Richard DeAngelis

From The Wire

Richard DeAngelis (born 1932, died 28 December 2005) was an American actor. He had a recurring role as Raymond Foerster in the first four seasons of The Wire. DeAngelis also appeared in Homicide: The Movie as Witness #1.

Born in Boston, Richard De Angelis served in the Navy during the Korean conflict and worked as an accountant for 14 years. At 38, he quit smoking, became a vegetarian and enrolled in acting school. He received a master's degree in 1983 from the University of Maryland's theater arts program.

He played Baltimore police Colonel Raymond Foerster on the The Wire until his December 2005 death from prostate cancer.

DeAngelis also appeared in plays, TV commercials, radio spots and print advertisements in an acting career that spanned four decades. He performed stand-up comedy for many years under the name Ricky Roach.

In addition to his recurring role on The Wire, De Angelis appeared in Homicide: The Movie and the John Waters films A Dirty Shame and Cecil B. Demented.