Joe E. Tata passed away at 85
The actor Joe E. Tata, well remembered for his portrayal as Nat on Beverly Hills, 90210, has passed away. He was 85. On a GoFundMe page, Kelly Tata stated, “My father and I are forever grateful for the love and support of family, friends, and fans. She omitted the cause of death
His former 90210 co-star Ian Ziering posted a notice of his passing on Instagram on Thursday. Tata played the role of the Peach Pit’s proprietor.
Nat, a beloved character performed by Joe E. Tata, has passed away. Since 2014, Joe had Alzheimer’s disease.
Ian Ziering, a fellow cast member, posted his tribute. “I recall seeing James Garner and Joey on the Rockford files years before we collaborated on 90210; Joey was definitely an original. In the first season of the Batman series, he frequently served as a supporting antagonist. He was one of the happiest persons I’ve ever worked with and equally generous with his generosity and wisdom.”
Denise Douse, who portrayed Mrs. Teasley, and Joe E Tata, one of 90210’s most prolific writers and producers, have all passed away in the past several months, Ziering noted. Now, she added, “I’m extremely sad to report Joe E Tata has passed away.”
Joe appeared in 238 “90210” episodes. He occasionally made an appearance on the show’s relaunch as well.
Joe E. Tata was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis in 2018, according to his daughter Kelly, who set up a GoFundMe page to provide financial support. Up until he “unwittingly signed forms which brought him into a conservatorship,” she had been her father’s caregiver. He argues that pressure forced him to accept this conservatorship. In addition, Kelly Tata noted that she had been hospitalized “during my own health issues.”
Joe E. Tata was born in New York City and began his career there, appearing on shows like Mister Roberts, The Outer Limits, and General Hospital. He appeared in numerous police procedurals during the 1970s and 1980s, including Mannix, Adam-12, The F.B.I., and The Streets of San Francisco, but it wasn’t until he joined 90210 as the adored proprietor of the Peach Pit that he truly became well-known. He appeared in ten seasons of the program.
Joe E. Tata’s last TV appearance was in the ABC Family series Mystery Girls. His health “took a turn for the worse” at that point, Kelly wrote.
His other roles include those in “Magnum P.I.,” “The Rockford Files,” “Hill Street Blues,” “Batman,” and “The A-Team,” among many more.
The Peach Pit served as the focal point of “90210” and was a throwback, sort of like “Happy Days,” the cafe where the kids would hang out. According to IMDb, he made his small-screen playing debut in a 1960 episode of the detective show “Peter Gunn,” where he was credited as Joey Tata.
Tata appeared on other prime-time series in the decades that followed, generally for one or two episodes. His most consistent acting role was on “Beverly Hills, 90210.” More than 200 episodes featured him.