Biography for
Ron Palillo More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

2 April 1949, Cheshire, Connecticut, USA

Date of Death

14 August 2012, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA (heart attack)

Birth Name

Ronald Gabriel Paolillo

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

At 14, Ron Palillo started his own summer theater in Cheshire, Connecticut. His parents,Gabriel and Carmel Palillo,were surprised when the summer theater actually made money. After graduating from high school, Ron went to the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where he majored in drama. He appeared in many school plays in college. After graduation, Ron got a job with a touring company which performed Shakespeare's plays. He says he received invaluable drama training during that tour, acting in Shakespearean masterpieces like "Macbeth", "The Taming of the Shrew" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". After his Shakespearean tour, Ron became a member of a repertory company in Miami, Florida. Shortly after arriving in New York, Ron got a role in the off-Broadway success "Hot l Baltimore." He stayed with the show for over a year. Because of his work in "Hot L Baltimore". Ron was given a lead role in a musical special, "The Last Sweet Days of Isaac", on television. After Isaac, he once again went on tour and appeared with Mickey Rooney in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and with Jan Sterling in a serious play, "Summer Brave." He has two brothers and a sister. His elder brother, Richard is an eye surgeon, his brother Robert, is a salesman and his sister Ann, became a teacher.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous

Trivia

Finishing the illustrations on his 2nd children's book. Appears in operas and other stage performances.

Was defeated by Dustin Diamond ("Screech" from "Saved by the Bell" (1989)) in Fox's Celebrity Boxing 2 (2002) (TV).

He attended Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, after receiving his bachelor's degree.

Was the second of the main cast members of "Welcome Back, Kotter" (1975) to pass away in 2012. The first was Robert Hegyes, who ironically also passed away from a heart attack.

Palillo and his partner of 41 years, Joseph Gramm, lived in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Where Are They Now

(June 1999-February 2000) Currently directing and co-starring in the stage musical A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline in West Palm Beach, FL.

(November 2004) Currently appearing in The Ivoryton playhouse's production of Inherit the Wind, which runs through Nov. 21,2004

(August 2008) Starred in the independent short film The Curse of Micah Rood, which was shown at the New London Film Festival.

(August 2009) Teaching freshman drama at G-STAR School of the Arts for Motion Pictures and Broadcasting in Palm Beach, Florida.