Richard Portnow BIO
A veteran of stage, film and television with a variety of characters to his credit, Richard Portnow was named one of the "Actors We Love" from the actors' trade newspaper Back Stage West. It said, "Portnow knows exactly how to hook an audience with every character." This Brooklyn native has worked steadily for 20 years and has built a solid list of credits, appearing in some of the most highly regarded and successful films and television shows of the past two decades.
His entire family hails from Brooklyn, New York. His folks, Al and Flo, are gone, but he has a brother (Jay), a sister (Gayle), two nephews (John and Sam) and three nieces (Samara, Ilana and Maia). He graduated with a BA degree as a speech and theater major from Brooklyn College. He did not shine while in college, and was discouraged from continuing as an actor with the critique that he was "hopeless and without any ability or talent" (he continues to wonder if the faculty was right). He has been a bartender, an antique dealer, a boxer, an international drug trafficker, a fifth-grade teacher in the NYC public school system, a competitive body builder, a truck driver, a bouncer, a bagel maker, a short-order cook, a marathon runner, a designer, a competitive gymnast, a background extra, a disco dancer at the famed "Arthur" discotheque, and a confused and aimless layabout. Richard is 6'0", weighs in at a trim 180 lb. and continues to box. He has excellent defensive skills and his ability to stop punches with his face has made him a local favorite.
Portnow assayed the role of attorney Hal "Mel" Melvoin on the Emmy-winning HBO series The Sopranos, the lawyer for Uncle Junior, whom he singlehandedly tried to keep out of prison and managed to get himself placed under house arrest instead. His rates for defending Corrado Soprano (Uncle Juniors's full name) are astronomical, but as Uncle June has said, "Mel, you're worth every penny". He has held this role since the show's inception in 1999.
Richard began his professional career at the famed Cafe La Mama in New York City, appearing in plays by Tom Eyen, Leonard Melfi, Jeff Weiss, Megan Terry, Tom O'Horgan and Lanford Wilson. He won "The Best Newcomer of the Year" award from Show Business Magazine as a result of his early work off-off-Broadway. He continued his stage career with starring roles on Broadway in "The House of Blue Leaves" and "A Month of Sundays". He was in the original cast of "Moonchildren" at the prestigious Royal Court Theatre in London. He has also worked extensively at some of the most highly regarded regional theaters in the country, including The Long Wharf Theater, The Berkshire Theatre Festival for the brilliant director Josephine Abady, The Philadelphia Drama Guild, The Lowell Regional Theater and the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Neil Simon's "Oscar and Felix" at The Geffen Playhouse marked Richard's Los Angeles stage debut. His has also appeared in Woody Allen's "Writer's Block", which was directed by Allen at The Atlantic Theater Company in New York.
Richard has been fortunate and privileged to work with some of the best directors in film today. Among those who have had a profound influence on him are Barry Levinson, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, David Fincher, Woody Allen, Sydney Pollack, James Foley, Jim Jarmusch, Heywood Gould, Cameron Crowe and Sidney Lumet. He has also appeared as a series regular on the critically acclaimed EZ Streets and on the police drama Ryan Caulfield: Year One. He has had guest starring appearances on Seinfeld, Mad About You, Going to California, Spin City, NYPD Blue, The Shield, Dave's World, Civil Wars, Homefront, Double Rush, JAG, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, The Nanny, Middle Ages, The Commish Wiseguy and Walker, Texas Ranger.
Richard has also starred in numerous movies of the week and mini series, most notably Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Double Bang, Bella Mafia, A Deadly Silence, Original Sin, Peter Gunn, Indictment: The McMartin Trial and _The Life and Times of Robert L. Ripley (2002", in which he played the title role.
Richard Portnow Movies
Roadie
[ 1980 ] First New York Wino
Desperately Seeking Susan
[ 1985 ] Party Guest
Weeds
[ 1987 ] Guard
Radio Days
[ 1987 ] Sy
Good Morning, Vietnam
[ 1987 ] DanThe ManLevitan
The Squeeze
[ 1987 ] Ruben
Hiding Out
[ 1987 ] Mr. Lessig
Tin Men
[ 1987 ] Carly
In Dangerous Company
[ 1988 ] Kellog
Twins
[ 1988 ] Chop Shop Owner
Say Anything
[ 1989 ] IRS Agent Stewart
Chattahoochee
[ 1989 ] Dr. Debner
Meet the Hollowheads
[ 1989 ] Mr. Crabneck
Kindergarten Cop
[ 1990 ] Captain Salazar
Tune in Tomorrow...
[ 1990 ] Uncle Luke
Havana
[ 1990 ] Mike MacClaney
For the Boys
[ 1991 ] Milt, Recording Studio
Barton Fink
[ 1991 ] Detective Mtrionotti
Father of the Bride
[ 1991 ] Al - the Tux Salesman
Sister Act
[ 1992 ] Willy
There Goes the Neighborhood
[ 1992 ] Marty Rollins
Night Eyes Three
[ 1993 ] Kaplan
Heart and Souls
[ 1993 ] Max Marco
Lipstick Camera
[ 1994 ] Detective Vorkopich
Trial by Jury
[ 1994 ] Leo Greco
S.F.W.
[ 1994 ] Gerald Parsley
Across the Moon
[ 1994 ] Roy
Se7en
[ 1995 ] Dr. Beardsley
Man of the House
[ 1995 ] Joey Renda
Bogus
[ 1996 ] M. Clay Thrher
Brittle Glory
[ 1996 ] Sid Higgins
Guy
[ 1996 ] Al
Mad City
[ 1997 ] Brackett's Agent
Private Parts
[ 1997 ] Ben Stern
Milo
[ 1998 ] Lieutenant Parker
Shadow of Doubt
[ 1998 ] Marvin Helm
My Giant
[ 1998 ] Producer
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
[ 1998 ] Wine Colored Tuxedo
Postal Worker
[ 1998 ] Dr. Nichol Brink
Ballad of the Nightingale
[ 1999 ] Arnie D Angelo
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
[ 1999 ] Handsome Frank
Road Kill
[ 1999 ] Charboneau
Desert Thunder
[ 1999 ] Adm. Le Clair
Fallen Arches
[ 2000 ] Nicky Kaplan
The Mystery of Spoon River
[ 2000 ] Agent Cicarelli
Happy Accidents
[ 2000 ] Trip
The Unscarred
[ 2000 ] Tommy Matolla
Lured Innocence
[ 2000 ] Jack Shelby
Double Bang
[ 2001 ] Lieutenant Shatkin
Zigs
[ 2001 ] Arnold Zigman
Poolhall Junkies
[ 2002 ] Toupee Jay
Under the City
[ 2004 ] Minks
Tony & Tina's Wedding
[ 2004 ] Vinnie Black
Meet the Mobsters
[ 2005 ] Jerry Kaminski
TV: The Movie
[ 2006 ] Sergeant
Find Me Guilty
[ 2006 ] Max Novardis
Perfect Stranger
[ 2007 ] Narron
The Minis
[ 2007 ] Jack
Made in Brooklyn
[ 2007 ] Louis, Vito Ungaro
Chasing Robert
[ 2007 ] Ed Thorton
The Indian
[ 2007 ] Elliot
Good Time Max
[ 2007 ] Head Administrator
The Spirit
[ 2008 ] Donenfeld
Law Abiding Citizen
[ 2009 ] Bill Reynolds
Life Is Hot in Cracktown
[ 2009 ] Guy from 4 K
Under New Management
[ 2009 ] Carmello Conforte
Killer by Nature
[ 2010 ] Walter
Hitchcock
[ 2012 ] Barney Balaban
A Night of Nightmares
[ 2012 ] Cliff Tanner
Dirty People
[ 2012 ] Max
2 Jacks
[ 2012 ] Lorenzo
Slightly Single in L.A.
[ 2013 ] Older Bar Guy
A Voice in the Dark
[ 2013 ] Dr. Levi
Oldboy
[ 2013 ] Bernie Sharkey
Underdogs
[ 2013 ] John Handon II
The Fourth Noble Truth
[ 2014 ] Aaron's Lawyer
This Last Lonely Place
[ 2014 ] Jon Pure
Nanny Cam
[ 2014 ] Detective Jones
Trumbo
[ 2015 ] Louis B. Mayer
Parallel
[ 2015 ] Stewart
Café Society
[ 2016 ] Walt
Soy Nero
[ 2016 ] Murray - the Garage Owner
Andover
[ 2017 ] Shamus Trout
The Gliksmans
[ 2017 ] Tim Neuman
An American Dog Story
[ 2017 ] Ripper
Swing State
[ 2017 ] Shoe Montgomery
Red Team Go
[ 2018 ] The Pawn Shop Owner
Higher Power
[ 2018 ] Charles Margrey
Holly Day
[ 2018 ] Benny
Duke
[ 2019 ] Carroll Green
Stakeout
[ 2019 ] Pat Reed
Roe v. Wade
[ 2019 ] Justice William Dougl
Frank and Ava
[ 2020 ] Walter Winchell
Desert Dick
[ 2022 ] Mayor Conrad Bixby