Al Ruscio, a longtime character actor, dies at 89

Character actor and acting teacher, Al Ruscio, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 89.

Shortly after first moving to Hollywood, Ruscio was quickly able to begin landing guest roles on popular TV shows, like Bonanza, Playhouse 90 and The Untouchables, Variety reports. He even appeared in Rod Steiger-led Al Capone on the big screen.

He also acted on stage, appearing in A View From the Bridge and George Bernard Shaw's Don Juan in Hell. He then became an actor-in-residence and chairman of the theater department at Midwestern College in Iowa. He helped produce at least 25 plays during his time there.

Ruscio then went to the University of Windsor in Canada to help direct or act in plays and teach classes. He also would serve as the artistic director at the Academy of Dramatic Art at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ruscio moved back to Hollywood and began appearing in guest roles again on TV. He appeared in a variety of shows, including St. Elsewhere, NYPD Blue, 7th Heaven, Seinfeld and more.

In 2012, Ruscio also published a book called So Therefore ...: A Practical Guide for Actors. "Every scene or action or speech has a 'so therefore.' It is the goal, the ultimate statement of the character. You should know the so therefore as you begin your scene ... The climax and the payoff is the 'so therefore.'"