Al Onorato, Casting Society Co-Founder, Dies at 88
variety.comLexi Carson Al Onorato, co-founder of the Casting Society of America and a casting director on such series as “Bewitched,” “Police Story,” “Fame” and “The Patridge Family,” has died.
He was 88. Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced. Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982.
He and Jerold Franks — his Onorato/Franks Independent Casting partner — won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for 1989’s “Bagdad Café.” At the 34th annual Artios Awards in 2019, Onorato received a lifetime achievement award from the organization.
As a talent manager, Onorato was influential in launching the careers of Kristin Chenoweth, Katie Holmes, Mark Harmon, Sean Murray and Elijah Wood.
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