Background
Desiderio was born in New York, New York, the son of Mary (née Demattia) and Anthony J. Desiderio.
Desiderio was born in New York, New York, the son of Mary (née Demattia) and Anthony J. Desiderio.
They have no children. Desiderio first came to prominence in soap opera, with parts in daytime dramas such as Search for Tomorrow (1979-1980), Ryan"s Hope (1982) and One Life to Live (1982-1983). In 1986–1987, he starred in the short-lived American Broadcasting Company primetime drama series Heart of the City.
From 1988 to 1989 he had the recurring role of Ted Melcher in the Columbia Broadcasting System primetime soap opera, Knots Landing.
Desiderio also had the recurring roles on MacGruder and Loud, Cheers and The Sopranos, and well guest-starred in The A-Team, Remington Steele, The Fall Guy, Matlock, Family Ties, Murder, She Wrote, Murphy Brown and Ugly Betty. He also appeared in a number of made for television movies, include The Princess and the Cabbie and Once You Meet a Stranger.