Richard Foronjy


Richard Edward Foronjy was an American film and television actor.

Early life

Foronjy was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Armenian family on August 3, 1937. Before becoming an actor, he had an extensive criminal record, including armed robbery. He also worked as a butcher.

Career

Foronjy saw his first small role as Corsaro in Serpico.
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. He also played Detective Joe Marinaro in Sidney Lumet's Prince of the City.
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!"
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.
At the 97th Academy Awards, his name was mentioned in the In Memoriam section.

Partial filmography

  • Serpico – Corsaro
  • The Gambler – Donny
  • Fun with Dick and Jane – Landscape Man
  • The One Man Jury – Al
  • Taxi - Louie's brother Nick
  • The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh – Mike
  • The Jerk – Con Man
  • Prince of the City – Detective Joe Marinaro
  • True Confessions – Ambulance Driver
  • Gangster Wars – Umberto Joe The Boss' Bodyguard
  • Repo Man – Plettschner
  • Once Upon a Time in America – Officer Whitey aka Fartface
  • City Heat – Poker Player
  • Odd Jobs – Mannu
  • The Check Is in the Mail... – Tony
  • The Morning After – Sergeant Greenbaum
  • The Galucci Brothers – Galucci Brother
  • Midnight Run – Tony Darvo
  • Ghostbusters II – Con Ed Supervisor
  • Oscar – Knucky
  • The Public Eye – Frank Farinelli
  • Fatal Instinct – Cy Tarr
  • DaVinci's War – Hamlet
  • Carlito's Way – Pete Amadesso
  • Man of the House – Murray
  • Recoil – Vincent Sloan
  • Hoods – Tony
  • Evasive Action – Vince