Reni Santoni (April 21, 1938 â€" August 1, 2020) was an American film,
television and voice actor. He was noted for playing Poppie on the
television sitcom Seinfeld and Chico González in Dirty Harry.Santoni
was born in New York City on April 21, 1938. His family was of French
(Corsican) and Spanish descent. He began his career in Off-Broadway
theatre, writing the play Raisin' Hell in the Son which premiered in
1962.Santoni's first significant film role was an uncredited
appearance in the 1964 film The Pawnbroker (starring Rod Steiger), in
which he played a junkie trying to sell a radio to the title character
(using anti-Semitic slurs to no effect). His first leading role was as
a young actor in Enter Laughing. He was cast into the role of delivery
boy David Kolowitz after being scouted by Carl Reiner; the film was a
semi-autobiographical story about the latter. Santoni went on to play
Inspector "Chico" González in the 1971 film Dirty Harry. His
character, who is a newcomer detective and college graduate in
sociology, was initially dismissed by the title character as "a
college boy". He ultimately uttered the memorable phrase, "No wonder
they call him Dirty Harry; [he] always gets the shit end of the
stick".
television and voice actor. He was noted for playing Poppie on the
television sitcom Seinfeld and Chico González in Dirty Harry.Santoni
was born in New York City on April 21, 1938. His family was of French
(Corsican) and Spanish descent. He began his career in Off-Broadway
theatre, writing the play Raisin' Hell in the Son which premiered in
1962.Santoni's first significant film role was an uncredited
appearance in the 1964 film The Pawnbroker (starring Rod Steiger), in
which he played a junkie trying to sell a radio to the title character
(using anti-Semitic slurs to no effect). His first leading role was as
a young actor in Enter Laughing. He was cast into the role of delivery
boy David Kolowitz after being scouted by Carl Reiner; the film was a
semi-autobiographical story about the latter. Santoni went on to play
Inspector "Chico" González in the 1971 film Dirty Harry. His
character, who is a newcomer detective and college graduate in
sociology, was initially dismissed by the title character as "a
college boy". He ultimately uttered the memorable phrase, "No wonder
they call him Dirty Harry; [he] always gets the shit end of the
stick".
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