article second; I know I know.

One thing the movie did get right, that apparently the TV show didn't was that Frank Nitti was known for wearing all white suits; IIRC.

[greene66]

Saw him not too long ago in a 1957 “Gunsmoke” episode. Bad-guy, of course. He was always a terrific villain. Yet you couldn’t help but like him, no matter what kind of dastardly deed he was up to. There was just something so darned endearing about him.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

The actual crime scene photo of the suicide of the real Frank Nitti can be seen in “The Godfather”. The series of newspaper headlines and dead mobster photos that play after Michael kills Solazzo and the Police Captain. The first picture of the dead guy in a grey suit leaning against the fence. That’s Nitti.