Michael Tucci, an 80-year-old actor known for his role as Sonny LaTierri in the 1978 hit musical film "Grease," was recently seen running errands in Los Angeles. Tucci, who starred alongside John Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John, has largely stepped away from Hollywood to become a high school teacher.
He was observed driving a silver Lexus sedan, dressed in a white shirt, dark pants, a navy vest, and slip-on grey sneakers. His appearance featured short, textured white-grey hair and stubbly grey facial hair. He also wore brown-framed eyeglasses.
In "Grease," Tucci played one of the members of the T-Birds, Danny Zuko's (Travolta) greaser gang. The film, based on the 1971 stage musical, became the highest-grossing film of 1978. Following his role in the movie, Tucci continued his acting career in television and on stage.
His television credits include the role of law student Gerald Golden in "The Paper Chase" from 1983 to 1986, Pete Schumaker in "It's Garry Shandling's Show" from 1986 to 1990, and appearances in the first four seasons of "Diagnosis: Murder" starting in 1993. In 2013, he portrayed the father of Melissa McCarthy's Detective Shannon Mullins.
On stage, Tucci toured for three years in the musical "Chicago" as Roxy Hart's husband, Amos. He also performed in Uta Hagen's play "Destination" and was an actor in the original 1973 production of "Godspell." According to Broadway World, he was an understudy for several roles in the early days of Broadway productions.
After his time in Hollywood, Tucci pursued a career in education, working as a teacher and theatre coach at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. In 2014, he directed students in a production of "We're the Millers."