AceShowbiz - Actor Frank Pesce has passed away. The character actor, who became a Hollywood fixture through his scene-stealing appearances in dozens of movies and TV shows, died on February 6 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.

Confirming the sad news was his girlfriend Tammy Scher, who revealed that he bad been battling dementia and suffering complications from dementia prior to his death. He was 75 years old.

An accomplished actor, Frank was known by many in the industry for his big smile, big stories and bigger personality. He was a longtime close friend of Sylvester Stallone, Tony Danza, the late Robert Forster and many other industry players.

Frank made his onscreen debut in a 1976 episode of NBC's "Police Story" and appeared as a doorman in "Creed" (2015). His most recognizable roles came in the first two "Beverly Hills Cop" films that starred Eddie Murphy. In the 1984 original, he played a cigarette buyer in the opening scene, while in the 1987 sequel, he portrayed a thug named Carlotta whom Alex Foley (Eddie) accuses of being a cop.

He often took pride in that "they make movies about guys like me." 1991's "29th Street", which marks George Gallo's directorial debut, is based on the actor's early life story. Oscar-nominated producer David Permut said of making the film, "One of the most memorable experiences I had was producing '29th Street', a film based on Frank's early life in NYC when he wound up with a winning lottery ticket."

"To say Frank was one of a kind would be a gross understatement," the "Hacksaw Ridge" producer remembered the late actor. "We shared our love and passion for film. He claimed to see more movies than Leonard Maltin and Roger Ebert combined."

Besides Tammy, Frank is survived by his brother Vito Pesce, nieces Vanessa Pesce and Danielle Pesce, and sister-in-law Catherine Pesce. He will be buried on February 18 at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx.