Richard Romanus

Richard Romanus (born Richard Joseph Romanos; February 28, 1943 – December 23, 2023) was an American actor. Among other roles, he appeared in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets and provided voices for Ralph Bakshi's animated films Wizards and Hey Good Lookin'. He played Richard La Penna, Jennifer Melfi's ex-husband, later husband again, in four episodes of The Sopranos from 1999 to 2002. In 1999, he co-wrote the Christmas film If You Believe along with his wife Anthea Sylbert, which was nominated by the Writers Guild of America TV Award for Original Long Form.

Personal life
Romanus was born in Barre, Vermont, the son of Eileen (née Maloof) and Dr. Raymond Romanos, a dentist. He was of Lebanese descent. Romanus grew up Catholic. He lived in West Hartford, Connecticut, and in 1964 graduated from Xavier University with a bachelor's in philosophy, before studying acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York. His younger brother Robert Romanus is also an actor. They both appeared in the MacGyver episode "The Prodigal" in 1985. On May 20, 1967, he married Tina Bohlmann; they had a son before divorcing in 1980.

Romanus was married to Oscar-nominated costume designer Anthea Sylbert from August 1985 until his death. In 2004, they moved to the Greek island of Skiathos, after which he focused on writing. In 2011, he published his memoirs, Act III (Aiora Press, Athens, and Armida Publications, Nicosia), and first novel, Chrysalis (Armida Publications). In 2012, Act III was short-listed for the International Rubery Book Award.

Romanus died in Volos, Greece, on December 23, 2023, at the age of 80.

Filmography
This is a list of films that have featured Richard Romanus.

Films

 * 1968 – The Ghastly Ones as Don
 * 1973 – Mean Streets as Michael
 * 1974 – The Gravy Train as Carlo
 * 1975 – Russian Roulette as Ragulia
 * 1977 – Wizards as Weehawk (voice)
 * 1977 – Night Terror (TV movie) as The Killer
 * 1979 – Gold of the Amazon Women (TV movie) as Luis Escobar
 * 1980 – Sitting Ducks as Joe 'Moose Joe' Mastaki
 * 1981 – Heavy Metal as Harry Canyon (voice)
 * 1982 – Pandemonium as Jarrett
 * 1982 – Hey Good Lookin' as Vinnie (voice)
 * 1983 – Strangers Kiss as Frank Silva
 * 1984 – Crackups (TV movie)
 * 1984 – More than Murder (TV movie) as Bordante
 * 1984 – Second Sight: A Love Story (TV movie) as Dr. Ross Harkin
 * 1984 – Protocol as The Emir
 * 1986 – Murphy's Law as Frank Vincenzo
 * 1987 – Ghost of a Chance (TV movie) as Julio Mendez
 * 1988 – The Couch Trip as Harvey Michaels
 * 1989 – Married to the Mob (TV movie) as Tony
 * 1990 – Hollywood Heartbreak as Niles Gregory
 * 1990 – Final Stage as The Producer
 * 1991 – Oscar as Vendetti
 * 1991 – The Entertainers (TV movie) as 'Chick'
 * 1992 – To Protect and Serve as Captain Malouf
 * 1993 – Point of No Return as Fahd Bahktiar
 * 1994 – Cops & Robbersons as Fred Lutz
 * 1995 – The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise (TV movie) as Penguinetti
 * 1998 – Urban Relics as Charlie Shivers
 * 1998 – Giving Up the Ghost (TV movie)
 * 1999 – Carlo's Wake as Carmine D'Angelo
 * 1999 – If You Believe (TV movie)
 * 2001 – Nailed as Uncle Robert
 * 2003 – The Young Black Stallion as Ben Ishak

Television (partial)

 * 1970 – Mission: Impossible – Episode "Gitano" as Guard
 * 1970–1971 – The Mod Squad (as Richard Romanos) – Appeared In Two Episodes
 * 1974 – Rhoda – Episode: "9-E is Available" as Luis Alvarez
 * 1974 – Kojak – Episode: "The Betrayal" as Detective Sam Calucci
 * 1977 – Charlie's Angels – Episode: "The Big Tap-Out" as Roy David
 * 1977 – Starsky & Hutch – Episode: "Huggy Bear and the Turkey" as 'Sonny' Watson
 * 1978 – Rockford Files – Episode: "Three Day Affair with a Thirty Day Escrow" as Sean Innes
 * 1978 – Hawaii Five-O - Episode: "Small Potatoes" as Johnny Noah
 * 1981–1982 – Strike Force
 * 1983 – Cagney & Lacey – Episode: "Let Them Eat Pretzels"
 * 1984 – Hunter – Episode: "High Bleacher Man"
 * 1985 – Tales from the Darkside – Episode: "Bigalow's Last Smoke" as Frank Bigalow
 * 1985 – MacGyver – Episode "The Prodigal" (as brother to his real-life brother Robert Romanus)
 * 1986 – MacGyver – Episode "Twice Stung" as James Crowe
 * 1989 – Midnight Caller – Episode "Trash Radio" as Maurice Maxwell
 * 1989 – Mission Impossible – Episode "The Fixer" as Arthur Six
 * 1996 – Diagnosis: Murder – Episode "Misdiagnosis Murder" as Dr. Ed Quiller

Awards and nominations

 * 1999 – Best Original Screenplay in Long Form Television - Writers Guild of America (nominated)
 * 2012 – Short-listed for the International Rubery Book Award for Act III