Joe E. Tata, Peach Pit Owner on ‘Beverly Hills, 90210,’ Dies at 85

Joe E. Tata, the character actor best known for playing Nat Bussichio in the popular teen drama series “Beverly Hills, 90210,” died on Wednesday, his daughter Kelly announced on their GoFundMe page. He was 85.

He had long been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, having been officially diagnosed in 2018, according to Kelly’s GoFundMe fundraiser.

“The remaining funds raised from this campaign will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association,” she wrote.

“90210” star Ian Ziering posted on Instagram a heartfelt account of his experiences working with Tata.

“Joey was truly an OG, I remember seeing him on the Rockford files with James Garner years before we worked together on 90210. He was often one of the background villains in the original Batman series,” Ziering said in his post. “One of the happiest people I’ve ever worked with, he was as generous with his wisdom as he was with his kindness. Though the peach pit was a 90210 set, It often felt like the backdrop to the Joe E. Tata show.”

Tata played the character of Nat Bussichio throughout the show’s 10-year run, even playing the character’s father, Salvatore, in a couple of Season 4 episodes. He returned to the role of Nat in three episodes of the 2008 reboot “90210.”

His other television credits included roles on the 1966 “Batman” television series starring Adam West and “The Rockford Files.”

Born in New York, he started out in television with roles in 1960s series, including “Peter Gunn,” “General Hospital,” “The Outer Limits,” “Lost in Space” and “No Time for Sergeants.”

Ziering ended his tribute with more touching thoughts about the late actor: “He may have been in the back of many scenes, but he was a leading force, especially to us guys, on how to appreciate the gift that 90210 was. My smile dims today but basking in fond memories moves him from my eyes to my heart where he will always be.”