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Joe Regalbuto

Highest Rated: 94% Missing (1982)

Lowest Rated: 10% The Sicilian (1987)

Birthday: Aug 24, 1949

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

Indelibly famous for playing cocky newscaster Frank Fontana on the long-running sitcom "Murphy Brown" (CBS, 1988-1998), Joe Regalbuto was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1949. Pursuing a love of acting he had felt since childhood, he would study at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. Eventually, Regalbuto was drafted for service in the Vietnam War, but his conscientious objector status led to him performing alternative service at the New York University Medical Center, where he began drifting away from the arts. Eventually however, a conversation with a therapist reminded him of his original passion, and he re-enrolled at NYU to further study acting. Eventually pursuing a professional career as a performer, Regalbuto made his on-screen debut with a small appearance in the film "The Goodbye Girl" (1977). He followed this with other roles, like one in the thriller "Schizoid" (1980) and in the Tom Selleck crime drama "Lassiter" (1984). Then in 1988, Regalbuto joined the cast of "Murphy Brown," cementing his place in the hearts of millions of fans as Brown's platonic best friend and co-worker, Frank Fontana. He would go on to appear in projects like the sleeper hit "Bottle Shock" (2008). Eventually, Regalbuto joined his castmates from "Murphy Brown" for the show's reboot in 2018.

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Highest rated movies

94% 85% Missing
Watchlist
77% 42% The Star Chamber
Watchlist
53% 31% Lassiter
Watchlist
31% 29% Raw Deal
Watchlist
10% 42% The Sicilian
Watchlist
J. Edgar Hoover
Watchlist
Fatal Judgment
Watchlist
Amazing Stories: The Movie V
Watchlist
That Secret Sunday
Watchlist
Ace Crawford, Private Eye
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 33% Fire Twister Mitch (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet 72% Mockingbird Don't Sing Dr. Norm Glazer (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bodily Harm Stan Geffen (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beyond Obsession Jake Meletti (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Amazing Stories: The Movie V Merle (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Writer's Block Det. Mark Browning (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean Paul Summerton (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage Tony Blanchard (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fatal Judgment Charlie Capute (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet 40% Deadly Weapon Unknown (Character) - 1988
10% 42% The Sicilian Father Doldana (Character) $4.4M 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet J. Edgar Hoover William C. Sullivan (Character) - 1987
31% 29% Raw Deal Marvin Baxter (Character) $14.8M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet That Secret Sunday Willie Fitz (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love Lives On Unknown (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 23% Invitation to Hell Tom Peterson (Character) - 1984
53% 31% Lassiter Peter Breeze (Character) - 1984
77% 42% The Star Chamber Arthur Cooms (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ace Crawford, Private Eye Toomey (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Other Woman Jeff Marisol (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet 68% Six Weeks Bob Crowther (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Divorce Wars: A Love Story Barry Fields (Character) - 1982
94% 85% Missing Frank Teruggi (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet 19% Schizoid Jake (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cheaper to Keep Her Chuck (Character) - 1980

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murphy Brown Frank Fontana (Character),
Director
2018
92% 90% Curb Your Enthusiasm Sal (Guest Star) 2017
82% 87% Castle Unknown (Guest Star) 2016
No Score Yet 75% Major Crimes Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
25% 50% Partners Director 2014
0% 31% Saint George Director 2014
90% 97% Southland Mr. Rogers (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 84% NCIS Col. George Ellis (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet 87% Ghost Whisperer Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet 81% George Lopez Unknown (Guest Star),
Director
2002-2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out of Practice Director 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet JAG Unknown (Guest Star) 2005
58% No Score Yet I'm With Her Director 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Big House Director 2004
64% No Score Yet All About the Andersons Unknown (Guest Star),
Director
2003-2004
20% No Score Yet Like Family Director 2003
33% No Score Yet Married to the Kellys Director 2003
41% No Score Yet Greetings From Tucson Director 2002-2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Agency Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
61% 78% Ally McBeal Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet For Your Love Director 1999-2001
67% No Score Yet Nikki Director 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Veronica's Closet Director 2000
No Score Yet 64% Family Guy Frank Fontana / Bull / Editor (Guest Voice) 2000
46% No Score Yet It's Like, You Know ... Director 1999
67% No Score Yet Norm Director 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Smart Guy Director 1998-1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Maggie Director 1998-1999
78% 93% Friends Director 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murphy Brown Frank Fontana (Character),
Director
1988-1998
44% No Score Yet Ink Unknown (Guest Star),
Director
1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet 94% The Golden Girls Jeremy (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jake and the Fatman Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Who's the Boss? Unknown (Guest Star) 1986-1987
No Score Yet 82% Amazing Stories Unknown (Character) 1986
No Score Yet 95% Magnum, P.I. Don Eddie Rice (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet 89% Street Hawk Norman Tuttle (Character) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ace Crawford, Private Eye Toomey (Character) 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Best of the West Unknown (Guest Star) 1982
90% No Score Yet Mork & Mindy Unknown (Guest Star) 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Barney Miller Officer Earl Slatic-Sanitation Police (Guest Star) 1980-1981
80% 60% Bosom Buddies Unknown (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Associates Eliot Streeter (Character) 1979-1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Eight Is Enough Unknown (Guest Star) 1980