Robert, the actor’s son, revealed over the weekend that his father, Richard Romanus passed away on December 23 at a Volos, Greece, private hospital. His exact cause of death is unknown, and no formal explanation has been given.
Richard Romanus hadn’t appeared in anything since the early 2000s, with his most recent acknowledged part being in 2003’s “The Young Black Stallion” from Disney. Nonetheless, his career was notable, particularly his performance as the villain in one of Scorsese’s early films.
Richard Romanus: Obituary
We shall never forget the contributions Richard Romanus made to the entertainment industry. His roles in “Mean Streets” and “The Sopranos,” which showcased his extraordinary versatility as an actor and his capacity to bring nuanced characters to life, have left a lasting impression.
Throughout a career spanning more than forty years, Romanus demonstrated his abilities as a versatile and gifted actor by taking on a wide range of parts and giving them a distinct depth and realism. Both colleagues and fans will deeply miss him.
Richard Romanus: Career
Richard Romanus’s acting career was extensive and varied. Following his graduation from Xavier University in 1964, Romanus enrolled in law school, but he later dropped out and relocated to New York City to study acting at the legendary Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg. He debuted on the big screen with Veronica Rayburn, Hal Borske, and Maggie Rogers in the 1968 horror movie The Ghastly Ones.
Following prominent roles in multiple TV series, Romanus achieved fame as Michael, a moneylender in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, whom Robert de Niro’s character openly mocks. As Det. Lt. Charlie Gunzer started as a series regular on the ABC crime drama Strike Force in 1981 and remained there until the show’s demise the following year.
