BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BTR JANUARY 10-16, 2020 19
Longtime Bronx
Republican activist
and actor passes, 53
BY JASON COHEN
Some knew him as Tony’s driver
and for those who did not watch ‘The
Sopranos,’ Anthony Ribustello was a
man who impacted the Bronx Republican
Party for many years.
Ribustello, of Country Club, passed
away Saturday, December 28 at the age
of 53.
Besides portraying Dante Greco on
the renowned HBO series, he ran for
borough president in 2009, served on
Community Board 10, was a Republican
Party district leader, county committeeman
and former deputy chief of
the Bronx Board of Elections.
Ribustello died while waiting for a
kidney transplant. He is survived by
his wife Rena and a son.
Steve DeMartis, who was friends
with Ribustello since they were 15,
spoke about his departed friend. While
they grew up in different neighborhoods,
Ribustello in Pelham Bay and
DeMartis of Morris Park, they met in
high school at Cardinal Spellman.
From a young age, he knew his
friend would achieve big things.
“He always had an infatuation for
the stage and acting,” he said.
He recalled how one of Ribustello’s
fi rst gigs was doing a commercial for
the Ginsu knife.
According to DeMartis, at Iona College,
Ribustello joined clubs and did
theater and eventually went on to star
in ‘Law and Order’ four times and appeared
in about six movies.
“I was delighted for him because
he was able to achieve that goal,” he
remarked. “He just touched so many
people. He had the biggest heart you
could imagine.”
The lifelong friends hung out often
at Scaglione Brothers Bakery and Deli
in Morris Park. DeMartis stressed
how he will always be grateful to his
friend for helping him get a job with
the Board of Elections in 2012.
Since his passing, social media has
been fl ooded with praise for him.
“I’m very sorry to learn of the passing
of Anthony Ribustello,” said Borough
President Ruben Diaz, Jr. on
Twitter. “Anthony was not only an actor
and activist, but a great character
with a warm heart. The Bronx will
Anthony Ribustello, who passed away recently,
was known for his role as Dante
Greco on the TV show The Sopranos. He was
also a district leader, county committeman
and former Deputy Chief of the Bronx Board
of Elections
Photo Courtesy Board of Elections Annual Report
miss him. Rest In Peace, Anthony.”
Mike Rendino, the chairman of the
Bronx GOP, knew Ribustello for about
20 years. They grew up in nearby
neighborhoods and 11 years ago got involved
in the political world together.
Rendino recalled that Ribustello
used to come to Sebastian’s bar, where
Bridges is today, at Miles and East
Tremont avenues, where he was a bartender.
“He was a very happy fun loving
guy,” he said. “He made a difference
with anyone who met him.”
Elizabeth English, the Republican
female district leader of the 82nd District,
knew Ribustello for 13 years. He
taught her a lot about politics and she
will sorely miss him.
“I literally spent 365 days for 13
years with him,” she told the Bronx
Times. “He was a great guy. He was
one of a kind. He put his heart into
everything he did. There was never a
dull moment with Anthony.”
Executive director of the Bronx
Board of Elections Mike Ryan fi rst met
Ribustello in 2010 when he was commissioner.
They worked together for
a decade and Ryan recalled how Anthony
always put other people fi rst.
He described him as “professional,
caring and humble, with a larger than
life presence.”
Anthony made a
difference with anyone
who met him.
Mike Rendino