Frank Ray Perilli obit

Actor Frank Ray Perilli has died

He was not on the list.

Frank R. Perilli, 92, born on August 30, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, passed away March 8, 2018. He resided in Los Angeles, California at the time of his passing. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, California.

Frank Ray Perilli's biography, "The Candy Butcher," was released days after his death from complications of the West Nile Virus on March 10, 2018. Written by his lifelong friend, William Karl Thomas, it reveals a colorful life from a childhood in the mob controlled ghettos of Chicago in the 20's and 30's, to a career as a nightclub comic and film character actor in the 40's and 50's, to being a staff writer for Shecky Greene and Dean Martin and Don Rickles and others, and ultimately becoming a prolific screenwriter and film producer of twenty films and four plays during the balance of his life. Thomas collaborated with Perilli on screenplays early in his career, and also collaborated on screenplays and comedy material with Lenny Bruce during the period that Perilli mentored and managed Lenny's career, as detailed in Thomas' memoir, "Lenny Bruce: The Making of a Prophet." Thomas has penned a dozen other fiction and non-fiction books, most about show business in the latter part of the twentieth century, all available in print and digital editions from major online booksellers. His biography of Perilli fulfills the comment The Manchester Guardian made about his book about Lenny Bruce, "His work sometimes reads like a Bogart script."

 

Actor

Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers (2005)

Wedding Crashers

Old Italian Man (as Frankie Ray Perelli)

2005

 

Steal Big Steal Little (1995)

Steal Big Steal Little

E.J.

1995

 

Harrison Ford in The Fugitive (1993)

The Fugitive

Jail Officer

1993

 

Sherilyn Fenn, William Baldwin, and Kelly Lynch in Three of Hearts (1993)

Three of Hearts

Patient

1993

 

Scott Glenn and Ronee Blakley in She Came to the Valley (1979)

She Came to the Valley

Emilio

1979

 

Fairy Tales (1978)

Fairy Tales

Baron

1978

 

End of the World (1977)

End of the World

Awards Party Guest

1977

 

Cinderella (1977)

Cinderella

Italian Ambassador

1977

 

Combat! (1962)

Combat!

FrankieGardello

TV Series

1962–1963

2 episodes

 

Invasion of the Star Creatures (1962)

Invasion of the Star Creatures

Pvt. Penn (as Frankie Ray)

1962

 

John Bentley, Brett Halsey, and Mabel Rea in Submarine Seahawk (1958)

Submarine Seahawk

Shore Patrolman (as Frank Ray)

1958

 

Flight (1958)

Flight

Shreveport Operator

TV Series

1958

2 episodes

 

Susan Cabot in Carnival Rock (1957)

Carnival Rock

Billy (as Frankie Ray)

1957

 

The NBC Comedy Hour (1956)

The NBC Comedy Hour

Minor Role (as Frankie Ray)

TV Series

1956

1 episode

 

Arthur Franz and Beverly Garland in New Orleans Uncensored (1955)

New Orleans Uncensored

Deuce (as Frankie Ray)

1955

 

Writer

Steal Big Steal Little (1995)

Steal Big Steal Little

story

1995

 

Joey Takes a Cab

Writer

1991

 

The Best of Sex and Violence (1982)

The Best of Sex and Violence

Writer

1982

 

Alligator (1980)

Alligator

story

1980

 

Scott Glenn and Ronee Blakley in She Came to the Valley (1979)

She Came to the Valley

screenplay

1979

 

Fairy Tales (1978)

Fairy Tales

written by

1978

 

Kim Milford in Laserblast (1978)

Laserblast

written by

1978

 

Land of No Return (1977)

Land of No Return

writer

1977

 

End of the World (1977)

End of the World

written by

1977

 

Cinderella (1977)

Cinderella

written by

1977

 

Dracula's Dog (1977)

Dracula's Dog

writer

1977

 

Mansion of the Doomed (1976)

Mansion of the Doomed

written by

1976

 

Last Foxtrot in Burbank (1973)

Last Foxtrot in Burbank

Writer (uncredited)

1973

 

Little Cigars (1973)

Little Cigars

written by

1973

 

The Doberman Gang (1972)

The Doberman Gang

original story and screenplay

1972

 

Producer

Scott Glenn and Ronee Blakley in She Came to the Valley (1979)

She Came to the Valley

producer

1979

 

Dracula's Dog (1977)

Dracula's Dog

producer