Ron Carey (actor)
Encyclopedia
Ron Carey was an American
film
and television
actor
. The 5-foot 4-inch actor was best known for playing cocky Officer Carl Levitt on TV's Barney Miller
, in which he was almost always surrounded by male actors (and sometimes female guest stars) who stood at least 4" taller. The series' stars (Hal Linden
, Max Gail
, Abe Vigoda
, Ron Glass
) all stood six feet or more. Carey appeared in the recurring role through almost the entire series.
, the son of Fanny and John Cicenia, and was raised in an Italian American
Catholic
family. Carey did stand-up comedy in the 1960s, after earning a bachelor's degree in communications from Seton Hall University
in 1956. His comedy centered mostly around Catholicism
and his childhood of being the undersized but quick-witted kid on the block. His break came in 1966 when he appeared on The Merv Griffin Show
and in 1967 he released a comedy album entitled The Slightly Irreverent Comedy of Ron Carey.
From the mid-1970s on, Carey was a member of Mel Brooks
' comedy troupe, appearing in featured roles in films such as High Anxiety
, Silent Movie
, and History of the World, Part I
. He also appeared in supporting roles in other films and on television, and was seen in scores of commercials, including some T-shirt ads for Hanes
, and an ad for Nabisco's snack cracker Better Cheddars
where he sang. He is most remembered for his role as the diligent but somewhat obsequious and passive-agressive Officer Carl Levitt, which he played from 1976 to 1982 on the TV series Barney Miller
.
Carey died of a stroke
at a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
in Los Angeles, California
in January, 2007. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sharon, and his brother, James Cicenia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
and television
Television in the United States
Television is one of the major mass media of the United States. Ninety-nine percent of American households have at least one television and the majority of households have more than one...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. The 5-foot 4-inch actor was best known for playing cocky Officer Carl Levitt on TV's Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
, in which he was almost always surrounded by male actors (and sometimes female guest stars) who stood at least 4" taller. The series' stars (Hal Linden
Hal Linden
Hal Linden is an American stage and television actor and television director, best known for his role in the television comedy series Barney Miller and as presenter on the ABC educational series Animals, Animals, Animals....
, Max Gail
Max Gail
Maxwell Trowbridge "Max" Gail, Jr. is an American actor who has starred in stage, television, and film roles. He most notably portrayed the role of Detective Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz on the television sitcom Barney Miller....
, Abe Vigoda
Abe Vigoda
Abe Vigoda is an American movie and television actor. Vigoda is well known for his portrayal of Sal Tessio in The Godfather, and for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on the sitcom television series Barney Miller from 1975–1977 and on its spinoff show Fish that aired from February 1977 to...
, Ron Glass
Ron Glass
Ronald E. "Ron" Glass is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as the witty Det. Ron Harris in the television sitcom Barney Miller , and as the spiritual Shepherd Derrial Book in the short-lived 2002 science fiction series Firefly and its sequel film Serenity.-Early life:Glass was...
) all stood six feet or more. Carey appeared in the recurring role through almost the entire series.
Life and career
Carey was born Ronald Joseph Cicenia in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, the son of Fanny and John Cicenia, and was raised in an Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
family. Carey did stand-up comedy in the 1960s, after earning a bachelor's degree in communications from Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
in 1956. His comedy centered mostly around Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and his childhood of being the undersized but quick-witted kid on the block. His break came in 1966 when he appeared on The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
and in 1967 he released a comedy album entitled The Slightly Irreverent Comedy of Ron Carey.
From the mid-1970s on, Carey was a member of Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
' comedy troupe, appearing in featured roles in films such as High Anxiety
High Anxiety
High Anxiety is a 1977 comedy film produced and directed by Mel Brooks, who also plays the lead. This is Brooks' first film as a producer and first "speaking" lead role...
, Silent Movie
Silent Movie
Silent Movie is a 1976 satirical comedy film co-written, directed by, and starring Mel Brooks, and released by 20th Century Fox on June 17, 1976...
, and History of the World, Part I
History of the World, Part I
History of the World, Part I is a 1981 comedy film written, produced, and directed by Mel Brooks. Brooks also stars in the film, playing five roles: Moses, Comicus the stand-up philosopher, Tomás de Torquemada, King Louis XVI, and Jacques, le garçon de pisse...
. He also appeared in supporting roles in other films and on television, and was seen in scores of commercials, including some T-shirt ads for Hanes
Hanes
Hanes and Hanes Her Way are brands of apparel currently owned by the HanesBrands, Inc Corporation...
, and an ad for Nabisco's snack cracker Better Cheddars
Better Cheddars
Better Cheddars is a brand of baked snack cracker manufactured by Nabisco, a subsidiary of Kraft Foods, Inc.In the United States, Better Cheddars are marketed under the "Flavor Originals" trademark, which also includes the Chicken in a Biskit brand. Better Cheddars were first introduced by Nabisco...
where he sang. He is most remembered for his role as the diligent but somewhat obsequious and passive-agressive Officer Carl Levitt, which he played from 1976 to 1982 on the TV series Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
.
Carey died of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in January, 2007. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sharon, and his brother, James Cicenia.
Movie and TV quotes
- "I got it, I got it, I got it ... I ain't got it." (from High Anxiety)
- "Only the best gig in town that every stand-up philospher, including Socrates, would die for! ... Believe it or not, you are going to play Caesar's Palace. [Brooks]: "The main room?" [Carey] The main room! [Both]: Groovus!" (from Brooks' History of the World, Part I)
- "I bust my anus to get you a job and you're angry with me? Boy, you are nuts. N-V-T-S nuts!" (from History of the World, Part I)
- "[Barney Miller] What happened, Levitt? [Levitt] I talked it over with a couple of doctors and they said 'forget it'. [Miller] Incurable, huh? [Levitt] Yes sir. Five six and a half, that's it." (from Barney Miller)
Filmography
- The Out-of-TownersThe Out-of-Towners (1970 film)The Out-of-Towners is a 1970 comedy film written by Neil Simon, directed by Arthur Hiller, and starring Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis. It was released by Paramount Pictures on May 28, 1970....
(1970) - The MontefuscosThe MontefuscosThe Montefuscos was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on Thursday nights at 8:00–8:30 pm from September 4–October 23, 1975 on the National Broadcasting Company...
(1975) TV Series - Silent MovieSilent MovieSilent Movie is a 1976 satirical comedy film co-written, directed by, and starring Mel Brooks, and released by 20th Century Fox on June 17, 1976...
(1976) - Barney MillerBarney MillerBarney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
(1976–1982) TV Series - High AnxietyHigh AnxietyHigh Anxiety is a 1977 comedy film produced and directed by Mel Brooks, who also plays the lead. This is Brooks' first film as a producer and first "speaking" lead role...
(1977) - FatsoFatso (film)Fatso is a 1980 American comedy film written and directed by Anne Bancroft and starring Bancroft herself, Dom DeLuise, Ron Carey and Candice Azzara.- Plot :...
(1980) - History of the World: Part I (1981)
- Johnny DangerouslyJohnny DangerouslyJohnny Dangerously is a 1984 comedy spoof of 1930s' crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling; its four screenwriters included Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris, both of whom previously created the hit TV series Diff'rent Strokes...
(1984) - Have FaithHave FaithHave Faith was a short-lived ABC television sitcom that ran for 7 episodes in 1989. The show was about a Catholic parish in a less-than-desirable Chicago neighborhood...
(1989) TV Series - Lucky LukeLucky LukeLucky Luke is a Belgian comics series created by Belgian cartoonist, Maurice De Bevere better known as Morris, the original artist, and was for one period written by René Goscinny...
(1991) - Food for Thought (1999)