Richard Joseph Romanos, a renowned American actor, screenwriter, and producer of Lebanese ancestry, was born to Dr. Raymond Daniel Romanos and his wife Eileen Dorothy (née Maloof). He was the elder of two brothers, with his younger sibling, Robert, also pursuing a career in acting.
Romanos attended Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating with a degree in philosophy in 1964. Initially, he aimed to become a lawyer, studying for a year at the University of Connecticut Law School before deciding to pursue a career in drama instead.
He enrolled in drama classes with Lee Strasberg at the prestigious Actor's Studio in New York, making his screen debut in 1968. Romanos quickly established himself as a versatile character player, appearing in high-profile TV shows such as Mission: Impossible (1966).
He was often cast as Latinos or Italians, and was reportedly considered for the role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972). Romanos did, however, play a gangster named Michael (Longo) in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets (1973).
In episodic television, Romanos demonstrated his range by portraying both good guys and villains. He had recurring roles in the short-lived detective series Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980) and Foul Play (1981),as well as the police drama Strike Force (1981).
Romanos was also a regular cast member in the critically acclaimed series The Sopranos (1999),playing the ex-husband of psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) who disapproved of her treating Mafia don Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini).
In his personal life, Romanos was married twice. His first wife, actress Tina Romanus (aka Bohlman, aka Bowman),was the mother of his son, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1980. In 1985, he married the Oscar-nominated costume designer Anthea Sylbert, with whom he collaborated on several projects, including the TV comedy Giving Up the Ghost (1998) and the Christmas fantasy If You Believe (1999).
The couple sold their home in Los Angeles in 2004 and relocated to the Greek island of Skiathos, where Romanos focused on writing novels on Greek historical themes. He published 'Chrysalis' in 2011, 'Matoula's Echo' in 2014, and a memoir, 'Act III', in 2012. A 2013 book, 'Sketches of Skiathos', was a tribute to his new home and its inhabitants.
Romanos was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Writers Guild of America, and a fellow of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He passed away on December 26, 2023, at the age of 80, on the Greek island of Skiathos.
