James Farentino Dead; Actor Dies Of Heart Failure At 73
01/24/12 11:18 PM ET
LOS ANGELES — Actor James Farentino, who appeared in dozens of movies and television shows, died Tuesday in a Los Angeles hospital, according to a family spokesman.
He was 73.
Farentino died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital after a long illness, said the spokesman, Bob Palmer.
Farentino starred alongside Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen in the 1980 science fiction film "
The Final Countdown." The movie featured a modern aircraft carrier that travels back in time to Pearl Harbor hours before the Japanese attack.
Farentino also starred opposite Patty Duke in 1969's "
Me, Natalie."
In 1967, he won a "Most Promising Newcomer" Golden Globe for his performance in the comedy "
The Pad and How to Use It."
He also had recurring roles on "
Dynasty," "
Melrose Place," "
The Bold Ones: The Lawyers" and "
ER," playing the estranged father to George Clooney's character.
In 1978, he was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Saint Peter in the television mini-series "
Jesus of Nazareth."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1938, Farentino is survived by two sons, David and Saverio.