Joe Santos
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Joe Santos (born Joseph John Minieri, Jr.; 9 June 1931 – 18 March 2016) was an American film and television actor.
Life and career
Born in Brooklyn, Santos was a football player at Fordham University, and even turned semi-pro, before finding a new avenue in acting. He struggled in show business, and worked blue-collar jobs until his friend Al Pacino helped him get a role in the 1971 movie The Panic in Needle Park.
From 1974–1980, Santos played LAPD Sergeant (later Lieutenant) Dennis Becker, the friend of the easy going ex-convict-turned-private investigator Jim Rockford (played by James Garner) in The Rockford Files, and Lt. Frank Harper in the TV series Hardcastle and McCormick from 1985–1986. He had brief parts in several lesser-known films, and made a number of guest appearances on television shows throughout his acting career, frequently in the stock character role of a police officer. However, Santos' portrayals made the roles believable to most, because of the subtle acting nuances he brought to his craft. Santos also appeared on The Sopranos as Angelo Garepe in seven 2004 episodes.
From 1978-1980 Santos appeared on the CBS game show The Match Game always sitting in the top left seat. He appeared in numerous episodes and was usually comic foil to Brett Somers.
Santos suffered a heart attack on 14 March 2016, according to his son. He died four days later at the age of 84.
Filmography
Actor | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
1964 | Flesh and Lace | Julian shop owner | |
1966 | Moonlighting Wives | Detective Hank | |
1967 | The Tiger Makes Out | Uncredited | |
1971 | The Panic in Needle Park | Detective DiBono | |
1971 | The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight | Ezmo | |
1972 | Shaft's Big Score! | Pascal | |
1973 | The Friends of Eddie Coyle | Artie Van | |
The Blue Knight | Sgt. Cruz Segovia | ||
Shamus | Lieutenant Promuto | ||
1974 | Zandy's Bride | Frank Gallo | |
1983 | Blue Thunder | Montoya | |
1984 | Fear City | Frank | |
1986 | The Education of Allison Tate | Detective Duncan | |
1989 | Beverly Hills Brats | Spyder | |
1990 | Revenge | Ibarra | |
1991 | The Last Boy Scout | Bessalo | |
1992 | Sinatra | Marty Sinatra | |
Mo' Money | Lt. Raymond Walsh | ||
1993 | The Right Way | ||
1994 | Trial by Jury | Johnny Verona | |
1997 | The Postman | Colonel Getty | |
2000 | Hammerlock | Warden Stan Cromwell | |
Auggie Rose | Emanuel | ||
2001 | Proximity | Clive Plummer | |
The Man from Elysian Fields | Domenico | ||
2009 | Baseline | Bashir Abu Ahmed | |
2010 | Dead Genesis | Jason |
Television credits
- 1974–1980: The Rockford Files — Sergeant (later Lieutenant) Becker (recurring)
- 1978-1980: The Match Game- Himself (multiple episodes)
- 1974: Kung Fu Season 3 Episode 52 "A Lamb to the Slaughter" — Señor Sanjero
- 1986–1987: MacGyver — Jimmy 'The Eraser' Kendall (two episodes)
- 1986–1988: Magnum, P.I. — Police Lieutenant Nolan (five episodes)
- 1988: Miami Vice — Oscar Carrere (one episode)
- 2004: The Sopranos — Consigliere Angelo Garepe (seven episodes)