Actor Richard Romanus, Best Known forMean StreetsandThe Sopranos, Dead at 80

Richard Romanus.Photo:American Broadcasting Companies via Getty

American Broadcasting Companies via Getty

Richard Romanus, the actor best known for his roles inMean StreetsandThe Sopranos, has died, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. He was 80.

He died Dec. 23 in a hospital in Volos, Greece, his son, Robert Romanus, told the outlet. No cause of death was given.

Romanus was known for his tough-guy roles including Michael Longo in 1973’sMean Streets. In theMartin Scorsese-directed crime drama, Romanus played a loan shark who gets into a memorable confrontation with Johnny Civello (Robert De Niro).

Richard Romanus in ‘Mean Streets.'.Warner Brothers/Getty

Warner Brothers/Getty

Scorsese, 81, recalled the iconic bar scene in Andy Dougan’sUntouchable: Robert De Niro, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.

According to Romanus, De Niro, 80, was upset with him because he saw him laugh.

“By laughing I was saving face,” he said. “He thought I should be fuming, but he had no control over my reactions. Sometimes the reaction you get from your acting partner is not the one you want. Then you simply have to react off that. But in this scene I laughed organically.”

Richard Romanus played the estranged husband of Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist, in ‘The Sopranos.'.HBO/Courtesy Everett Collection

HBO/Courtesy Everett Collection

Romanus also appeared in three episodes of another iconic crime drama,The Sopranos, as the estranged husband of Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist, from 1999 to 2002, perIMDB.

His final role was Ben Ishak in 2003’sThe Young Black Stallion, a prequel to the 1979 Disney classicThe Black Stallion.

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Richard Romanus, Goldie Hawn, Anthea Sylbert and Kurt Russell.Getty for Costume Designers Guild

Getty for Costume Designers Guild

Romanus and Sylbert, who tied the knot in August 1985, co-wrote and produced two Lifetime movies, 1998’sGiving Up the Ghostand 1999’sIf You Believe, which earned them a WGA nomination, per the outlet.

More than two decades ago, the couple moved to the Greek town Skiathos, and were declared honorary citizens of the town in 2021, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.

Romanus also published three books, all set in Greece, starting in 2011:Act III: A Small Island in the Aegean,ChrysalisandMatoula’s Echo, per hisAmazonauthor bio.

source: people.com