‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Star Joe E. Tata Dies at 85

Beverly Hills, 90210 star Joe E. Tata has died. The veteran TV actor, best known for playing Nat Bussichio in the coming-of-age Fox series, was 85.

News of Tata’s death was shared by former costar and friend Ian Ziering who wrote about the performer in a tribute on Instagram. “In the last few months we’ve lost Jessica Klein one of 90210’s most prolific writers and producers, Denise Douse who played Mrs. Teasley, and now I’m very sad to say Joe E. Tata has passed away,” Ziering’s message begins.

(Credit: Fox Network. All rights reserved. / Courtesy Everett Collection)

“Joey was truly an OG, I remember seeing him on the Rockford Files with James Garner years before we worked together on 90210. He was often one of the background villains in the original Batman series. One of the happiest people I’ve ever worked with, he was as generous with his wisdom as he was with his kindness,” Ziering adds.

“Though the peach pit was a 90210 set, It often felt like the backdrop to the Joe E. Tata show. The stories of days gone by that he would share, incredible experiences in the entertainment industry that he was a part of would keep us all captivated.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ian Ziering (@ianziering)

According to a GoFundMe page created by Tata’s daughter Kelly, the actor had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2018, though it’s unclear if that was the cause of death.

Along with being known for his role on Beverly Hills, 90210 and the aforementioned Batman and Rockford Files, Tata also starred in Police Story and Lost in Space and appeared in a number of series ranging from Emergency! and Charmed to soaps like Days of Our Lives and General Hospital.