Tony Rosato first gained attention when he and Robin Duke joined the cast of the first incarnation of SCTV in its final season during the fall of 1980. His most well-known character on the program was the notoriously drunk TV chef Marcello Sebastiani. Rosato then moved with Duke to the cast of Saturday Night Live for the 1981–82 season, becoming the first cast member to be born outside of North America. Following Jean Doumanian’s tenure during the sixth season and Dick Ebersol trying to retool the show (and relying on Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo to spice up the sketches), Rosato only appeared on the show for one year before leaving due to differences with Ebersol and an expired contract. Tony Rosato is one of three SCTV cast members to appear on Saturday Night Live. Celebrities impersonated by Rosato on SCTV include: Lou Costello (whom he also impersonated when he was a cast member on Saturday Night Live), William Conrad, Danny Thomas, Woodstock co-organizer Chip Monck, SNL cast member John Belushi, Tony Orlando and Ella Fitzgerald. His characters on SNL, despite his short tenure, were memorable as well, and included Ed Asner (in character as Lou Grant), Captain Kangaroo, and U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese. Rosato next appeared on the Canadian police drama Night Heat, playing Arthur “Whitey” Morelli from 1985 through 1989. He continued to appear in television and film throughout the 1990s.

In autumn of 1990, Tony Rosato portrayed Nintendo’s character Luigi on DiC’s television show The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (loosely based around the video game of the same title). He continued his role as Luigi in 1991 for the Super Mario World cartoon. Rosato had a small voice part in Resident Evil 3 as Dario Rosso and Nemesis. In Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders, he voiced Dharak. Tony Rosato also provided voices for many other animated series including Pelswick, George and Martha, Rescue Heroes, Birdz, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, Hello Kitty and Friends, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, Peep and the Big Wide World, Interlude, Pippi Longstocking, Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend, Rolie Polie Olie, Bad Dog, Sam and Max: Freelance Police, Little Bear, Monster by Mistake, Odd Job Jack, Free Willy, Blazing Dragons, The Neverending Story, Flash Gordon, Timothy Goes to School, Time Warp Trio, Roboroach, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Kaput and Zosky, Cyberchase, Redwall, Power Stone, Anatole, Elliott Moose, Sailor Moon, Ned’s Newt, Medabots, Highlander: The Animated Series, Corduroy, Freaky Stories, King, Blaster’s Universe, Stickin’ Around, Bob and Margaret, Flying Rhino Junior High, Avengers: United They Stand, Silver Surfer, The Dumb Bunnies, Undergrads, Quads!, Angela Anaconda, Cyberchase, Slam Dunk, The Ripping Friends, Committed, Bedtime Primetime Classics, Elliott Moose, Franklin, Braceface, George Shrinks, Delta State, Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series, Mr. Men and Little Miss, The Accuser, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast, Atomic Betty, Mischief City and more. Tony Rosato died of a heart attack on January 10, 2017, at age 62.