Joe Farago

From USA • 1948 - 2025

Joseph Michael Farago (January 28, 1948 – March 23, 2025) was an American actor, stuntman, game show host, and television personality. His movie roles include The Terminator and The Abyss (directed by James Cameron) and The Rookie (directed by Clint Eastwood). Stunt work included Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and I, the Jury. Farago also costarred in Seinfeld, Married... with Children, and Coach. In 1985, he replaced Gene Rayburn as the host of the game show Break the Bank, having previously appeared as a celebrity guest three times during the show's first two weeks. He hosted more than 160 episodes as well as the 1990-91 HBO comedy show Night Rap with guests including Timothy Leary, Ed Koch, G. Gordon Liddy and Mel Brooks. Farago appeared as a host for QVC as well as acting/hosting roles and voice work for dozens of radio/TV commercials including McDonald's, GT Xpress, Xpress Redi Set Go, Q Grill The True Sleeper, T-Fal cookware and The Bissell Big Green Clean Machine. He hosted 35 infomercials seen in more than 70 countries around the world, topping over 1 billion in infomercial sales. In 2001, after the September 11 attacks, Farago became a firefighter in Idaho. When asked why he left Hollywood to become a firefighter, Joe simply responded, ‘Well, I never pulled up to a burning building and had someone say, “Thank God, an actor showed up!" As a proud member of a Type II incident management team, Farago deployed to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and served as a Public Information Officer on several large western wildfires. Farago taught at the Florida Fire College and as a member of the Emergency Management Institute instructor team, involved in the Master Public Information Officer course pilot programs for FEMA. With his experience as a radio news director, as well as careers in public relations and mass marketing, he was a mentor to many along his path. Joe Farago was married to Sheri Farago, until his passing in Florida on March 23, 2025, at the age of 77. (Via Wikipedia)