Michael DeLano, the versatile character actor whose career stretched across five decades of television and film, has died at 84. His family confirmed he passed away on October 20 in Las Vegas from a heart attack. Born in New York City in 1940, DeLano discovered performing early, first as a young singer in Harlem before heading to Hollywood at 14. When acting didn’t come quickly, he traveled as a musician, later serving three years in the Army as both a paratrooper and performer in military revues.
In 1960, DeLano briefly reinvented himself as Swan Records artist “Key Larson,” even appearing on American Bandstand, but the persona didn’t stick. By the 1970s, he returned to acting under his real name and began picking up roles on major television series including Adam-12, Barnaby Jones, Kojak, Starsky and Hutch, and The Rockford Files. His first big break came in 1974 as Sonny Caputo on ABC’s Firehouse, followed by a memorable recurring role as lounge singer Johnny Venture on Rhoda.
DeLano also built a steady film presence. He appeared in Catlow, The New Centurions, and later 9 to 5 as a motorcycle cop. Action fans remember him as Forrestal in the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic Commando, and audiences worldwide saw him as the Las Vegas casino manager working under Andy García in Ocean’s Eleven and its sequel Ocean’s Twelve. His film and TV work continued into the 2000s with CSI and My Blueberry Nights, and he made his final onscreen appearance in Royal Pains in 2012.
He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Jean; his daughter, Bree; and grandchildren Michael, Lincoln, and Jaxon. From singer to soldier to actor, Michael DeLano leaves behind a long and colorful legacy of memorable roles and unwavering dedication to his craft. Rest in peace.
