Robert LuPone, the Star of 'The Sopranos' and 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' Died at Age 76

The actor Robert LuPone, who played Dr. Bruce Cusamano, Tony's go-to physician in The Sopranos, has died at age 76. The Brooklyn native who landed roles in iconic movies like Jesus Christ Superstar and Funny Games, lost his life on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022.

Robert portrayed healthcare professionals in a range of TV shows, including A Gifted Man, Royal Pains, and Gossip Girl. What's Robert's cause of death?

Robert graduated from the Juilliard School in 1968 with a BFA in dance. IMDb lists his first-ever role as an uncredited dancer in Song of Norway, a movie exploring the life and deeds of Edvard Grieg, the famed Norwegian composer who created scores like the "Peer Gynt Suites." Robert went on to build an eminently enviable career as an actor, scoring roles in All My Children, Sex and the City, and Law & Order.

Robert died following a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer, an announcement by the MCC Theatre states. Robert co-founded the MCC Theatre, one of the hottest off-Broadway theaters in New York, with casting director Bernard Telsey. Robert last appeared in a Season 20 episode of Law & Order: SVU in 2019. He took on a handful of roles in the 2010s, gradually slowing things down.

As a theater actor, Robert earned raving reviews with Arnold Burns's role in a 2001 adaptation of A Thousand Clowns, Saul Kimmer in True West, and the Dauphin in Saint Joan. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 1975, with Zach in A Chorus Line. (In the 1985 movie adaptation, Michael Douglas played the same role.) Robert also worked as the artistic director on MCC Theatre productions like Frozen and The Snow Geese. Robert is survived by his wife, Virginia, son Orlando, and siblings.

"MCC founding Co-Artistic Director Bob LuPone passed away Saturday, August 27 after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Virginia, his son Orlando, sister Patti, and brother William," reads the announcement by MCC Theatre. "He is also survived by the profound impact he had on us."

"Some of our fondest memories are of the MCC Marathon Weekend retreats we did in the early days, where Bob would lead a group of actors, directors, and playwrights to a ramshackle retreat house on Long Island to read first drafts of new plays, eat, drink, and talk all weekend, as his mother Pat made food for us," reads the statement. "For many of us, Bob created a sense of community that we had not yet found in New York, and we have treasured ever since."

"Bob was a force, an advocate, complex in the richest ways, overflowing with a youthful enthusiasm, and deeply wise as he looked in to our souls," reads the statement. "He was our best friend. It is hard to believe that we will never sit down with him again and say, 'Let’s talk.'"