Richard De Angelis

Who was Richard De Angelis?

Richard John DeAngelis was an American actor and comedian best known for his role as Colonel Raymond Foerster on TV's The Wire.

Born in Boston, DeAngelis served in the Navy and worked as an accountant before attending acting school at the age of 38. He graduated in 1983 from the University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in theater.

DeAngelis began his entertaining career as a comedian under the pseudonym "Richie Roach", appearing in numerous commercials, radio spots, and print advertisements over a forty year span. He also played minor roles in several major motion pictures, including 1984's Chances Are and John Waters' A Dirty Shame.

On December 28, 2005, DeAngelis, who had been suffering from prostate cancer, died at his home in Silver Spring, Maryland of heart failure at the age of 73.