Richard Dimitri obit

Richard Dimitri Dies: ‘When Things Were Rotten’, ‘Johnny Dangerously’ Actor Was 83

 

He was not on the list.

Richard Dimitri, the actor who played twins Bertram and Renaldo in Mel Brooks’ short-lived 1975 sitcom When Things Were Rotten and later appeared opposite Michael Keaton in 1984’s Johnny Dangerously and Richard Dreyfus in 1989’s Let It Ride, died December 18 in Los Angeles following a decades-long battle with heart and lung illnesses. He was 83.

His death was announced yesterday by family, who noted that he passed away with his wife of 26 years Christianne Engs at his side.

Born in Yonkers, New York, on June 27, 1942, Dimitri, of Assyrian descent, graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1962. The following year he made his New York stage debut as Bashir in the Off Broadway revival of The Immoralist. He went on to perform on Broadway as Pavli in Zorba, Muthu in The Guide (both 1968) and Kinesias in 1972’s Lysistrata opposite Melina Mercouri.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1975 after being cast in ABC’s single-season Robin Hood parody When Things Were Rotten starring Dick Gautier, Dimitri would go on to appear in episodes of Starsky & Hutch, Welcome Back, Kotter, Hawaii Five-O, and Tracey Ullman’s Tracey Takes On.

In 1984 he appeared on the big screen as Roman Troy Moronie in Amy Heckerling’s comedy Johnny Dangerously opposite Keaton, Joe Piscopo, Marilu Henner, Danny DeVito, among others. In 1989’s Let It Ride, he played Tony Cheeseburger opposite Dreyfus and Teri Garr.

In addition to his acting career, Dijmitri wrote for such series as 1984’s Going Bananas and 1993’s Daddy Dearest. He also performed stand-up comedy at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles and other venues.

According to his family, serious chronic-health conditions necessitated his early retirement from the entertainment industry in 1998. He then launched a career as an art and antiques dealer, opening Los Angeles gallery Engs-Dimitri Works of Art with his wife.

The actor was predeceased by son John W. Dimitri. A private interment will take place on January 15. The family requests donations in his memory be directed to The John Dimitri Research Foundation for Congenital Heart Disease.

 

Actor

Tracey Takes On... (1996)

Tracey Takes On...

7.3

TV Series

Monsieur AndreAbbie Ben-Svi

1997–1999

3 episodes

 

OP Center (1995)

OP Center

5.7

TV Mini Series

Osman

1995

 

John Ritter and Markie Post in Hearts Afire (1992)

Hearts Afire

6.9

TV Series

Nico

1995

1 episode

 

Richard Lewis: I'm Doomed (1990)

Richard Lewis: I'm Doomed

6.8

TV Special

Dr. Rose

1990

 

Trying Times (1987)

Trying Times

7.2

TV Series

Dean

1989

1 episode

 

Richard Dreyfuss in Let It Ride (1989)

Let It Ride

6.8

Tony Cheeseburger

1989

 

CBS Summer Playhouse (1987)

CBS Summer Playhouse

6.4

TV Series

Harry Zenko

1987

1 episode

 

Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Michael Keaton, Dom DeLuise, Peter Boyle, and Joe Piscopo in Johnny Dangerously (1984)

Johnny Dangerously

6.5

Roman Troy Moronie

1984

 

Turnover Smith (1980)

Turnover Smith

6.2

TV Movie

Sharif

1980

 

Jeff Goldblum and Ben Vereen in Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980)

Tenspeed and Brown Shoe

7.5

TV Series

Johnny McClain

1980

1 episode

 

This Is the Life (1952)

This Is the Life

6.4

TV Series

Jimmy Stricklin

1979

1 episode

 

Kam Fong, Al Harrington, Jack Lord, and James MacArthur in Hawaii Five-O (1968)

Hawaii Five-O

7.4

TV Series

Sonny KanekoaTanami

1978–1979

3 episodes

 

The 416th

TV Movie

Private Carmine Pompinece

1979

 

Welcome Back, Kotter (1975)

Welcome Back, Kotter

7.1

TV Series

Detective

1979

1 episode

 

Diary of a Young Comic (1979)

Diary of a Young Comic

7.1

TV Movie

1979

 

Human Feelings (1978)

Human Feelings

5.1

TV Movie

Garcia

1978

 

The World's Greatest Lover (1977)

The World's Greatest Lover

5.8

Tony Lassiter

1977

 

Seventh Avenue (1977)

Seventh Avenue

6.6

TV Mini Series

Frank Topo

1977

3 episodes

 

Starsky and Hutch (1975)

Starsky and Hutch

7.0

TV Series

Duran

1976

1 episode

 

When Things Were Rotten (1975)

When Things Were Rotten

7.3

TV Series

BertramRenaldo

1975

13 episodes

 

Stunts

Aidan Gillen and Fred Ward in Dice (2001)

Dice

7.6

TV Mini Series

stunts

2001

6 episodes

 

Writer

Richard Lewis and Don Rickles in Daddy Dearest (1993)

Daddy Dearest

7.3

TV Series

created by

1993

1 episode

 

Marie Denn, Emily Moultrie, and Tim Topper in Going Bananas (1984)

Going Bananas

5.7

TV Series

Writer

1984

 

House Calls (1979)

House Calls

6.6

TV Series

written by

1981

2 episodes

 

Roosevelt and Truman

TV Movie

Writer

1977

 

Producer

Roosevelt and Truman

TV Movie

producer

1977

 

Self

The I'm Exhausted Concert (1988)

The I'm Exhausted Concert

7.5

TV Special

Self - Alex

1988

 

The Richard Lewis 'I'm in Pain' Concert (1985)

The Richard Lewis 'I'm in Pain' Concert

6.3

TV Special

Self - Richard's Therapist - Witness

1985

 

Paul Lynde in The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965)

The Hollywood Squares (Daytime)

6.8

TV Series

Self - Panelist

1975

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection (2003)

'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection

8.7

Video

Moroni (This Is The Life) (archive footage, uncredited)

2003

 

'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Videos (1998)

'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Videos

8.2

Video

Moroni (This Is The Life) (archive footage)

1998

 

Weird Al Yankovic: The Ultimate Collection

Video

Moroni (This Is The Life) (archive footage)

1993

 

'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Collection (1993)

'Weird Al' Yankovic: The Ultimate Collection

5.4

Video

Moroni (This Is The Life) (archive footage)

1993

 

The 'Weird Al' Yankovic Video Library: His Greatest Hits (1992)

The 'Weird Al' Yankovic Video Library: His Greatest Hits

7.5

Video

Moroni (This Is The Life) (archive footage, uncredited)

1992