Tales of the City's Marcus D'Amico is Dead to Me!

[Quote] Very sad to be told that Tales of the City’s Mouse, Marcus D’Amico, has left us at just 55. Too young. A complicated soul, I’ll remember our nights clubbing when he was in Edinburgh with a smile. #RIP

[Quote] So sad to hear of the death of Marcus D’Amico at just 55. His tender, big-hearted performance of Mouse in the first series of Tales of the City is etched into my psyche forever. To watch him searching for love in that role - a gay Everyman - gave me hope. Rest peacefully, Marcus.

"Complicated soul" = CRAZY

[Quote] So sad to hear that Marcus “Mouse” D’Amico has died at just 55. We met once... A sweet man. RIP.

So sad. He was adorable as Mouse. RIP.

[Quote]Too young. A complicated soul

Did he do himself in?

He was really good in his role in TALES OF THE CITY. I was disappointed when he didn’t return in the later instalments, but I thought Paul Hopkins did a good job as his replacement.

I saw him on Broadway in “An Inspector Calls.” Good show, but Jane Adam’s got all the good reviews. And a Tony, I think.

Ugh, Adams.

Oh wow! This is sad.

If you ever watched Judi Dench's show, As Time Goes By, when they go to LA to talk about Lionel's movie, Marcus plays the movie producer.

He was cute but a nervous heterosexual.

With Simon Callow.

As "Willie" in SUPERMAN II.

Waz it the AIDS ,Covid or Drugz?

In "Angels In America".

His head looks about to pop off here.

He was pretty hefty by 2014.

^ He looks strained in that picture— I guess because he was holding the camera in his outstretched arm.

I fell in love with him as "Mouse" . Didnt we all ? I wonder what the deal ws . Drugs? Drink ?

Was he Italian?

If they don't say the cause of death, it's suicide.

He was dead to me years ago when he tried to in himself after the first series of Tales was a success

Nothing on wikipedia or his imdb page yet.

Armistead had some cryptic things to say many years ago about Marcus' off-screen behaviour during the filming of the first Tales...

[quote] Didnt we all ?

No.

Don't speak for other people.

"Tales of the City" wasn't really a success. It was on PBS.

With Rupert Graves in "Design For Living."

R25 is one of those niggling wretches who refuses to tolerate a cliche with a non-literal meaning and has to display the ragged cunt.

Not on Christmas, Dawn.

Not on Christmas.

Is this the queen from EastEnders?

[quote] Don't speak

You didn't fancy Marcus D'Amico, R25? Did you know him?

[Quote] Is this the queen from EastEnders?

Tiff's brother? No.

[Quote]Nothing on wikipedia or his imdb page yet.

Wait, are there any news links about his death? Why is twitter the only source? Who first tweeted it?

No news reports yet...is this a hoax?

There's nothing about this in the news, and it's been hours since OP posted.

Fake news.

[quote]There's nothing about this in the news, and it's been hours since OP posted.

I've seen people on Facebook who worked with him say he died. That doesn't necessarily mean he has. Laura Linney needs to get on this stat!

The Queen is waiting until Christmas Day to announce it on her annual Christmas Address.

Taking the first Christmas Mouse wasn't enough, was it God?

[quote]I wonder what the deal ws . Drugs? Drink ?

By the size of him in the photo, I'd say dinner mint. Waffle thin.

IIRC, he was not asked back for the sequel of "Tales of the City" because he said homophobic things to Armisted Maupin. He was replaced by a Canadian actor who was much better looking, but not funny or memorable.

I saw d'Amico in the West End years ago in the famous Stephen Daldry revival of "An Inspector Calls." He would have been fine, but he was just so completely outclassed by Judy Parfitt as his mother and Sylvestra LeTouzel as his sister.

I did some research on his name, since you all were too rude to answer my question, and found out that he was indeed Italian.

I don’t think there’s much out yet about his death because he was really only known for one thing that he did almost 30 years ago. Besides, it was mostly gay people that watched TALES OF THE CITY when it originally aired. People’s comments on Twitter seem to allude to it being suicide.

I seem to remember Maupin implying that D'Amico was a closet case who had ambitions to play leading straight men and that's why he didn't want to return to TALES OF THE CITY.

Which was too bad, because he really was endearing in the role and didn't amount to anything bigger.

What a shame. He was great as Mouse and his replacement was absolutely charmless and terrible.

He was great on TALES OF THE CITY. Hope this isn't true.

Gee, I love those books and those actors in TOTC. it was the first gay positive tv show. I’ll always be grateful to PBS

Is he really dead or is this DL BS? Nothing on Wikipedia, IMDB or anywhere on the Internet .

[quote]I seem to remember Maupin implying that D'Amico was a closet case who had ambitions to play leading straight men and that's why he didn't want to return to TALES OF THE CITY.

Maupin has said only that they came to a mutual decision for him not to return due to "ambivalence" about the role, but supposedly he knew that D'Amico was closeted and hooking up with men during production on the first series.

IS THIS MAN ACTUALLY DEAD OR WHAT?

Very sad news. I think because he left so many of us with such a memorable impression just playing that one role in Tales of the City says a lot about his charisma and talents. RIP

wtf

R13 - Superman 2 was my favorite movie growing up but I always hated that scene! What was this stupid British girl doing in Hicksville, USA pleading for General Zod to let her daddy down??!?

[quote] I did some research on his name, since you all were too rude to answer my question, and found out that he was indeed Italian.

He was born in Germany and raised in Britain, so not really Italian.

When he retired from acting, didn't he become a nurse or some kind of health worker?

Marcus D'Amico was never married. He was gay and kept his relationships on the down-low because he feared his sexuality would impact his career.

[quote] He was born in Germany and raised in Britain

In other words, he was one of our fine foreskinned friends.

So a paranoid guy on the down low takes on a very visible gay role on gay themed TOTC? That makes no sense.

On Instagram, casting agent Patrick Baca posted that he died from bronchial pneumonia.

I saw him in Angels in America in 1992, when I was 17. He was so hot and so great in the role. I developed a major crush on him.

I remember seeing him onstage and noticing he had a very odd way of walking without fully rolling though the foot. It may have been a character choice but it is something you often see with people with neurological dysfunctions.

I was always curious if there was some malady he was working through.

[quote]So a paranoid guy on the down low takes on a very visible gay role on gay themed TOTC? That makes no sense.

When you are an unknown actor, it isn't easy to turn down a lead on TV.

Wasn't the guy who took over the role of Mouse openly gay? I don't remember his name, if I ever knew it and I'm too lazy to look it up.

Maupin was totally in love with him and it probably freaked young Marcus out. I bet that was the reason for their chilly relationship. Maupin seems like a predatory kind of guy who gets mean when you rebuff him.

The first “Tales of the City” miniseries, in 1993, was the absolute best. I wish that Marcus and Chloe Webb would’ve put aside their issues, and would’ve have maintained their roles, in the sequels. It was never the same, though the sequels, except for the final one, were excellent.

Olympia Dukakis was superb throughout them all. Mrs. Madrigal was my favorite character. When she died, in the final series, I felt like I lost an old friend.

He's not dead. This news is a day old, and there's nothing about it whatsoever on wikipedia or in the news. Google it.

[bold] HE'S NOT DEAD. FAKE NEWS. [/bold]

[quote]Wasn't the guy who took over the role of Mouse openly gay? I don't remember his name, if I ever knew it and I'm too lazy to look it up.

Paul Hopkins, who played Mouse in the two Showtime series, is straight. He and Billy Campbell did a lame interview for Out where they talked about hoe much they love pussy.

Murray Bartlett, who did the Netflix series (and Looking on HBO), is out.

^ *how* much

Paul Hopkins and Murray Bartlet were much hotter than Marcus d'Amico when they played Mouse, but Marcus was much more like the character in the books than the way the other two played him.

Considering the roles Marcus played in Tales of the City, and on the West End stage in Angels in America and Design for Living, he clearly didn't shy away from being associated with gay characters.

Who knows why he turned down a second series of TOTC? Do we criticize Chloe Webb because of that?

[quote]I wish that Marcus and Chloe Webb would’ve put aside their issues, and would’ve have maintained their roles, in the sequels.

Nina Siemaszko, who replaced Chloe Webb as Mona in More TOTC, was just awful. One of the most wooden actors I've ever seen.

When I read the books I always pictured Steve Guttenberg as Michael Tolliver.

HIs former agent Patrick Baca posted on Instagram:

"....I'm saddened to report this creative soul has passed, leaving us much too early. He was a fantastic creature - and stage and screen are dimmer without him."

Help yourself to a joint R65, and calm down.

Yeah, we know R72.

He was such a perfect fit for his character—so cute and innocent.

Absolutely my favorite on that show

R65 et al

Remember it took several days before news media began reporting death of Robert Redford's son. This after pretty much same scenario; someone took to social media reporting the event, but elsewhere everything was silent.

Agree with R76 and add that I never saw any mention of Ken Berry's death other than social media. This could be similar.

[quote] Waffle thin.

It's "wafer," isn't it?

Acquaintances have mentioned his kids in social media posts

From his sister

From his sister

RIP Mouse 1.0, gone at still quite young an age.

APA is his sister’s company. Death confirmed here too.

It's interesting seeing that photo of Marcus with his sister. I'm guessing from his age that it was taken in the late 70s. That's really what Mouse would have looked like in TOTC, that's the correct hairdo for the time period. albeit not as attractive as the shorter version he wore in the series.

Has Laura Linney commented yet?

Is Dl fave Kegan Keller his son?

Ok...how does this work when someone dies....should one of us update his Wikipedia entry?

There is nothing online showing he died. Wikipedia, IMDB. Google shows nothing.

R86, go away fool

Well R88, I guess he’s not dead then. Please IM his sister. I’m sure she’ll be relieved.

[quote]On Instagram, casting agent Patrick Baca posted that he died from bronchial pneumonia.

COVID.

It's very sad to hear this. Marcus was great on TOTC and I was so disappointed when he didn't reappear in the sequel. The second Michael "Mouse" Tolliver may have been fine but I can't recall his performance at all.

It seems both him and his sister chose to live in England. And he specialised in playing American characters in English TV shows.

His LinkedIn

"... is dead to me!" is my favorite DLism.

It is odd that there is nothing in the entertainment media about his death but then again it is Christmas so I suppose they are not on the ball with lots of news items relating to the entertainment business.

[quote]It is odd that there is nothing in the entertainment media about his death but then again it is Christmas so I suppose they are not on the ball with lots of news items relating to the entertainment business.

It's not odd really, he's an actor known solely for one role 27 years ago in a series that developed a cult following. In the last 20 years the only tv credits he's had are 2 small roles in long running series that have since been axed, and one episode of The Alienist.

I didn't realise he'd appeared in Trainer, the BBC's early 90s primetime replacement for Howard's Way, alongside Susannah York. Mark Greenstreet was absolutely stunning then. but like Marcus, time hasn't been kind to him.

He was the better Mouse.

[quote]He was the better Mouse.

He really was - it was a great performance but the chemistry with the other actors was a huge part of it - the chemistry wasn't there with the other two.

[Quote] There is nothing online showing he died. Wikipedia, IMDB. Google shows nothing.

Wow, that’s shows how much of a nonentity he had become

Only DL remembers him

OP, how did you discover the news of his death?

I do hope Marcus gets added into the TCM Remembers video.

The D'Amico Wikipedia article has been edited to mention his death, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡, 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑂𝑃, posted by Kevin Wilson.

That's insufficient. There needs to be corroboration by some other source.

His sister Melissa d"Amico expresses her sorrow at the death of her brother. She operates a child actors' agency called APA Talent and her comment is on its Instagram page.

Oh, wow. Very sad.

Do people just post without reading upthread?

FFS, see R80 and R83.

He’s dead. It’s unfortunate but true, whether Wikipedia has been updated or not,

I did not see those posts, R105.

But it still seems incredible to me that we are evidently expected to take Twitter and Facebook posts as fact, news sources in and of themselves. If, say, there were life insurance policies or some such other matter at stake, I'm sure they would require more than online posts.

That is all.

I don't really get how the OP discovered his death. I understand it's from those couple of Instagram posts but why would the OP knows those Instagrammers? Is the OP in the London theatrical world? This is a mystery!

OP is most likely is a Twitter follower of someone who posted or retweeted a post of his death.

R106 Well, welcome to 2020, where sometimes social media is the only place announcements are made.

NYT can't be bothered to list the obits of most entertainment folks any more unless they were on or off Broadway or a trans woman of color at a community college or something.

I'm not sure. I googled it and nothing.

He’s fine R110. He sends his love. 🙄

R106 is 6000 years old. We’re not in the Dark Ages anymore, honey. Wake up.

[quote]It seems both him and his sister chose to live in England.

Oh, dear.

[quote]That's insufficient. There needs to be corroboration by some other source.

R102 has stated his boundaries and DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT!

Still nothing on Google News, nor on imdb nor wikipedia.

R27 I saw him in Design for Living on a trip to London. I couldn’t decide who I fancied more, Marcus or Rupert since they were both at the height of their beauty. I found him so much closer to my reading-based idea of Mouse than his replacement in the subsequent series.

Fucking loser Gerard Courcy is once again slapping together tweets sourced from DL.

WHAAAAAAT?

Interesting that in his middle age, Marcus came to look more like Armistead Maupin than one would have ever thought possible.

[quote]R106 is 6000 years old. We’re not in the Dark Ages anymore, honey. Wake up.

Trying to age-shame me is not going to alter the fact that shit people post to social media like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram does not have the strength of confirmed fact. Nor is it likely to attain that status anytime in the near future. It's always going to require some corroborating 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 source.

"And what is it that makes me so fuckin' happy now? It's because my--my 'Leader' has taught me that if I think it... it's 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑒.

And if I say it, it's even 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑒𝑟." - Lewis Black, 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 (2020).

You’re a moron R120.

What did he die of?

When did 'Mouse' replace 'Michael'?

I'm ancient and, during the original publication of the serial in the daily Chronicle, it was mandatory reading if you wanted to participate in water cooler conversations at the office the next day. Everyone always referred to him as 'Michael'.

Maybe it was that '70s thing we all had for not using nicknames ('Jeffrey', not 'Jeff', 'Robert' not 'Bob', 'William', not 'Bill')

r123, "Mouse" may originally have been Mona's nickname for Michael. On page 45 of [italic]Tales of the City[/italic] (Harper Colophon original trade paperback version), at the beginning of the chapter titled "Mona's new roomie," Michael calls her on the phone and says "Hi. It's Michael." And Mona responds "Mouse!"

So, is he dead or what.

Is this guy in limbo now or something?

r123 You and I must be of a similar vintage and geographical background, because I remember those watercooler conversations about Tales of the City in the Chronicle. I also recall "The Serial" and "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" as topics of discussion in the office in the '70s.

[quote]What did he die of?

A friend of his said on Instagram (see R58) that it was pneumonia—not sure if it was COVID-related or not.

You'd think someone would approach the news agencies to conform or deny these rumours.

The general public and his devoted fans deserve to know the facts.

[quote]You'd think someone would approach the news agencies to conform or deny these rumours.

If his sister posted it on IG then he's as good as dead.

Queerly has announced it and Wikipedia is updated with a date of death of 12/16/20.

From R131 link: he died of pneumonia and is survived by his mother, two sisters, a half brother, and a son and a daughter.

His sister Melissa confirmed his death in an email to Queerty.

Finally.

His death is now being reported by Variety. He’s hit the big times.

Whatever you may think of it, R135, it's still heads above Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Deadline now reporting.

Sometimes it just takes a while for the word to get out. I think Beth Howland, who played Vera on "Alice," died several days or weeks before it was reported to the press.

The original 1993 Tales miniseries was such a masterpiece. I remember hearing a quite a stir about it when it first appeared on television, but I was too young to see it (and my parents would have likely raised an eyebrow had I wanted to see it in their house even had I been in my older teen years). Years later in college, I finally saw the film and fell in love with all of characters, the city and the story. That original cast was magic - down to even the lesser roles like Binky and D'orothea. I re-watched it again on Netflix a few months ago and the luster was still just as bright - perhaps even more so. Of course I anxiously awaited and watched the later sequels, but they all paled in comparison and were huge disappointments IMO. The filming was sharper, everything looked "newer" (not in a good way) and that slightly grainy/hazy quality to the filming that succeeded in placing the story in it's intended era was all but gone. Most of all, the characters had aged and lost their youth and the actors who replaced the originals fell very, very flat. Mona and Mouse were never the same and the magic was gone. D'Amico's life story seems to have been a sad one - full of fear and self-imposed deception. I know that life and I lived it up until around 24/25 yoa when I decided that I worth more than that. I deserved the same life that everyone else took for granted. My relationship with my parents and family in general is strained to this day, but their selfishness and intolerance have not dictated my life since I decided that I was worthy of being who I actually was. I was worth something as a human being and deserved to live a honest life. I deserved happiness - just like everyone else. Marcus was a charming and beautiful man who gave us some great characters - while they were admittedly few, they were memorable nonetheless. Tales was his greatest professional achievement - at least in my eyes. I hope that even if he never found peace during his life here on earth - that he finds it now moving on to the next one. He will never be forgotten.

IMDB has been updated

[quote]Sometimes it just takes a while for the word to get out. I think Beth Howland, who played Vera on "Alice," died several days or weeks before it was reported to the press.

At her request, Beth Howland's death wasn't reported until about a year after she died.

[quote]IMDB has been updated

It's the least I could do for the best Mouse.

I thought he was the weakest link in the cast of the original Tales. He was cute, but often flubbed his American accent.

There's a lot of BS going around.

Someone posted on Queerty that he "turned down" reprising his role in the sequel for fear of becoming "typecast" as gay. As if he even had much of a career to lose. Also, I recall Maupin saying in an interview that "someone" was not asked to return to his role because he was still in the closet or some similar conflict.

Where did he get the kids? Straight? Gay? Bi? Closeted?

Also, who dies of Pneumonia anymore, except for the very aged, the immunocompromised (i.e. AIDS -- and who dies from that anymore?), and severe alcoholics? In a 2014 photo posted upthread, D'Amico looks like a bloated blimp, no longer young and pretty. I vote for alcoholism.

I liked what he brought to the role, but I also liked Paul Hopkins's Mouse in the two Showtime series. I found him impishly sexy and enjoyed his willingness to get nekkid.

I was really surprised he had a son and a daughter. I wonder how old they are?

R43 is there anyone who Maupin did not claim or hint this about?

R63 I have friends that know Mapuin and that's exactly how he is, he's your typical narcissist that when told no or if you are not of use to him, or you are not praising him he will ignore you or trash you in the press.

Thank you R139. I enjoyed the 1993 series and watched it as a young teen with my family, but they were more concerned about the drug use in it than the gay men or gay men having sex; but I grew up with family friends who are gay men and they would frequently bring whatever boyfriend they were with at the time to family parties or holiday dinners.

R143 I thought it was COVID when I first read this in the news. Either way rest in peace. There's an entire generation or two, or even perhaps three of gay men who stayed deeply closeted and married women or who forced themselves to have sex with women, get a woman pregnant, and have children, and they did not come out until decades later.

Paul Hopkins was much better looking, IMO, but he just didn't have "it."

I so flipped over his portrayal of Mouse that when he appeared on Broadway in AN INSPECTOR CALLS I waited outside the stage door and followed him for three or four blocks before realizing what an ass I was. Temporary insanity I'd call it.

IMO he had the perfect look for Mouse. I could believe that he didn't think he was hot or handsome but actually was highly appealing.

Paul Hopkins was terrible and completely forgettable as Mouse.

Pneumonia? At 55? I mean... okay. Unless it was Covid which of course is possible, it says immunocompromised and AIDS which would be sadly ironic.

I can't believe Armistead Maupin outlived him. Life is certainly a bitch.

Yes R151 it is a bitch how Armistead Maupin outlived lots of other gay and bisexual writers and actors, yet continues to recycle and regurgitate the same tiresome characters and show how out of touch with SF he has been for the last 40 years. I made the mistake of reading his memoir as I did enjoy the first three tales of the city novels, and in it he just shows how he's a user/narcissist and even his own family members find him vindictive.

Was he HIV+? Or was it due to covid? Or both?

Covid? or HIV? or both?

[quote] I made the mistake of reading his memoir as I did enjoy the first three tales of the city novels, and in it he just shows how he's a user/narcissist and even his own family members find him vindictive.

Back then most gay men lived in a "dog-eat-dog" kind of world where you had to have an incredibly thick skin to survive. Especially after being shunned by your blood relatives. Vindictive is one way to describe a strained relationship with your family turning their back on you.

Cause of death given only as pneumonia.

Pneumonia in England = AIDS.

That's what I am guessing as well R157. People can and do die to pneumonia but if this guy was gay or bisexual and closeted, and active in the 1970s-early 1990s he might have been HIV+ and died from PCP. Either way rest in peace.

I hope someone writes a biography or at least an insightful article on him. I sense there's more to the official/Maupin story of d'Amico's failure to return for the Tales of the City sequels. He continued to play gay roles on stage. And his roles on British television were small fry stuff.

Maybe he had some kind of breakdown? It almost looks like he was blacklisted.