Acting

Ron Carey

Born 1935-12-11

Ron Carey (December 11, 1935 – January 16, 2007) was an American actor. He was known as a notably short, Italian, nasal-toned and mischievous-looking fellow, a perfect type for the stand-up comedy circuit and for playing Brooklynesque characters in T.V. sitcoms and films. He earned his Bachelor's degree in communications from Seton Hall University in South Orange in 1956, but moved to near-by New York and took to the comedy stage, finding work in such prime clubs as "The Improvisation". He soon earned notice for his "little man" humor, which was built around Italian family and Roman Catholic "guilt" jokes (in reality, he once considered being a priest). Ron finally gained some momentum on T.V. making various funnyman appearances on the talk/variety show formats hosted by the best of the best -- Jack Paar, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson. He also found lucrative work in commercials playing various feisty or hapless characters. Ron finally broke into films with the Jack Lemmon/Sandy Dennis comedy The Out of Towners (1970) as a Boston taxi driver, then continued on with other minor bits in Who Killed Mary Whats'ername? (1971) and the cult film Made for Each Other (1971) starring Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor. Earlier Ron appeared on Broadway in the couple's 1968 hit comedy "Lovers and Other Strangers." It wasn't until his work as a secondary staple in Mel Brooks' madcap company that he earned even a modicum of success in films. His participation in the zany parodies Silent Movie (1976), High Anxiety (1977) and History of the World: Part I (1981) occurred during the height of his T.V. fame. Likewise, he went on to deliver a substantial role as plus-sized Dom DeLuise's unsympathetic brother Frankie in Fatso (1980), directed by Brooks' wife Anne Bancroft. As for the smaller screen, a regular player on the summer variety series The Melba Moore-Clifton Davis Show (1972) led to his being cast in the New York-area sitcom The Corner Bar (1972) and the ethnic family comedy The Montefuscos (1975). A steady pay-check was not to be had, however, until he was added to the second season ensemble of Barney Miller (1975) headed by Hal Linden and Abe Vigoda. Ron earned sympathy strokes as Carl Levitt, a brown-nosing, eager-beaver patrolman who yearned to be a plainclothes detective in Barney's police agency, but just didn't measure up because of his vertically challenged stature. Ron, whose character finally received a promotion after the long haul, stayed with the popular show until its cancellation in 1982. Ron died of complications from a stroke at 71 years old in Los Angeles and is survived by long-time wife Sharon.

Acting credits

5.4

Lucky Luke becomes the Sheriff of Daisy Town and runs out all the criminals. Then the Dalton brothers arrive and try to get the Indians to break the peace treaty and attack the town.

Lucky Luke

1991

6.4

A psychiatrist with intense acrophobia (fear of heights) goes to work for a mental institution run by doctors who appear to be crazier than their patients, and have secrets that they are willing to commit murder to keep.

High Anxiety

1977

6.5

Aspiring filmmakers Mel Funn, Marty Eggs and Dom Bell go to a financially troubled studio with an idea for a silent movie. In an effort to make the movie more marketable, they attempt to recruit a number of big name stars to appear, while the studio's creditors attempt to thwart them.

Silent Movie

1976

6.3

An honest, goodhearted man is forced to turn to a life of crime to finance his neurotic mother's skyrocketing medical bills.

Johnny Dangerously

1984

6.7

An uproarious version of history that proves nothing is sacred – not even the Roman Empire, the French Revolution and the Spanish Inquisition.

History of the World: Part I

1981

6.2

Two brothers who hate themselves are going to spend Christmas with their mother. She tries to get them together.

Troublemakers

1994

Documentary on the making of Mel Brooks' classic comedy "History of the World, Part 1."

Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World

2009

6.8

A trip to New York for a job interview turns into a trip to hell for a small town couple.

The Out-of-Towners

1970

3.0

Peeping Times is a comedy special that aired on NBC on January 25, 1978. Co-produced, written and directed by Rudy De Luca and Barry Levinson, the special featured an early broadcast network appearance of David Letterman. David Frost was co-executive producer. The show was a spoof of TV news magazine programs.

Peeping Times

1978

5.5

A collection of subversive comedy sketches and routines relating to the peace movement.

Dynamite Chicken

1971

5.8

Dominick DiNapoli is a man who loves food and is overweight as a result. After an obese cousin dies due to health problems, Dominick's sister Antoinette sets out to help him lose weight. Although he has a hard time trying to slim down, Dominick finds inspiration when he meets and falls for shop owner Lydia. Can he get up the courage to ask her out, or will he go back to the comfort of overeating?

Fatso

1980

5.9

Italian immigrant Joe is hired by mobster Vince to kill a witness before he can testify against him. Joe dresses up as a policeman to be able to get close to his victim, but he's mistaken for a real cop by everyone and will reluctantly have to enforce the law to avoid blowing his cover.

The Good Bad Guy

1997

5.2

An eccentric woman meets an equally odd man at a group therapy session and they begin a relationship.

Made For Each Other

1971

4.9

A prostitute is murdered on the streets of a tough, low-income neighborhood. A diabetic retired boxer who knew her is appalled by the lack of interest shown in the case by the police or anybody else in the neighborhood, and decides to investigate the case himself.

Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?

1971

7.0

A funny anthology featuring various sketches about people having trouble with love and sex.

Acts of Love and Other Comedies

1973

5.5

Cowhairs want to drive farmers away from their lands. Luke takes matters into his own hands, and even Lotta's beauty and kindness can't hold him back. Signs suggest that there is also a third party in the background who benefits from the strife.

Lucky Luke 2

1992