Actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. of 'Green Book' fame found dead in Bronx, suspect charged with dumping body (EXCLUSIVE) - New York Daily News

The last country for a Bronx-born histrion and restaurateur came with a heart-breaking ending.

Frank Vallelonga Jr., 60, whose corpse was callously dumped connected a Bronx sidewalk, was identified Thursday arsenic the namesake lad of a one-time Copacabana bouncer played by Viggo Mortensen successful the Oscar-winning movie “Green Book” and the member of a two-time Academy Award winner.

Vallelonga was the lad of the precocious Frank Sr., known arsenic “Tony Lip,” who famously accompanied Black pianist Don Shirley arsenic a bodyguard during a circuit done the Jim Crow-era South successful the aboriginal 1960s earlier an improbable translation from doorman to histrion — and a recurring relation connected “The Sopranos.”

The fishy arrested for leaving the lifeless assemblage down seemingly loaded the corpse into a conveyance leased by the victim’s acclaimed member Nick for the Nov. 29 thrust to his last factual resting place, a transgression ailment alleged.

“That dude was dormant already,” operator Steven Smith told cops, according to a transgression complaint. “He overdosed. I didn’t person thing to bash with that.”

The decease car was expected to beryllium utilized successful the New Jersey filming of a John Travolta movie, constabulary sources told the Daily News. Neighbors said the filming connected the streets of Franklin Lakes, N.J., was acceptable for past month, with Frank announcing helium was directing the sprout that ne'er happened.

Frank Vallelonga (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

The dormant antheral was discovered astatine 3:51 a.m. Monday aft a 911 telephone reporting a assemblage extracurricular a Hunts Point factory, and constabulary said video surveillance and witnesses confirmed the car with New Jersey plates stopped earlier the corpse was pulled from the passenger’s spot and near behind.

Vallelonga’s origin of decease remains officially unconfirmed, with a spokeswoman for the metropolis Medical Examiner saying an probe has been launched, but the results could instrumentality immoderate clip to confirm.

“I loved the guy. He was a large guy,” “Sopranos” prima Vincent Pastore told The News. “The past clip I saw Frankie, helium came to 1 of my acting classes successful the metropolis astir six months ago.”

The corpse was recovered without immoderate identification, initially leaving the victim’s sanction a mystery. Vallelonga Jr. was the proprietor of Tony Lip’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, named aft his celebrated father, until the Franklin Lakes, N.J. eatery closed during the pandemic.

Vallelonga Jr.’s ain stab astatine an acting vocation included 9 credits including “Green Book,” wherever helium played his uncle Rudy, and an quality connected “The Sopranos.”

An Instagram photograph from 2019, erstwhile “Green Book” won the Best Picture Oscar, shows a tuxedo-clad Frank Jr. hugging Lady Gaga.

Christine Lepporino, 43, whose begetter owned a adjacent Jersey barbershop, recalled however thrilled Vallelonga was by the movie’s release.

“He was truthful arrogant of it,” she recalled. “It was truthful breathtaking ... I deliberation helium had a solemnisation for it here, too. We congratulated him for it.”

From left: Tony Lip, Nick Vallelonga and Frank Vallelonga be a screening of "Harry...A Communication Breakdown" astatine the Chakra connected November 26, 2008 successful Paramus, New Jersey. (Brian Killian/Getty Images)

Smith, 35, arrested 1 time aft the assemblage was discovered, faces 8 charges including concealment of a quality corpse, possession of a stolen conveyance and expansive larceny. He was released without bail aft his Bronx Criminal Court arraignment.

The grey 2021 Hyundai Elantra carrying the dormant Vallelonga was tied to his Academy Award-winning younger member Nick, according to tribunal papers. He had not fixed support for anyone to usage the vehicle.

The seasoned Hollywood filmmaker co-wrote the screenplay for “Green Book” and captured a brace of Oscars arsenic his cinematic prima ascended.

Smith lives successful a Bronx stateless shelter, according to cops.

A Legal Aid spokesperson told The News that Smith played nary relation successful the death, arsenic noted by the Bronx transgression ailment and the charges brought against him for dumping the remains.

According to Smith, a pistillate named Pam told him idiosyncratic had overdosed successful a car. Smith admitted to driving disconnected successful the conveyance and leaving the assemblage behind, a transgression ailment alleged.

“I got the assemblage retired by pulling him retired of the car connected the floor,” Smith allegedly told cops. “I don’t cognize the feline astatine all.”

The Vallelonga brothers’ dada was possibly champion known arsenic an histrion for his relation arsenic New York mob brag Carmine Lupertazzi successful “The Sopranos,” on with tiny parts successful classical organized transgression movies similar “Goodfellas,” “Donnie Brasco” and “The Godfather.”

The household patriarch landed his occupation with instrumentalist Shirley during a renovation astatine the Copa, and spent 18 period connected the roadworthy with him. Shirley, who died successful 2013, requested nary movie beryllium made until aft his decease and the communicative remained known lone among the Vallelonga family.

A idiosyncratic astatine a adjacent motortruck and tyre store recounted the country erstwhile cops arrived to find the corpse.

“They recovered the assemblage adjacent to the bulldozer,” helium said. “A mates workers recovered his assemblage lying determination and had called police.”

With Nicholas Williams