Actor in Oscar-winning movie Green Book found dead on New York street

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Actor In Oscar-Winning Movie Green Book Found Dead On New York Street
Frank Vallelonga Jr
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By Associated Press Reporters

A man found dead on a New York City pavement this week has been identified as Frank Vallelonga Jr, an actor who appeared in the Oscar-winning movie Green Book.

Vallelonga, 60, was the son of one-time nightclub bouncer Frank Vallelonga Sr, known as Tony Lip, who was portrayed by Viggo Mortensen in the 2018 film.

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Frank Vallelonga Jr played a relative of Mortensen’s character in the movie, which won the Oscar for best picture.

His body was discovered early on Monday morning in the Bronx after a 911 caller reported seeing it near a factory.

Police found no obvious signs of trauma and the cause of death has not been determined.

Police identified Vallelonga on Thursday and his manager later confirmed it was the actor.

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“It’s completely a tragedy and shocking,” said manager Melissa Prophet.

A 35-year-old man was charged with concealment of a human corpse a day after the body was found. The investigation is continuing.

Vallelonga has more than half a dozen acting credits since 1994, including an appearance on The Sopranos, according to the IMDB website.

Green Book was based on a 1962 tour of the South by black pianist Don Shirley and the elder Vallelonga, who was Shirley’s driver and bodyguard.

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The elder Vallelonga later in life became known as an actor and portrayed mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi on The Sopranos.

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