Hollywood actress Valerie Harper has been sued for $2 million by her former Broadway boss, Matthew Lombardo, over allegations that she failed to tell him of her cancer until after she signed a contract to star in his theatrical production.
Mr. Lombardo says Mrs. Harper and her husband, Tony Cacciotti, intentionally concealed the fact that she had lung cancer until after it spread to her brain, the New York Daily News reported. At that point, she was forced to drop out of the tour of “Looped,” he accused.
The suit, which was filed in federal court in Manhattan, says that although the husband-wife team “were both aware” of Mrs. Harper’s lung cancer diagnosis i 2009, neither told Mr. Lombardo about it — that they “knowingly withheld the truth,” the New York Daily News reported, citing court documents.
The suit comes on the heels of one filed by Mrs. Harper demanding pay for the production, even though she ultimately dropped out because of her health.
Mrs. Harper was diagnosed with brain cancer in January 2013, at a time when she was rehearsing for “Looped.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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