BRADLEY THOMAS MONIZ

1958 - 2012

BRADLEY THOMAS MONIZ Feb. 21, 1958 - Oct. 22, 2012 Bradley Thomas Moniz, a 25 year resident of Chico, passed away at Enloe Hospital Oct. 22, 2012. He was very well known in Chico for great acting and directing skills. He was 54 years old. After the death of his parents, Joseph and Norma Moniz, he started his acting career in high school while living with his aunt and uncle. He attended Foothill College, College of the Redwoods, and CSU, Chico. He was a graduate of East 15 Acting School, London, England in 1981, and MFA Graduate of Temple University in 1995. He attended Temple under the Future Facility Fellowship Scholarship, without a BA. Brad also received the National Irene Ryan Award in New York for the best collegiate actor and received three Annie Awards in Chico for directing and acting. His movie career ended with a turkey bone to the neck in a 1995 Jean Claude Van Damme film, "Sudden Death". You either loved or disliked Brad, you could not have loved him without the other, because he was so brutally honest and sometimes crass. Under his facade, he was a sensitive man to those who really understood him, and he was the best liars dice player in Chico. His greatest goal was to teach, and he achieved this by directing flawless shows in Chico and teaching youngsters the mastery of his craft, acting. He is preceded in death by his dear uncle, Dennis DeBenedictis, who passed away in June 2012, and survived by his aunt, Shirley DeBenedictis; cousin, Kristi DeBenedictis; niece, Lia Moniz and Joan DeCou, his loving companion of nearly 24 years. A "Celebration of his Life" will be held at the Chico Eagles on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. The family requests that donations be made in Brad's honor to the American Cancer Society. He will be greatly missed by those that loved and hated him.