Ron Karabatsos
Born
Ronald Christ Karabatsos

(1933-04-22)April 22, 1933
Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedApril 17, 2012(2012-04-17) (aged 78)
Beaumont, Riverside County, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1981–2004
Spouse(s)Janell, ?-2012, his death
Children2

Ronald Christ Karabatsos (1933–2012) was an American character actor.

Early life

Karabatsos was born on April 22, 1933, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA, to Constantine and Antoinette Karabatsos, first-generation immigrants from Greece.[1] He grew up in Union City, New Jersey, where young Ronald graduated from Emerson High School.[citation needed]

Military and police service

Upon graduating from high school, Karabatsos was drafted in the U.S. Army spending most of his service time in the Korean War. After he was released from the military, he joined the police department of his home city, retiring after 28t years as a homicide detective.[1]

Movie career

In 1982, while still on the police force, Karabatsos was approached to act a part in the Sidney Lumet movie Prince of the City.[2] Most New York critics[3] and Roger Ebert[4] wrote positive reviews on the movie. James Wolcott dissented, concluding that the film "[wore] its liberal pieties like a crown of thorns," although he reserved praise for Karabatsos' work, writing that he "carries his hulk with impressive menace as a slime-souled bail bondsman."[3] Critic David S. Machlowitz,[5] though agreeing with Wolcott's take on the movie, wrote that Karabatsos "is superb as [the] bloated, belligerent bail bondsman."

Karabatsos went on to act in some thirty movies and two hundred TV shows,[1] moving to live in California. He starred in the 1982 made-for-TV-movie Hear No Evil as Lt. Lew Healy.[6]: 445 [7]: 188 [8]

He died on April 17, 2012, five days before his 79th birthday, in Beaumont, California, from a non-communicable disease, survived by wife Janell, daughter Dawnne Rigsby, and an extended family.[1]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1981 Prince of the City Dave DeBennedeto
1983 Flashdance Jake Mawby
1984 The Cotton Club Mike Best
1987 Cold Steel Fishman
1987 Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife Aldo
1989 Wedding Band Bruno Kavoles
1990 My Blue Heaven Ritchie
1990 Hollywood Heartbreak L.R. Sharkey
1991 Rich Girl Rocco
1991 29th Street Philly "The Nap"
1991 Where Sleeping Dogs Lie Stan Reeb
1991 Dead in the Water Mike Welch
1993 We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story Voice
1995 Get Shorty "Momo"
1996 Baby Face Nelson Frankie "Big Frankie"
2000 The Crew Pauly "Fat Pauly"
2004 Surviving Christmas Deli Man (final film role)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Ronald Christ Karabatsos". NJ.com. Obituary. April 25, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. ^ Krebs, Albin; and Thomas, Robert McG. Jr. "Trying to Tell the Heroes from the Villains", The New York Times, July 24, 1981. Accessed August 26, 2023. "But as one of the most villainous characters he cast Ron Karabatsos, a Union City, N.J., detective making his movie debut."
  3. ^ a b Wolcott, James (October 1981). "Dirty Work". Texas Monthly. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  4. ^ Ebert, Roger (January 1, 1981). "Prince of the City". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  5. ^ Machlowitz, David S. (December 1981). "Lawyer on the Aisle: The lawyer as puppeteer and puppet". ABA Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  6. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). New York City: McFarland and Company. ISBN 978-0786464777.
  7. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials. Vol. 2 (1st ed.). New York City: Zoetrope Publishing. ISBN 978-0918432612.
  8. ^ "Hear No Evil". Turner Classic Movies. United States: Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved March 13, 2018.

External links

Authority control databases: Artists
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