Joe E. Tata, the actor known as the Peach Pit diner owner Nat Bussichio on the 1990s teen drama “Beverly Hills, 90210” has died. He was 85.
His daughter, Kelly Katherine Tata, announced in a GoFundMe page posting on Thursday that her father died Wednesday night. She previously wrote that her father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018.
“My father and I are forever grateful for the love and support of family, friends and fans,” said Tata’s daughter, who also wrote that the remaining funds raised from the campaign will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. She said Tata was “honest, kind, and a truly incredible father.”
Ian Ziering, a “90210” star, wrote in a social media post that he admired Tata as “one of the happiest people I’ve ever worked with.”
He said Tata was “generous with his wisdom as he was with his kindness.”
Tata appeared in television shows including “Lost in Space,” “The Rockford Files,” “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” and the original “Batman” series. But he was most popular for the role he played on “Beverly Hills, 90210” for all 10 seasons of the hit series.
Tata reprised the Nat Bussichio role in the spin-off series “90210,” which aired on the CW network from 2008 to 2013.
