Tony Orlando
Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis (born April 3, 1944), better known as Tony Orlando, is an Americanshow business professional, best known as the lead singer of the group Tony Orlando and Dawn in the early 1970s. Discovered by producer Don Kirshner, Orlando had songs on the charts in 1961 when he was 16, "Halfway to Paradise" and "Bless You". Orlando then became a producer himself, and at an early age was promoted to a vice-president position at CBS Records, where he was in charge of the April-Blackwood Music division. He sang under the name "Dawn" in the 1970s, and when the songs became hits, he went on tour and the group became "Tony Orlando and Dawn". They had several songs which were major hits including "Candida", "Knock Three Times", and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree". The group hosted a variety program, "The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show" on CBS from 1974–76, and then broke up in 1978. Orlando then continued as a solo singer, performing in Las Vegas and Branson, Missouri.[1] Orlando has hosted the New York City portions of the MDA Labor Day Telethon on WWOR-TV since the 1980s but quit in 2011 in response to Jerry Lewis' firing from the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Known For
Credits
- 2023 · Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr. as Self (archive footage)
- 2023 · The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story as Self
- 2017 · Sandy Wexler as Testimonial
- 2016 · Dice as Self
- 2012 · That's My Boy as Steve Spirou
- 2005 · Tony Orlando & Dawn: The Ultimate Collection as Himself
- 2003 · Las Vegas as
- 2002 · Waking Up in Reno as Self
- 2001 · Oswald as Sammy Starfish (voice)
- 1995 · MADtv as Self
- 1990 · The Kingdom Chums - Original Top Ten as Christopher (voice)
- 1984 · The Cosby Show as Tony Castillo
- 1982 · Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story as Jose Ferrer
- 1982 · Lynda Carter: Street Life as Self
- 1981 · 300 Miles for Stephanie as Alberto Rodriguez
- 1980 · Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters as Self
- 1976 · A Star Is Born as Self
- 1976 · The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976 as Self
- 1974 · Tony Orlando and Dawn as Self
- 1974 · Dinah! as Self
- 1974 · Chico and the Man as
- 1973 · The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts as Self
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self - Co-Host
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self