Michael DeLano, “Rhoda” and “Ocean’s Eleven” Actor, Dies at 84

Michael DeLano, an actor and singer best known for his role as Johnny Venture in the CBS series Rhoda, has died. He was 84.

As his wife of 28 years, Jean DeLano, told The Hollywood Reporter, Michael had a heart attack and died on Oct. 20 in a Las Vegas hospital.

DeLano kicked off his career back in 1940 as a dancer on American Bandstand during the show’s early years in Philadelphia. By 1960, he signed with Swan Records under the name Key Larson and released songs like “A Web of Lies” and “A Little Lovin’ Goes a Long, Long Way.”

After dabbling in music and dance, he adopted a new stage name — inspired by a neon sign outside of a hotel — and entered the acting world in the early 1970s. Along with making guest appearances on shows like Adam-12, Banyon, and Barnaby Jones, DeLano began to appear in some of his earliest films, including the 1971 Western film Catlow and the 1972 neo-noir action crime film The New Centurions.

After playing firefighter Sonny Caputo on all 13 episodes of ABC’s Firehouse in 1974, DeLano went on to land one of his most well-known roles: Johnny Venture in the CBS sitcom Rhoda, whose main goal was romancing Valerie Harper’s titular character across 11 episodes, from 1976 to 1978. 

In the 1980s, DeLano continued to land roles, having played Frank Coyne on the NBC primetime soap opera Flamingo Road as well as a doomed car salesman in 1985’s Commando alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. His other credits included films like Hollywood Man, 9 to 5, and Another Stakeout, as well as guest appearances in shows like Charlie’s Angels, Perfect Strangers, The A-Team and many more. 

More recently, the actor, who moved to Las Vegas in 1992, starred in Steven Soderbergh’s remake of Ocean’s Eleven, in which DeLano played a Las Vegas casino manager working for Andy Garcia’s ruthless character, Terry Benedict. He reprised the role in the 2004 sequel, Ocean’s Twelve. 

In addition to his wife, DeLano is survived by daughter Bree, grandsons Michael and Lincoln, and granddaughter Jaxon.