How Much Was Joe E. Tata Worth When He Died?
Fans of the original "Beverly Hills, 90210" were saddened to hear about the death of actor Joe E. Tata, who played the owner of the Peach Pit, Nat Bussichio, on the show. The character actor was best-known for his role during the original run of the beloved teen soap series. "90210" co-star Ian Ziering took to Instagram on August 25 to announce Tata's passing. "Though the peach pit was a 90210 set, It often felt like the backdrop to the Joe E Tata show," he wrote in a lengthy caption that paid homage to the deceased actor.
Once news of Tata's death broke, fans of the cherished series took to Twitter to pay their respects. "Joe E. Tata you are a huge part of why Beverly Hills, 90210 is such a special show," one fan tweeted. "He was such an important character to the show, and a father figure to the gang," another added.
Although many fans associated Tata with the hit '90s series, the actor had appeared in a slew of popular TV shows throughout his career, as Ziering mentioned in his post. "The stories of days gone by that he would share, incredible experiences in the entertainment industry that he was a part of would keep us all captivated," the "90210" star wrote. Per IMDb, Tata appeared in "Hogan's Heroes," "Batman," "The A-Team," and many other hit shows over his successful career — leaving him with a good bit of money that he unfortunately could not access.
Joe E. Tata signed his fortune away
At the time of his death, Joe E. Tata's net worth was estimated at $3 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. But he didn't have access to it. According to an GoFundMe page started by his daughter, Kelly Tata, the actor's health deteriorated, and he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Kelly wrote that she was separated from him due to her own medical issues, and her father "unwittingly" signed over his finances to a conservatorship. The conservator then forced Kelly to move out of her father's home, leading Kelly to raise funds to get housing closer to her father and a car to visit him more frequently.
Joe's last IMDb credit came in 2014 when he appeared on an episode of "Mystery Girls." But in 2008, when "Beverly Hills, 90210" was rebooted as "90210," Joe's Nat Bussichio came back in stride. "The coin's in the air for me," he told the Associated Press in 2008 (via Today) about his future on the show. "I guess it comes under the heading of magic test: Let's see if the audience still remembers me." When the '90s series was once again rebooted in 2019 — this time as "BH90210" — Nat was noticeably absent. The Peach Pit owner was a fan favorite, and there were calls to bring his character back for the show's second season. By that point, however, Joe's health had taken him out of the acting game. Kelly noted that his health began to decline shortly after his appearance on "Mystery Girls."