On Thursday, famed character actor Frank Adonis passed away at the age of 83 due to various health issues. Adonis leaves behind an extraordinarily long and rich career. Over the course of a career that spanned more than 45 years, Adonis had over 40 roles in some truly iconic films.
With so many memorable roles to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start watching. But if you’re looking for ideas for a marathon, look no further. Here are the top five movies starring Frank Adonis that you don’t want to miss.
Raging Bull : Adonis worked regularly with Scorsese in a number of his films, but this triumph of cinema and beloved classic is at the top of the list. In this movie about the life of boxer Jake La Motta, Adonis gives a brief but memorable turn as one of the boxers who hangs around the gym that La Motta (played by Robert De Niro) frequents. Every role — including that of Adonis — is powerful and profound and has to be seen to be believed.
Wall Street : Adonis was featured in a small but memorable role in this iconic movie about 1980s greed and power starring Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas in the unforgettable (and award-winning) role as Gordon Gecko. This dark and atmospheric movie by Oliver Stone somehow resonates just as strongly today as it did back when it first hit theaters.
Goodfellas and Raging Bull actor Frank Adonis dies aged 83 https://t.co/uoiNRjsNpc
— The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) December 27, 2018
Goodfellas : Marking the second Martin Scorsese movie to make this list, Goodfellas is probably the role most fans remember Adonis from. He cemented himself as everyone’s favorite wise guy in this popular crime film about the Mob and was able to more than hold his own against heavyweights like Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro, and Ray Liotta
True Romance : In this madcap, violent dark comedy written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by the late, great Tony Scott, two young lovers go on the run to avoid the Mob, drug dealers, and a whole host of problems. The movie stars Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette but features amazing cameos including James Gandolfini, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, and Brad Pitt — as well as another great turn by Adonis.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective: It wasn’t his usual fare, but Adonis clearly had a ton of fun acting in this zany comedy alongside Jim Carrey. The hilarious crime spoof features Adonis riffing on his own traditional role as a tough guy, who ends up finding himself foiled by the unstoppable — and often inexplicable — antics of everyone’s favorite pet detective.
