CATANZANO

FRANK

Age 78, after a more than two-decade battle with Parkinson's Disease. Preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Gladys Catanzano, he leaves behind his wife of 47 years Michele (Shelly); daughter, Alexis; and son, Jon Michael (Samantha).

Frank was a man of many talents. An avid athlete, he played football at both Edgewood High School and Clarion University. He earned a black belt in karate in Okinawa, Japan. Later in life he took up golf, which he never acknowledged as a sport but nonetheless worked hard to master. It was a rare day that Frank didn't exercise, even as Parkinson's took its toll.

Early in his career, Frank moonlighted as a drummer for the Vogues, known for such classics as "Turn Around, Look at Me" and "You Are My Special Angel." Later, he would perform with The Express, a local band with a set list that ranged from Sinatra to Santana. And Frank's love of music extended beyond performance. His free-form paintings of jazz musicians are on display in the homes and offices of friends and family throughout the region.

A performer at heart, Frank was an extra in many movies shot in the Pittsburgh area, including "Hoffa" with Jack Nicholson and Danny Devitto, and "Love and Other Drugs" with Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. While modest, he received residual checks from the latter for many years.

Frank was a gifted writer. Not content to be a ghost writer for local business executives, he penned four novels, most notably "Drummer for the Mob", a semi-autobiographical recap of his years playing in Pittsburgh's notorious after-hours clubs. "Killer Body" and "Prey to the Lord" were noir-ish action thrillers.

While his avocations were varied, it was in public relations that he made his name and livelihood. After stints at the communications departments of Gulf Oil and Duquesne Light, he joined the international PR firm Burson-Marsteller in 1975, rising to Vice President. In 1981, he struck out with a partner and formed Mangus/Catanzano, which over 13 years grew to be one of the region's largest independent agencies. He later became PR Director for the Pittsburgh Symphony and president of Emerald City Marketing. He continued serving clients until earlier this year.

Frank loved dogs and owned numerous pure and mixed breeds throughout his life. In that spirit, his family has asked that donations in his name be made to either: https://www.vintageracersforrescues.com/donate.html or https://www.classy.org/give/254259/#!/donation/checkout

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.