Ronald Christ Karabatsos (April 22, 1933 – April 17, 2012) was an American character actor, who prior to his acting career worked as a Union City police detective.
Early life Karabatsos was born on April 22, 1933, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA, to Constantine and Antoinette Karabatsos, first-generation immigrants from Greece. He grew up in Union City, New Jersey, where young Ronald graduated from Emerson High School.
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 28 years as a homicide detective.
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.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." Most New York critics and Roger Ebert 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." Critic David S. Machlowitz, 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 television shows, moving to live in California. He starred in the 1982 made-for-TV-movie Hear No Evil as Lt. Lew Healy.
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.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1981 Prince of the City Dave DeBennedeto 1982 Cheers Big Eddie 1983 Flashdance Jake Mawby Blood Feud Tony Buono Television film 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 1989 Who's the Boss? Ron 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 1993 Jailbait Kelso 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)
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