Who is Richard Foronjy? Convicted criminal turned actor known for ‘Midnight Run’ and ‘Serpico’ dies at 86

Convicted criminal turned actor Richard Foronjy, known for roles in Midnight Run and Carlito’s Way, died at 86 on Sunday, May 19, 2024. His family announced the news in his obituary shared on Facebook, which stated he spent his last day with his granddaughter Katherine Foronjy Coburn, his partner Wendy Odell Chiaro, and her daughter Lori.

"Richard was a legend in every sense. He has left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him. With a spirit as vibrant as the sun, he embraced life with unparalleled vigor and enthusiasm."

Foronjy, born in Brooklyn, New York, was arrested after robbing an attorney at gunpoint. He served 8.5 years in prison before turning to acting. Since then he became a character actor, appearing in smaller roles supporting the lead actor in films. He has played a variety of roles like cops, mobsters, and once an ambulance driver.

---

"It's been a long trip from Attica to Hollywood," — Richard Foronjy on how he cleaned up his act and turned to films

The actor began his film career by appearing in a minor role in the Al Pacino-led film Serpico. Richard Foronjy has since appeared in movies like Prince of the City, Once Upon a Time in America, and Repo Man. Interestingly, he played a cop in each of the above films.

When questioned about playing law enforcement characters, Foronjy told a Tribune reporter, Scott Vernon, in 1987:

"I was especially good at playing cops, no doubt because I got to know them so well when they were busting me every other week."

He also played a mobster in movies like Midnight Run and Carlito’s Way and a corrupt police officer in Once Upon a Time in America.

Per Vernon's article, Richard Foronjy grew up as an "angry kid" in Brooklyn. He never went to high school, got married, and had four kids.

He initially began forging checks but later escalated to robbing candy stores. For more "profit" and a "lavish" lifestyle, he started robbing banks. However, after robbing an attorney at gunpoint, he was caught while escaping.

Per The Tribune, Richard Foronjy stated:

"Altogether, I was arrested and put in jail 27 times. I was guilty of 'almost everything except drugs and homicide. But I was only convicted once for armed robbery, and I put in eight and a half years in Sing Sing and Attica."

He told the publication that the "worst thing about prison is the loneliness" and that you are forced to "form alliances with other convicts." Richard explained he met a con artist in prison who helped him with his education, adding that he read 500+ books while locked up.

After serving his time in prison, the actor was released when he was 32, and he vowed never to turn to crime again. He told Vernon his stint in prison cost him his wife and children.

"It's been a long trip from Attica to Hollywood. And you can bet money Ill never go back again."

Per the article, inspiration struck Richard Foronjy while watching an episode of the CBS crime drama Kojak. He thought if Telly Savalas (who played the titular character) could be an actor, so could he. Foronjy took a job working as a butcher while taking acting classes. He said he "cried" when he got the role in Serpico. The actor moved to Hollywood in 1975.

Richard Foronjy published his memoir, From the Mob to the Movies: How I Escaped the Mafia and Landed in Hollywood, in 2020, under the pen name Richie Salerno. It detailed his life from a con man in New York to an actor in Hollywood.

Per his obituary, he spent his last days with Wendy and her family, who had "showered him with love and adventures."

Foronjy is survived by his children, Charles Foronjy, Susan Argentina, Christine Argentina, and Richard Foronjy, his partner Wendy Odell Chiaro; and his brothers Charles, Frank, and William.