Joseph Bova, 81, Actor With Flair for Comedy, Dies
from the NY Times
Joseph Bova, an actor whose roles ranged from Prince Dauntless the Drab in the original production of “Once Upon a Mattress” to Shakespeare’s King Richard III, died on March 12 at the Actors’ Fund retirement home in Englewood, N.J. He was 81.
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Joseph Bova, around 1971.
The cause was emphysema, said his wife, Dr. Lee Lawson.
Mr. Bova, known largely for his comedic abilities, was an actor who, though not a major star, had a steady career on and off Broadway, in movies and on television.
Born in Cleveland to Anthony Bova, a grocer, and Mary Bova, a homemaker, he was a child actor there. After graduating from Northwestern University, he became the program director for an NBC outlet in Cleveland and, as Uncle Joe Bova, was host of a children’s television program and brought the character to ABC’s local station in New York.
