Richard Romanus (born Richard Joseph Romanos; February 8, 1943 – December 23, 2023) was an American actor. 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 +YearTitleRoleNotes1968The Ghastly Ones Don1973Mean Streets Michael1974The Gravy Train Carlo1975Russian Roulette Ragulia1976Tracks Porter1977Wizards Weehawk1980Sitting Ducks Joe 'Moose Joe' Mastaki1981Heavy Metal Harry Canyon1982Pandemonium JarrettHey Good Lookin' Vinnie1983Strangers Kiss Frank Silva1984Protocol The Emir1986Murphy's LawFrank Vincenzo1988The Couch Trip Harvey Michaels1991OscarVendetti1993Point of No Return Fahd Bahktiar1994Cops & Robbersons Fred Lutz2001NailedUncle Robert2003The Young Black StallionBen Ishak
Television (partial) +YearTitleRoleNotes1970Mission: ImpossibleGuardEpisode: "Giatano"1970–1971The Mod Squad Paco Montoya/Aurelio2 episodes1974Rhoda Luis AlvarezEpisode: "9-E is Available" Kojak Detective Sam CalucciEpisode: "The Betrayal"1977Night Terror The KillerTV movieCharlie's Angels Roy DavidEpisode: "The Big Tap-Out" Starsky & Hutch'Sonny' WatsonEpisode: "Huggy Bear and the Turkey"1978Rockford FilesSean InnesEpisode: "Three Day Affair with a Thirty Day Escrow" Hawaii Five-OJohnny NoahEpisode: "Small Potatoes"1979Gold of the Amazon Women Luis EscobarTV movie1980Tenspeed and Brown ShoeTommy TedescoPilot episode1980Hart to HartMarty BentonEpisode: "This Lady is Murder"1981-1982Strike ForceLieutenant Charlie Gunzer1981Fantasy IslandRobert LuriaSegment: "The Perfect Husband"Foul Play Captain Jakoby/Captain Vito Lombardi1982Matt HoustonPrince Fahad Ibn HasimEpisode: "The Kidnapping"1983Hardcastle and McCormickFreddie KaneEpisode: "The Boxer"1983-1987Cagney & Lacey Hassan bin Moqtadi/Det. Sal Caprio2 episodes1983-1986The A-TeamTommy Tedesco/Jackie Martell1984HunterNathan "Nate" DemarestEpisode: "High Bleacher Man"Second Sight: A Love StoryDr. Ross HarkinTV movie1985Tales from the Darkside Frank BigalowEpisode: "Bigalow's Last Smoke"FameJoe GarverEpisode: "Tomorrow's Children"1985-1986MacGyverJames Crowe/Joey Bennett2 episodes1986Hill Street BluesCaptain Bob Ajanian1989Midnight Caller Maurice MaxwellEpisode: "Trash Radio"Mission ImpossibleArthur SixEpisode: "The Fixer"1991Jake and the FatmanHarry RendelEpisode: "Street of Dreams"1992Reasonable DoubtsDonovan BlackEpisode: "Silence"1993Johnny BagoVinnie4 episodes1994Chicago HopeAnthony TravelliEpisode: "With the Greatest of Ease"1995Northern ExposureLowell GrippoEpisode: "Little Italy"Charlie Grace Rudy NovakEpisode: "One Simple Little Favour"1996Diagnosis: Murder Dr. Ed Quiller Episode: "Misdiagnosis Murder" NYPD BlueCarmine Del MarcoEpisode: "A Tushful of Dollars"1999If You BelieveWalterTV movie1999-2002The Sopranos Richard La Penna 4 episodes
Bibliography Act III, 2011 (Aiora Press, Athens, and Armida Publications, Nicosia) Chrysalis, 2011 (Armida Publications, Nicosia)
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
References
External links
High School Yearbook Picture of Richard and Robert Romanos