Rick Aviles
| Rick Aviles | |
|---|---|
 Aviles as Willie Lopez in Ghost (1990) | |
| Born |
Richard Anthony Aviles October 14, 1952 New York, New York, U.S. |
| Died |
March 17, 1995 (aged 42) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | AIDS[1] |
| Occupation | Actor, Stand-up Comedian |
| Years active | 1980-1995 |
Rick Aviles (October 14, 1952 – March 17, 1995) was an American stand-up comedian and actor of Puerto Rican descent, best remembered for portraying the villainous Willie Lopez in the film Ghost.
Career
In the 1970s and 1980s, Aviles worked as a stand-up comedian on the Greenwich Village night-club circuit in New York. In 1981, he landed the role of Mad Dog in the film The Cannonball Run. He went on to act in fourteen more film productions. In 1987, Aviles landed a small part as the maintenance man in the film The Secret of My Success, starring Michael J. Fox. That same year he became the host of It's Showtime at the Apollo, and continued as host until 1991.[2]
In 1990, Aviles landed his most memorable role: Willie Lopez, killer of Patrick Swayze's Sam Wheat, in the film Ghost. The film was a smash hit at the box office and received multiple Oscar nominations. Along with Swayze, Aviles shared the screen with Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg and Tony Goldwyn. He also appeared in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train (1989) as Will Robinson; Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part III (1990) as Mask #1; Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way (1993) as "Quisqueya", starring Al Pacino; in Waterworld (1995) as the Gatesman, starring Kevin Costner and in Joe's Apartment (1996) as the voice of a cockroach.[2]
Among the television series in which he appeared are Mr. & Mrs. Dracula (1980), The Day Women Got Even (1980), The Carol Burnett Show (1991) and Stephen King's The Stand (1994).
Death
Having contracted HIV through heroin abuse, Aviles died on March 17, 1995 in Los Angeles, California, from complications of AIDS.[3]
Filmography
| Film[4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | The Cannonball Run | Mad Dog | |
| 1984 | Billions for Boris | Hector | |
| 1987 | Street Smart | Solo | |
| The Secret of My Success | Maintenance man | ||
| 1988 | Mondo New York | Comic in park | |
| Spike of Bensonhurst | Bandana | Alternative titles: The Mafia Kid or Throwback! | |
| 1989 | Mystery Train | Will Robinson | Segment: "Lost in Space" |
| Identity Crisis | El Toro | ||
| 1990 | Ghost | Willie Lopez | |
| The Godfather Part III | Mask #1 | ||
| Green Card | Vincent | ||
| 1993 | The Saint of Fort Washington | Rosario | |
| Carlito's Way | Quisqueya | ||
| 1995 | Waterworld | Gatesman | |
| 1996 | Joe's Apartment | Cockroach | Voice only |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | Mr. and Mrs. Dracula | Mario | Unknown episodes |
| The Day the Women Got Even | Pancho Diaz | ||
| 1989 | No Place Like Home | J.J. | |
| 1991 | Monsters | 1 episode | |
| The Carol Burnett Show | Skit characters | Unknown episodes | |
| 1993 | Moon Over Miami | Frankie the Rat | 1 episode |
| 1994 | The Stand | Rat man | Miniseries |
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17937734
- 1 2 New York Times; Movies and T.V.
- ↑ Tucker, Hannah (2006-06-09). "25 years of AIDS in Hollywood -- We remember the lost stars of movies, TV and art". Entertainment Weekly. p. 2. Retrieved 2006-07-29.
- ↑ http://www.inbaseline.com/person.aspx?person_id=140929