Beloved ‘Porky’s’ and ‘Die Hard 2’ star dead aged 64

20 February 2024

Actor Tony Ganios has died aged 64 from a heart attack.

Actor Tony Ganios has died aged 64 from a heart attack

Best known for playing Anthony ‘Meat’ Tuperello in 1981 comedy ‘Porky’s’ and for his role as a mercenary alongside Bruce Willis in ‘Die Hard 2’, the star passed away on Sunday (18.02.24), but his passing has only now come to light.

He died at a hospital in New York a day after he was taken in for treatment while suffering a severe spinal cord infection, which was followed by his fatal cardiac arrest, his fiancée Amanda has confirmed.

Announcing Tony’s death on X, she said on the platform: “The last words we said to each other were ‘I love you.’ Love is an understatement.

"You are everything to me. My heart, my soul and my best friend. #I love you.”

An exchange between Amanda and a fan of her partner’s online revealed Tony suffered his heart attack after being taken into surgery for his spinal infection.

One devastated film fan replied to Amanda’s death announcement: “Please god tell me this isn’t true. I was going to meet him in two weeks.

“Finally gonna meet him after all these years. Just awful news. My heart and prayers are with you Amanda.”

Detailing how Tony died, Amanda replied: “Thank you, Marc. It’s just unreal to me right now. It was so fast. He hadn’t felt well and hid it from me for days.

“When he finally told me, and was taken to the hospital, his spinal cord was severely infected.

“They did surgery, next morning, his heart stopped. I’m crushed.”

Amanda told another of Tony’s fans on X: “It’s not real to me. I’m just empty.”

She also told TMZ she was “shattered” by the actor’s passing.

Tony’s character in ‘Die Hard 2’ slaughters a church caretaker and dies after Bruce Willis’ New York cop character John McClane stabs him in the eye with an icicle in the snowbound movie.

He made his debut appearance as tough guy Perry in 1979 film ‘The Wanderers’ and in 1981, played a former football player turned mountain man in the John Belushi movie ‘Continental Divide’.

Along with ‘Porky’s, he starred in two of the raunchy franchise’s sequels and appeared in five episodes of the 1980s TV series ‘Wiseguy’ as Mike ‘Mooch’ Cacciatore.

Tony semi-retired from acting after appearing in 1993’s ‘Rising Sun’ buddy cop film alongside the late Sir Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.