'Green Book' Actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. Found Dead After Alleged Overdose, Man Charged For Dumping Body In Street
Dec. 1 2022, Published 2:43 p.m. ET
Actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. was found dead in New York City this week after suffering an alleged overdose, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Frank’s shocking demise came Monday morning after the NYPD received a call regarding an unconscious man in the Bronx.
Upon responding to the call, the NYPD reportedly found the actor – most famous for his role in the Oscar-winning film Green Book – dead in the street.
Although the medical examiner is still investigating Frank’s official cause of death, the NYPD has criminally charged and arrested a man for dumping the actor’s corpse.
The man has since been identified as 35-year-old Steven Smith, who was subsequently found, arrested, and charged with concealment of a human corpse in relation to the actor’s death
According to Smith, the 60-year-old Green Book actor suffered a fatal overdose before his body was dumped on the street outside a sheet-metal manufacturing factory.
Even more shocking is the fact that the man allegedly dumped Frank’s body using a car owned by the actor's brother – Nick Vallelonga.
Nick has since told investigators that the arrested man did not have “permission or authority” to drive his car, according to TMZ.
Both Frank and Nick are the sons of Sopranos star Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga, who played the role of New York City mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi in the hit HBO series.
Nick co-wrote and co-produced Green Book – the 2018 biographical comedy-drama starring Mahershala Ali.
The film, which was inspired by Tony Lip’s own experience working as the driver and bodyguard for pianist Don Shirley during a 1962 tour through the Deep South, won three Academy Awards and one Golden Globe.
Frank starred in the critically acclaimed film as Rudy Vallelonga, Tony Lip’s older brother, while Nick also appeared in a small role as Augie.
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"Well growing up, he told the story," Frank explained during an interview promoting Green Book in 2018 and his father’s role therein. "We'd be sitting around the table and he would tell us about the trip, the story, Don Shirley…his is a story that we knew and my brother [Nick] put it on paper and the rest is history. We heard the stories for many years."
Frank’s father died at the age of 82 in January 2013.
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