Victor Arnold obit

Victor Arnold, actor of stage, TV, film, dies at 79

 

He was not on the list.

Victor Arnold, a longtime Village resident and actor who was in the original production of “Fortune and Men’s Eyes,” died April 13 in a hospice in Buffalo at the age of 79.

Although he quit smoking in 1985, he was afflicted with emphysema, said his wife, Jessie Phillips Ratner.

“He was a wonderful actor and a terrific storyteller,” said David Rothenberg, who produced the 1967 Off Broadway prison play and founded The Fortune Society, which advocates for prison reform and helps ex-offenders re-enter society.

Victor Arnold’s acting career spanned nearly 50 years on stage, television and in film, including the original “Shaft,” directed by Gordon Parks, “And Justice for All,” directed by Norman Jewison and “Trees Lounge,” directed by Steve Buscemi.

On Broadway his credits include “Fun City” with Joan Rivers and the revival “Front Page” with Robert Ryan and Helen Hayes.

He was frequently on television, with featured appearances in “Law and Order,” “St. Elsewhere,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Kojak” and other programs. He acted in many regional theater productions, from Boston to Los Angeles, over the years.

Born Arnold Ratner in Herkimer, N.Y., he grew up in the Bronx where his parents moved when his was 3 years old.

He played baseball at Taft High School in the Bronx and had a tryout at third base for the Phillies in the Polo Grounds when he hit an inside-the-park homerun, his wife said.

“Vic was a tremendous storyteller, a true raconteur,” she said. “He would mesmerize any gathering with stories about baseball, the Navy and show business.”

After high school he joined the Navy in 1951 and became a medical corpsman serving aboard the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Baltimore.

“He told about being stationed near a Marine base in North Carolina when General ‘Chesty’ Puller [the most decorated Marine in the corps’ history] ordered him to ‘square away’ because he was wearing his hat at a nonregulation angle,” Ratner recalled.

After discharge from the Navy in 1955 he went to New York University under the G.I. Bill, studying to become a gym teacher.

“He was walking past the 13th Street Repertory Theatre one day when a friend stopped him and asked him if he wanted to be in a play. I think it was ‘Tiger at the Gates,’ ” his wife said.

It was the beginning of a distinguished career.

Victor Arnold got his stage name after a meeting in1962 with Maynard Morris, an influential theater agent at MCA Artists.

“ ‘Ratner’ was too ethnic so they made his first name his last and Vic came up with ‘Victor’ for his first name,” Ratner said.

A resident of Buffalo, Jessie met her husband through mutual friends when he was in a play at the Buffalo Studio Arena.

“He told me he lived in Greenwich Village and asked me to come with him. ‘There are trees on the street and the Hudson River is a block away,’ he said. So I gave my boss two weeks notice and when Vic’s show closed I said goodbye to Buffalo,” she said.

When Vic’s emphysema condition got worse, he could not manage stairs, so the couple moved to Buffalo last year, where he entered a hospice, his wife said.

“We lived back and forth for a time in Los Angeles, like a lot of actors, but the Village was really our home,” she said.

He kept in touch with The Fortune Society since its founding in 1967 and regularly attended its events until recently, Rothenberg said.

A sister died young and his parents predeceased him.

Actor

Loveless (2011)

Loveless

7.5

Paul Sr.

2011

 

Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

8.1

TV Series

Roy Lee Dotson

2009

1 episode

 

Glenn Close and Rose Byrne in Damages (2007)

Damages

8.1

TV Series

Larry Popler

2007

5 episodes

 

Tony Goldwyn, Camryn Manheim, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Mehcad Brooks, and Odelya Halevi in Law & Order (1990)

Law & Order

7.8

TV Series

Jimmy Flood

Nino Simonelli

David Kaufer

1991–2005

3 episodes

 

Vincent D'Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe, Eric Bogosian, Julianne Nicholson, and Chris Noth in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

7.6

TV Series

Mr. Nelson

2002

1 episode

 

Michael Beach, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Raver, Jason Wiles, Coby Bell, Amy Carlson, Molly Price, Anthony Ruivivar, and Skipp Sudduth in Third Watch (1999)

Third Watch

8.0

TV Series

Bartender

2002

1 episode

 

Alan Arkin, Paula Devicq, Manny Perez, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, and Joseph Lyle Taylor in 100 Centre Street (2001)

100 Centre Street

7.9

TV Series

Nicky Steps

2001

1 episode

 

The Yards (2000)

The Yards

6.4

Albert Granada

2000

 

Kelly Macdonald and Michael Rispoli in Two Family House (2000)

Two Family House

7.2

Mr. Cicco

2000

 

Steve Buscemi in Trees Lounge (1996)

Trees Lounge

7.1

Tony Basilio

1996

 

Sully Boyar, James Marshall, and Jeff Monahan in Hits! (1994)

Hits!

5.5

Vinny

1994

 

Vic Noto in Loving (1983)

Loving

6.9

TV Series

Maxim (credit only)

1991

1 episode

 

True Blue (1989)

True Blue

8.7

TV Series

Chief Servino

Dep. Chief Servino

1989–1990

3 episodes

 

Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless in Cagney & Lacey (1981)

Cagney & Lacey

6.8

TV Series

Mr. Bell

Belden

1984–1987

2 episodes

 

Denzel Washington, Ed Begley Jr., David Morse, Howie Mandel, Cynthia Sikes, Ellen Bry, William Daniels, and Ed Flanders in St. Elsewhere (1982)

St. Elsewhere

8.0

TV Series

Michael Costa

1987

1 episode

 

Brian Benben, Patricia Kalember, Priscilla Lopez, Jan Rubes, Lane Smith, and Keone Young in Kay O'Brien (1986)

Kay O'Brien

7.5

TV Series

Detective Ashman

1986

1 episode

 

Agent on Ice (1985)

Agent on Ice

4.9

Aldo

1985

 

Out of the Darkness (1985)

Out of the Darkness

6.1

TV Movie

Nick Zigo

1985

 

Jackie Chan in The Protector (1985)

The Protector

5.7

Police Captain

1985

 

Pernell Roberts in Trapper John, M.D. (1979)

Trapper John, M.D.

6.6

TV Series

Johanis Rivera

1984

1 episode

 

Dana Carvey, Dick Butkus, James Farentino, and Bubba Smith in Blue Thunder (1984)

Blue Thunder

6.1

TV Series

Charlie Folsom

1984

1 episode

 

Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson in Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983)

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.0

TV Series

Marty Price

1983

1 episode

 

Brian Keith and Daniel Hugh Kelly in Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)

Hardcastle and McCormick

6.6

TV Series

Shelcroft

1983

1 episode

 

All the Right Moves (1983)

All the Right Moves

6.0

Henry the Bartender

1983

 

The Returning (1983)

The Returning

3.9

Al Lyons

1983

 

Supervisors

Short

Abbott

1982

 

Sharon Gabet and Larkin Malloy in The Edge of Night (1956)

The Edge of Night

7.8

TV Series

Joseph Bulmer

1982

47 episodes

 

The Neighborhood (1982)

The Neighborhood

6.1

TV Movie

Jurgenson

1982

 

Wolfen (1981)

Wolfen

6.3

Roundenbush

1981

 

The First Deadly Sin (1980)

The First Deadly Sin

5.9

Officer Kendall

1980

 

One Who Was There (1979)

One Who Was There

5.8

Short

1979

 

Al Pacino in And Justice for All (1979)

And Justice for All

7.4

Leo Fauci

1979

 

The Last Tenant (1978)

The Last Tenant

6.1

TV Movie

Carmine

1978

 

This Is the Life (1952)

This Is the Life

6.9

TV Series

Sgt. Hodak

1977

1 episode

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

Zografides

1977

1 episode

 

Richard Thomas, Will Geer, Judy Norton, Ellen Corby, Kami Cotler, David W. Harper, Michael Learned, Mary Beth McDonough, Eric Scott, Ralph Waite, and Jon Walmsley in The Waltons (1972)

The Waltons

7.6

TV Series

Country Joe Martin

1977

1 episode

 

Serpico (1976)

Serpico

6.9

TV Series

Clay

1976

1 episode

 

Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style (1976)

Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style

6.4

TV Movie

Gangster

1976

 

Jack Palance in Bronk (1975)

Bronk

6.7

TV Series

Mario

1975

1 episode

 

Kojak (1973)

Kojak

7.1

TV Series

Malloy

1975

1 episode

 

Roy Scheider in The Seven-Ups (1973)

The Seven-Ups

6.8

Barilli - Seven-Up

1973

 

Susan Strasberg, Tony Musante, and Simon Oakland in Toma (1973)

Toma

7.6

TV Series

Buddy Tierney

1973

1 episode

 

You Are There (1953)

You Are There

8.4

TV Series

Drouilliard

1971

1 episode

 

Richard Roundtree in Shaft (1971)

Shaft

6.6

Charlie

1971

 

The Best of Everything (1970)

The Best of Everything

8.0

TV Series

Eddie Peronne

1970

2 episodes

 

N.Y.P.D. (1967)

N.Y.P.D.

7.4

TV Series

Mickey

Ralph

1967–1969

2 episodes

 

The Incident (1967)

The Incident

7.6

Tony Goya

1967

 

Burt Reynolds in Hawk (1966)

Hawk

6.9

TV Series

Billy Kestor

1966

1 episode

 

Kathleen Maguire in A Flame in the Wind (1964)

A Flame in the Wind

8.0

TV Series

Tony Corso

1964–1966

 

Robert Reed and E.G. Marshall in The Defenders (1961)

The Defenders

8.0

TV Series

Delivery Man

1964

1 episode

 

George Maharis and Martin Milner in Route 66 (1960)

Route 66

7.7

TV Series

Arthur Santos

1964

1 episode

 

George C. Scott in East Side/West Side (1963)

East Side/West Side

8.5

TV Series

Tom Young

1964

1 episode

 

Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950)

Armstrong Circle Theatre

7.7

TV Series

Naples

1963

1 episode