---
name: "Reni Santoni"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/reni-santoni"
fi1m_id: "reni-santoni"
imdb_id: "nm0763858"
tmdb_id: 14784
wikidata_id: "Q891531"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 April 1939"
died: "1 August 2020"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-26T17:16:26.993709+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Reni Santoni

## Identity

Reni Santoni

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/reni-santoni
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** reni-santoni
- **IMDb ID:** nm0763858
- **TMDB ID:** 14784
- **Wikidata ID:** Q891531
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reni_Santoni, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q891531, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0763858/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14784

Actor. Born 21 April 1939 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 1 August 2020.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 April 1939, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 1 August 2020
- **Active:** 1971–1989
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 3 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 74 (1), 1980s 83 (2), 1990s 88 (1)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Drama 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $391m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reni_Santoni, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q891531, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0763858/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14784

## Fi1m on Reni Santoni

> Beside Clint Eastwood in *Dirty Harry*, Reni Santoni gives us a welcome break from the severity. His modest presence is worth noticing, though the film also shows how little room a dependable supporting actor can be given.

Reni Santoni’s Chico gives *Dirty Harry* (1971) a pause from Harry’s severity. Alongside Harry Guardino’s Bressler, he brings an ordinary presence into a film that keeps directing our attention back to Clint Eastwood. We felt relieved when the film made room for Chico, because Santoni gave us someone less forbidding to spend time with. We recommend the thriller with reservations, and one is that it finds too little use for the people around its leading man.

The leading role had once been Santoni’s. Carl Reiner cast him as aspiring actor David Kolowitz in *Enter Laughing* (1967), his first film lead, before his screen work settled mainly into supporting parts and television appearances. Reiner brought him back for the Steve Martin comedy *Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid* (1982). Still, *Cobra* (1986) put him beside Sylvester Stallone as Sergeant Tony Gonzales, once again playing a star’s police partner.

Don Siegel’s *Dirty Harry* shows both the value of that casting and its restrictions. Chico makes the company more bearable, but the screenplay seldom allows him to become as interesting as the trouble Harry can cause. Santoni’s comparatively modest presence suits the supporting part; it cannot make up for the writing’s lack of interest in him. The narrow focus helps the pursuit move, but we would gladly lose a little speed to know Chico better.

His television work offers a useful reason not to confuse the casting with the actor. As Poppie, the bombastic, unhygienic restaurant owner in *Seinfeld*, he appeared in four episodes from 1994 to 1998. That is a different assignment from providing agreeable company for a severe leading man, and a reminder that Santoni’s work included comedy as well as police partners. Start with *Dirty Harry*, but watch for the people its screenplay is inclined to overlook.

## Biography

Reni Santoni was an American actor. He began his career in off-Broadway theatre and wrote the play *Raisin' Hell in the Son*, which premiered in 1962. His first screen role was an uncredited part in the 1964 film *The Pawnbroker*.

Santoni's first leading role came in Carl Reiner's *Enter Laughing* (1967). He is known for playing Inspector Chico González in *Dirty Harry* (1971), as well as appearances in *Bad Boys* (1983), *Cobra* (1986) and *Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid* (1982). On television he played Poppie in *Seinfeld* and had guest roles in series including *Grey's Anatomy* and *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*.

Santoni continued working in film and television until 2012. He died on 1 August 2020 in Los Angeles.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, thewrap.com, hollywoodreporter.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (3) — the average rests on these

- *Seinfeld* (1989), Fi1m 90, as Poppie — [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Rain Man* (1988), Fi1m 76, as (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/rain-man.md)
- *Dirty Harry* (1971), Fi1m 74, as Chico — [page](https://film.one/film/dirty-harry.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Groundhog Day* (1993), Fi1m 88, as State Trooper (voice) (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/groundhog-day.md)

## Complete filmography (84)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Franklin & Bash* (2011), series, as Judge Maurice Vincent
- *Raising the Bar* (2008), series, Actor
- *Four Kings* (2006), series, as Mr. Hernandez
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Alan Griswold — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Gang Warz* (2004), as Father Luis
- *Kingpin* (2003), series, Actor
- *According to Jim* (2001), series, as Tony
- *Dr. Dolittle 2* (2001), as Rat #2 (voice)
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Frank Mejia
- *Bull* (2000), series, Actor
- *28 Days* (2000), as Daniel
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as Clyde Tate
- *Late Last Night* (1999), as Drunk
- *V.I.P.* (1998), series, as Luis Montez
- *Jesse* (1998), series, as Pedro Vasquez
- *Doctor Dolittle* (1998), as Rat #1 (Voice)
- *Can't Hardly Wait* (1998), as Cop
- *Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer* (1997), as Judge Thomas Agajanian
- *Private Parts* (1997), as Vallesecca
- *The Practice* (1997), series, as Roland Mapp
- *Dangerous Minds* (1996), series, Actor
- *The Late Shift* (1996), as John Agoglia
- *Murder One* (1995), series, as Judge Thomas Agajanian
- *The Brady Bunch Movie* (1995), as Police Officer (uncredited)
- *Dave's World* (1993), series, as Mr. Martinez
- *Walker, Texas Ranger* (1993), series, as Don Carlos del Vega Garcia
- *Groundhog Day* (1993), as State Trooper (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/groundhog-day.md)
- *Renegade* (1992), series, as Juan Carlos Prieto
- *Only You* (1992), as Rueben the Bartender
- *Dream On* (1990), series, as Mr. Tribbiani
- *Capital News* (1990), series, Actor
- *Cat Chaser* (1989), as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- *The Package* (1989), as Chicago Police Lieutenant
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Poppie — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Quantum Leap* (1989), series, as Sgt. Lopez
- *Rain Man* (1988), as (voice) — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/rain-man.md)
- *Murphy's Law* (1988), series, Actor
- *Bright Lights, Big City* (1988), as Additional Voices (voice)
- *The Pick-up Artist* (1987), as Man in Train Station
- *Sanchez of Bel Air* (1986), series, Actor
- *Radioactive Dreams* (1986), as 'Red' Hairstylist
- *Cobra* (1986), as Sergeant Gonzales
- *Joe Bash* (1986), series, Actor
- *Second Serve* (1986), as Dr. Roberto Granato
- *227* (1985), series, Actor
- *No Greater Gift* (1985), as Mario Santana
- *Summer Rental* (1985), as Announcer (voice)
- *Brewster's Millions* (1985), as Vin Rapelito
- *Moonlighting* (1985), series, as Señor Arredondo — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/moonlighting.md)
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Lt. Caceras, Juan Ramos
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, as Lt. Arturo Dominguez — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Scarecrow and Mrs. King* (1983), series, Actor
- *Manimal* (1983), series, as Lieutenant Rivera
- *Bad Boys* (1983), as Ramon Herrera
- *Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid* (1982), as Carlos Rodriguez
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, as Danny Santana — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way* (1978), as Billy Joe
- *Tarzana* (1978), Actor
- *Lou Grant* (1977), series, as Jim Keenan
- *CHiPs* (1977), series, as Cleo Baxter
- *I Never Promised You a Rose Garden* (1977), as Hobbs
- *Charlie's Angels* (1976), series, as Holder
- *Delvecchio* (1976), series, as George Coletta
- *Panic on the 5:22* (1974), as Emil Linz
- *The Rockford Files* (1974), series, as Perry — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-rockford-files.md)
- *Indict and Convict* (1974), as Mike Belano
- *Barnaby Jones* (1973), series, as Chip Rawlins, Tony Santos
- *The Rookies* (1972), series, Actor
- *Dirty Harry* (1971), as Chico — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/dirty-harry.md)
- *Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law* (1971), series, as Danny Paterno
- *Powderkeg* (1971), as Ricardo Sandoval
- *The Student Nurses* (1970), as Victor Charlie
- *The Odd Couple* (1970), series, as Ernie
- *Love, American Style* (1969), series, Actor
- *Guns of the Magnificent Seven* (1969), as Max
- *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Jimmy Rego
- *Anzio* (1968), as Pvt. Movie
- *A Great Big Thing* (1968), as Vinny Shea
- *Enter Laughing* (1967), as David Kolowitz
- *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Eddie Locke, Harry Scheller
- *The Trials of O'Brien* (1965), series, as Leonard
- *The Pawnbroker* (1965), as Junkie Selling Radio (uncredited)
- *Strangers in the City* (1962), as Scrounge
- *Lamp Unto My Feet* (1948), series, as Youth

## Gallery

- ![Reni Santoni](https://film.one/media/person/390486/gallery-d7c3e0565832.jpg) Reni Santoni — ABC Television

Uploaded by We hope at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Reni_Santori_1973.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Reni Santoni](https://film.one/media/person/390486/gallery-d72a8786c24c.jpg) Reni Santoni — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/reni-santoni