Reni Santoni (Wikipedia)
Reni Santoni was born in 1939 and is an American film, television and voice actor. He died in August 2020 aged 83.
Santoni was born in New York City of French and Spanish descent, and began his career in Off-Broadway theatre.
His first significant film role was an uncredited appearance in the 1964 film The Pawnbroker(starring Rod Steiger), in which he played a junkie trying to sell a radio to the title character (using anti-Semitic slurs to no effect).
His first leading role was as a young actor in Enter Laughing. Other film roles included Inspector “Chico” González in 1971’s Dirty Harry, Carl Reiner‘s comedic homage to the film noir genre, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982), as prison official Ramon Herrera in Bad Boys(1983), and as Detective Tony Gonzales in the action film Cobra (1986).
Santoni made guest appearances on television shows such as Barnaby Jones, Lou Grant, Hawaii Five-O, Hardcastle and McCormick, Hill Street Blues, The Odd Couple and Midnight Caller. In 1973, Santoni played a junior partner on Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law. His most notable role was as “Poppie” (the bombastic, antiabortion, neurotic, and very unhygienic restaurateur in Seinfeld).
