Leonardo Cimino Dead at 94

Veteran actor Leonardo Cimino died last week at his home in upstate New York at the age of 94, his widow said. Sharon Powers told The New York Times her husband died of heart disease March 3.

Cimino spent 60 years as a character actor and appeared on Broadway as well as television and movies.

In the early 1980s he replaced Dominic Chianese as Alexei Vartova (Joe Novak's rival) on RYAN'S HOPE. He later appeared on 'V' and ONE LIFE TO LIVE.

Critics gave him high marks for his work in the title role of Vincent Van Gogh in the 1959 Broadway production of "Vincent," The Times said. He earned an Obie Award in 1958 for his performance in "The Brothers Karamazov."

Cimino was a Brooklyn native who took part in the D-Day invasion of World War II and went on to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School and dance with choreographer Martha Graham.