Ray Sharkey

Ray Sharkey is so terrific in pent-up, slow- and fast-boiling roles that it's no wonder he gets stuck in supporting character roles. And while it's nice to see him heading a cast in his first TV comedy series, "The Man in the Family" (premiering tonight at 9:30 on ABC Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42), its makers don't seem to know quite what to do with all his bristling energy. So they slow him, flatten him, till we almost get a laid-back Ray Sharkey.

Ray Sharkey, the hard-living actor who starred as a crime boss in the television series "Wiseguy," died of the complications of AIDS, his manager said Saturday. He was 40. Sharkey died Friday at Lutheran Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., said Herb Nanas. He had been in Southern California until a week ago when he returned home to New York. "Doctors said he was supposed to pass away six to eight months ago. He put up the most extraordinary battle," Nanas said.

When they went looking for Ray Sharkey to offer him a part as the prime bad guy on a proposed TV series, they didn't know where to find him. Everybody in Hollywood knew about Sharkey. He was the fellow who had made such an impression in "The Idolmaker." He was the actor film critic Pauline Kael had called the next James Cagney after seeing him in a movie called "Hot Tomorrow." He was the guy who had been all over the tube as a series guest star in the mid-'70s. Whatever happened to Ray Sharkey?

Actor Ray Sharkey, who said last year that he had recovered from years of drug abuse, has been charged with narcotics possession in Canada, where he had been guest-starring on an upcoming CBS series, officials said. Following the arrest on Wednesday, Sharkey, 40, was removed from "The Hat Squad," and his part was recast, said Diane Passarelli, the show's publicist. "Ray Sharkey was recast due to his unavailability," said Passarelli, who refused to elaborate further on Sharkey's dismissal.

Ray Sharkey, the hard-living actor who starred as a crime boss in the television series "Wiseguy," died of the complications of AIDS, his manager said Saturday. He was 40. Sharkey died Friday at Lutheran Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., said Herb Nanas. He had been in Southern California until a week ago when he returned home to New York. "Doctors said he was supposed to pass away six to eight months ago. He put up the most extraordinary battle," Nanas said.

Production has begun on "When You're Smiling," a new ABC mid-season comedy series about a vagabond Brooklyn-born Italian-American who promises his dying father he'll run the family grocery store. Ray Sharkey of "Wiseguy" stars with Julie Bovasso, Anne De Salvo and Joe Cortese. Premiere date will be announced at a later time.

Actor Ray Sharkey, who said last year that he had recovered from years of drug abuse, has been charged with narcotics possession in Canada, where he had been guest-starring on an upcoming CBS series, officials said. Following the arrest on Wednesday, Sharkey, 40, was removed from "The Hat Squad," and his part was recast, said Diane Passarelli, the show's publicist. "Ray Sharkey was recast due to his unavailability," said Passarelli, who refused to elaborate further on Sharkey's dismissal.

"Wiseguy" is a wonderful, entertaining show. Ken Wahl and Jonathan Banks are totally convincing, as was guest Ray Sharkey. It is intelligently written, actually using correct grammar while making good arguments for right and wrong. Each episode has been terrific, but Sonny's (Sharkey) farewell on Nov. 12 was exceptional. We look forward to a very long run. Cathy Matt, Newport Beach

The Arts & Entertainment cable network is launching a series of four one-act plays by prize-winning playwrights to run under the umbrella title of "American Playwrights Theater: The One Acts." The first will be Tennessee Williams' "27 Wagons Full of Cotton," starring Lesley Ann Warren, Ray Sharkey and Peter Boyle, set for airing this fall. The others will be Eugene O'Neill's "The Robe," Marsha Norman's "Third and Oak: The Pool Hall" and Paul Zindel's "Let Me Hear You Whisper." Anthony Quinn will host the series.

Ray Sharkey, who played a mobster on TV's "Wiseguy," hugged and kissed reputed crime boss John Gotti at Gotti's assault trial. Sharkey visited the courtroom Tuesday and the pair later lunched at Giambone's, an Italian restaurant, the New York Post reported today. Sharkey, who said he has known Gotti since they were children in Brooklyn, portrayed the fictional crime kingpin Sonny Steelgrave in the TV series. Sharkey is researching a movie that deals with the Mafia, his publicist told the Post.

Ray Sharkey is a take-charge kind of a guy. At least he's taking charge of his first sitcom, "The Man in the Family," which premiered last week for a seven-episode tryout on ABC. The comedy, from executive producer Ed. Weinberger ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show"), centers around Sal Bavasso (Sharkey), a 34-year-old Italian-American living the high life in Las Vegas who promises his dying father he'll move back to Brooklyn, become the head of the family and manage their small neighborhood grocery.

Ray Sharkey is so terrific in pent-up, slow- and fast-boiling roles that it's no wonder he gets stuck in supporting character roles. And while it's nice to see him heading a cast in his first TV comedy series, "The Man in the Family" (premiering tonight at 9:30 on ABC Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42), its makers don't seem to know quite what to do with all his bristling energy. So they slow him, flatten him, till we almost get a laid-back Ray Sharkey.

Production has begun on "When You're Smiling," a new ABC mid-season comedy series about a vagabond Brooklyn-born Italian-American who promises his dying father he'll run the family grocery store. Ray Sharkey of "Wiseguy" stars with Julie Bovasso, Anne De Salvo and Joe Cortese. Premiere date will be announced at a later time.

MTV, payola, Japanese takeovers, Milli Vanilli--there have been some real music-biz shake-ups in recent years. It's prompted producer Gene Kirkwood to move ahead on a sequel to "The Idolmaker" (1980), the fictional film bio of Bob Marcucci, who developed and marketed pop singers in the '50s and '60s. "We've been talking about it for years, and now the time seems right," Kirkwood tells us. "Everybody (Ray Sharkey, Peter Gallagher, Olympia Dukakis) in the original has really grown."

Ray Sharkey, who played a mobster on TV's "Wiseguy," hugged and kissed reputed crime boss John Gotti at Gotti's assault trial. Sharkey visited the courtroom Tuesday and the pair later lunched at Giambone's, an Italian restaurant, the New York Post reported today. Sharkey, who said he has known Gotti since they were children in Brooklyn, portrayed the fictional crime kingpin Sonny Steelgrave in the TV series. Sharkey is researching a movie that deals with the Mafia, his publicist told the Post.

The Arts & Entertainment cable network is launching a series of four one-act plays by prize-winning playwrights to run under the umbrella title of "American Playwrights Theater: The One Acts." The first will be Tennessee Williams' "27 Wagons Full of Cotton," starring Lesley Ann Warren, Ray Sharkey and Peter Boyle, set for airing this fall. The others will be Eugene O'Neill's "The Robe," Marsha Norman's "Third and Oak: The Pool Hall" and Paul Zindel's "Let Me Hear You Whisper." Anthony Quinn will host the series.

MTV, payola, Japanese takeovers, Milli Vanilli--there have been some real music-biz shake-ups in recent years. It's prompted producer Gene Kirkwood to move ahead on a sequel to "The Idolmaker" (1980), the fictional film bio of Bob Marcucci, who developed and marketed pop singers in the '50s and '60s. "We've been talking about it for years, and now the time seems right," Kirkwood tells us. "Everybody (Ray Sharkey, Peter Gallagher, Olympia Dukakis) in the original has really grown."

Ray Sharkey is a take-charge kind of a guy. At least he's taking charge of his first sitcom, "The Man in the Family," which premiered last week for a seven-episode tryout on ABC. The comedy, from executive producer Ed. Weinberger ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show"), centers around Sal Bavasso (Sharkey), a 34-year-old Italian-American living the high life in Las Vegas who promises his dying father he'll move back to Brooklyn, become the head of the family and manage their small neighborhood grocery.

When they went looking for Ray Sharkey to offer him a part as the prime bad guy on a proposed TV series, they didn't know where to find him. Everybody in Hollywood knew about Sharkey. He was the fellow who had made such an impression in "The Idolmaker." He was the actor film critic Pauline Kael had called the next James Cagney after seeing him in a movie called "Hot Tomorrow." He was the guy who had been all over the tube as a series guest star in the mid-'70s. Whatever happened to Ray Sharkey?

"Wiseguy" is a wonderful, entertaining show. Ken Wahl and Jonathan Banks are totally convincing, as was guest Ray Sharkey. It is intelligently written, actually using correct grammar while making good arguments for right and wrong. Each episode has been terrific, but Sonny's (Sharkey) farewell on Nov. 12 was exceptional. We look forward to a very long run. Cathy Matt, Newport Beach