Richard Foronjy | |
|---|---|
 Publicity photo of Richard Foronjy | |
| Born | (1937-08-03)August 3, 1937 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 19, 2024(2024-05-19) (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1973–2003 |
Richard Edward Foronjy (August 3, 1937 – May 19, 2024) was an American film and television actor.[1][2]
Early life
Foronjy was born in Brooklyn, New York,[3] on August 3, 1937.[4] Before becoming an actor, he had an extensive criminal record, including armed robbery. He also worked as a butcher.[5]
Career
Foronjy saw his first small role as Corsaro in Serpico.[3]
Foronjy was perhaps best known for playing the mobster Tony Darvo in the 1988 film Midnight Run and the mobster Peter Amadesso in the 1993 film Carlito's Way.[6] He also played Detective Joe Marinaro in Sidney Lumet's Prince of the City.[3]
In Repo Man, Foronjy played Arnold Plettschner, the rent-a-cop who memorably said, "You’re fuckin’ right I’m Plettschner! Arnold Plettschner! Three times decorated in two world wars! I was killing people while you were still swimming around in your father’s balls! You little scumbag! I worked five years in a slaughterhouse, and ten years as a prison guard in Attica!"[3]
Foronjy wrote and published a memoir, From the Mob to the Movies, in 2020. In retirement, he lived in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Death
Foronjy died on May 19, 2024, at the age of 86.[3][7]
At the 97th Academy Awards, his name was mentioned in the In Memoriam section.[8]
Partial filmography
- Serpico (1973) – Corsaro
- The Gambler (1974) – Donny
- Fun with Dick and Jane (1977) – Landscape Man
- The One Man Jury (1978) – Al
- Taxi (1978) ("A Full House for Christmas") - Louie's brother Nick
- The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979) – Mike
- The Jerk (1979) – Con Man
- Prince of the City (1981) – Detective Joe Marinaro
- True Confessions (1981) – Ambulance Driver
- Gangster Wars (1981) – Umberto Joe The Boss' Bodyguard (uncredited)
- Repo Man (1984) – Plettschner
- Once Upon a Time in America (1984) – Officer Whitey aka Fartface
- City Heat (1984) – Poker Player
- Odd Jobs (1986) – Mannu
- The Check Is in the Mail... (1986) – Tony
- The Morning After (1986) – Sergeant Greenbaum
- The Galucci Brothers (1987) – Galucci Brother
- Midnight Run (1988) – Tony Darvo[9]
- Ghostbusters II (1989) – Con Ed Supervisor
- Oscar (1991) – Knucky
- The Public Eye (1992) – Frank Farinelli
- Fatal Instinct (1993) – Cy Tarr
- DaVinci's War (1993) – Hamlet
- Carlito's Way (1993) – Pete Amadesso
- Man of the House (1995) – Murray
- Recoil (1998) – Vincent Sloan
- Hoods (1998) – Tony
- Evasive Action (1998) – Vince
References
- ^ "Foronjy". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. February 4, 1987. p. 89. Retrieved December 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Scott, Vernon (January 19, 1987). "Ex-con becomes successful Hollywood character actor". The Tribune. Scranton, Pennsylvania. p. 16. Retrieved December 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Richard Foronjy, Character Actor in 'Midnight Run' and 'Serpico,' Dies at 86". Variety. May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Richard Foronjy". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "Scott's World;NEWLN:From felony to fame". United Press International. January 20, 1987. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (May 18, 2021). "Robert De Niro Remembers His 'Midnight Run' Co-Star Charles Grodin: "As Good A Person As He Was An Actor"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ Barnes, Mike (May 21, 2024). "Richard Foronjy, Convicted Criminal Turned Character Actor, Dies at 86". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ "In Memoriam". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Wilmington, Michael (July 20, 1998). "Movie Review: Murderous Fun in the 'Midnight Run'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2018 – via Wayback Machine.
External links
- Richard Foronjy at IMDb
- Richard Foronjy at the TCM Movie Database
- Rotten Tomatoes profile