Leo Rossi (born June 26, 1946) is an American actor, writer and
producer. A character actor with over 100 credits to his name, he is
known for his role as foul-mouthed EMT Vincent "Budd" Scarlotti in the
1981 horror film Halloween II, as the serial killer Turkell from the
1990 horror sequel Maniac Cop 2, and as Detective Sam Dietz in the
Relentless franchise. His other films include Heart Like a Wheel
(1983), River's Edge (1986), The Accused (1988), Analyze This (1999),
One Night at McCool's (2001), and 10th & Wolf (2006).Rossi began his
career with small roles in successful films, such as the Rick
Rosenthal-directed â€" John Carpenter-scripted â€" Halloween II (1981)
with Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, in which he falls victim
to the suburban maniac Michael Myers. Subsequent roles in Jonathan
Kaplan's Heart Like a Wheel (1983) opposite Bonnie Bedelia and Beau
Bridges, Tim Hunter's River's Edge (1986) with Dennis Hopper and Keanu
Reeves, and Bob Rafelson's Black Widow (1987) â€" also with Hopper,
Theresa Russell and Debra Winger â€" paved the way for a starring role
opposite Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis in Kaplan's The Accused
(1988); Rossi delivers a chilling performance as the film's central
antagonist, Cliff "Scorpion" Albrect. The Accused in turn led to Rossi
winning a starring role in William Lustig's Relentless (1989), a
serial killer film which co-stars Judd Nelson and Robert Loggia;
however, this time Rossi plays the central protagonist â€" Detective
Sam Deitz â€" a role he would reprise in three sequels. Rossi followed
up Relentless with Lustig's Maniac Cop 2 (1990), a horror film sequel
starring Bruce Campbell and scripted by Larry Cohen.During the 1980s,
Rossi was also a prominent face on TV: he made guest appearances in
the police procedural Hill Street Blues (1982), a recurring role; the
science fiction series Amazing Stories by Steven Spielberg (1985); the
crime drama 21 Jump Street with Johnny Depp (1988); and the Vietnam
War drama Tour of Duty (1989).
producer. A character actor with over 100 credits to his name, he is
known for his role as foul-mouthed EMT Vincent "Budd" Scarlotti in the
1981 horror film Halloween II, as the serial killer Turkell from the
1990 horror sequel Maniac Cop 2, and as Detective Sam Dietz in the
Relentless franchise. His other films include Heart Like a Wheel
(1983), River's Edge (1986), The Accused (1988), Analyze This (1999),
One Night at McCool's (2001), and 10th & Wolf (2006).Rossi began his
career with small roles in successful films, such as the Rick
Rosenthal-directed â€" John Carpenter-scripted â€" Halloween II (1981)
with Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence, in which he falls victim
to the suburban maniac Michael Myers. Subsequent roles in Jonathan
Kaplan's Heart Like a Wheel (1983) opposite Bonnie Bedelia and Beau
Bridges, Tim Hunter's River's Edge (1986) with Dennis Hopper and Keanu
Reeves, and Bob Rafelson's Black Widow (1987) â€" also with Hopper,
Theresa Russell and Debra Winger â€" paved the way for a starring role
opposite Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis in Kaplan's The Accused
(1988); Rossi delivers a chilling performance as the film's central
antagonist, Cliff "Scorpion" Albrect. The Accused in turn led to Rossi
winning a starring role in William Lustig's Relentless (1989), a
serial killer film which co-stars Judd Nelson and Robert Loggia;
however, this time Rossi plays the central protagonist â€" Detective
Sam Deitz â€" a role he would reprise in three sequels. Rossi followed
up Relentless with Lustig's Maniac Cop 2 (1990), a horror film sequel
starring Bruce Campbell and scripted by Larry Cohen.During the 1980s,
Rossi was also a prominent face on TV: he made guest appearances in
the police procedural Hill Street Blues (1982), a recurring role; the
science fiction series Amazing Stories by Steven Spielberg (1985); the
crime drama 21 Jump Street with Johnny Depp (1988); and the Vietnam
War drama Tour of Duty (1989).
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