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Richard Foronjy, an actor whose career began after he served time in prison, died on Sunday (May 19). He was 86.
Born Richard Edward Salerno on Aug. 3, 1937, the late actor led a life of crime prior to launching his acting career, per The Hollywood Reporter. In a 1987 UPI interview, Foronjy revealed that he “was arrested for forgery, bank robbery, credit card rip-offs, assorted crimes and skullduggery,” per THR.
“Altogether I was arrested and put in jail 27 times. I was guilty of almost everything except drugs and homicide,” he shared. “But I was only convicted once, for armed robbery, and I put in eight and a half years in Sing Sing and Attica.”
He would eventually chronicle his life in a memoir titled From The Mob to The Movies: How I Escaped The Mafia and Landed in Hollywood, which was published in 2020, per Variety.
After getting out of prison at age 32, he eventually channeled this experience into his work as an actor, where he often played police officers or criminals, per THR.
Foronjy made his first film appearance in Serpico (1973), per his IMDb page. He would go on to take part in several star-studded films, including Prince of the City (1981), Repo Man (1984), The Morning After (1986), Midnight Run (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989) and Carlito’s Way (1993).
He also earned various TV credits over the course of his career on shows like The Bob Newhart Show, Serpico, Mary Hartman ,Mary Hartman, Taxi, Hart to Hart, The Gangster Chronicles, The Jeffersons , Who’s The Boss? and Under Suspicion.
Per People, the late actor’s family opened up about the news on Facebook on Tuesday (May 21), revealing that he “passed peacefully with his granddaughter Katherine Foronjy Coburn, his love Wendy, and her daughter Lori.” Their statement also highlighted that he is survived by Wendy, his three brothers, four children, 17 grandchildren, and “a multitude of great-grandchildren.”
His family described Forojny as “an actor of unparalleled talent and versatility” and “a legend in every sense,” also noting that “his journey as a father was marked by challenges and complexities.”
“Richard’s life serves as a reminder that we are all imperfect beings, striving to navigate the intricate depths of relationships and for some parenthood,” their statement reads. “May his spirit find peace, and may his loved ones find solace in the memories of his vibrant essence.”
