Frank Pesce, star of ‘Top Gun and ‘Flashdance,’ dead at 75
nypost.comDeadline on Wednesday. In addition to “Top Gun,” Pesce starred in a slew of other ’80s classics, including “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Flashdance,” “American Gigolo” and “Midnight Run.”Pesce — who was close friends with Sylvester Stallone — had reportedly battle dementia for a number of years.
His last listed film credit was the 2015 “Rocky” spin-off, “Creed,” starring Michael B. Jordan. Pesce was born in New York City in 1946, and kick-started his film career acting as an extra in “The Godfather II,” according to The Los Angeles Times.
The paper reported that he was also a stand-in for the likes of Robert DeNiro in “Taxi Driver” and Frank Sinatra in “The First Deadly Sin.” Pesce met Sylvester Stallone in the mid-1970s, and the pair formed a long-lasting friendship.
The star featured in the first “Rocky” movie released in 1976. He also appeared alongside Stallone in the sports drama “Paradise Alley,” which hit cinemas two years later.In addition to his roles in the 1980s big-screen blockbusters, Pesce also appeared in TV shows such as “Knight Rider” and “Miami Vice.” In 1991, Pesce turned his attention to writing, penning the screenplay for the movie “29th Street.”That movie revolved around an Italian-American who wins over $6 million in the first New York State Lottery.
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