Posted on 08/03/2020 7:23:20 PM PDT by Gamecock
Character actor Reni Santoni, who played Poppie the restaurant owner on Seinfeld, has died at the age of 81, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Santoni passed away Saturday while in hospice care in Los Angeles following years of health problems that included cancer.
In that Season 5 installment, Poppie ran a popular Italian restaurant, but he disgusted Jerry by neglecting to wash his hands after using the bathroom. Santoni returned as Poppie the following season in two episodes: “The Couch,” in which Poppie teams up with Kramer to plan a “make your own pie” pizza business and ruins Jerry’s couch; and “The Doorman.” He also reprised the role of Poppie in the Seinfeld series finale, which saw many of Jerry and the gang’s old enemies return to testify against them in court.
After Seinfeld, Santoni made guest appearances on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and CSI. His final TV credit was a 2012 episode of Franklin & Bash.
Born in New York City, Santoni gained fame with film roles like Dirty Harry, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid and Cobra. He also notched TV credits including Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting, Miami Vice and Murder, She Wrote. But he was perhaps best known for his four appearances as Poppie on Seinfeld, beginning with 1994’s “The Pie.”
A memorable line from a Seinfeld episode :
” Poppie’s a little sloppy “.
Damn! We all getting old
I didn’t know he was that old.
I’ve seen him in many things over the years.
A fun character actor. He stayed busy. Not always easy to do when acting for money.
> “Poppie’s a little sloppy” <
A classic line. And it’s something I use now and again when out with friends. We’ll be at a hot dog stand, and somebody will get mustard on his shirt. “Poppie’s a little sloppy”, I’ll say.
RIP, Mr. Santoni. Thanks for the laughs.
Also, played brief partner of Dirty Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood!)
I liked him in Dirty Harry way back when. He played Clint Eastwood’s partner who ended up getting shot while they were pursuing a serial killer. The character survived and there were some humorous scenes where Inspector Callahan was giving him the business for getting himself shot.
I had to check: That episode was 26 years ago, so he was 55 then. The years pass so quickly.
Oh wow, RIP Reni!
RIP. First turned up on my radar in “Dirty Harry.” A fine character actor.
Wow! I didn’t realize that was Poppi in Dirty Harry
Oh, no. Wilford Brimley (Postmaster General) yesterday, now Poppy? Ugh.
Oh, no. Wilford Brimley (Postmaster General) yesterday, now Poppy? Ugh.
Amen! Every day. My body tells me every morning I wake up, I’m not twenty something anymore.
He was hysterical in Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.
And Uncle Leo (Len Lesser) was in Eastwood's ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’. Lesser played one of the bushwhackers.
Poppi peed!
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