Actor Robert Ruth dies at 82
Robert Ruth, an actor who appeared in Reservoir Dogs, on Everybody Loves Raymond and as a Mighty Carson Art Player on The Tonight Show, has died. He was 82.
Ruth died Dec. 29 of complications of pneumonia in Torrance, California, The Hollywood Reporter said, citing his son Monty Ruth.
For Quentin Tarantino, Ruth appeared as a cop in Reservoir Dogs (1992) and as a sportscaster in Pulp Fiction (1994), and on Everybody Loves Raymond, he played pizzeria owner Nemo on a couple of 2001 episodes.
Ruth also was heard as a boxing announcer in Rocky (1976) and as a cockroach in A Bug's Life (1998).
Born on New Year's Day in 1936, Ruth was raised on the South Side of Chicago. He boxed in the Golden Gloves tournament, entered the Marine Corps at age 17 and became a demolitions expert during the Korean War.
After studying acting at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Ruth was on an episode of Route 66 and had a small part in Sydney Pollack's They Shoot Horses Don’t They? (1969) before moving to Manhattan Beach to pursue a career in Hollywood.
He went on to appear in such films as Dogpound Shuffle (1975), Swashbuckler (1976), The Sleeping Car (1990) and Catch Me if You Can (2002) and on TV shows including Green Acres, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, Frasier and Veronica Clare.
Ruth appeared 65 times doing comedy skits with Johnny Carson as a member of The Mighty Carson Art Players, his son noted.
He is survived by his children Monty, Adam and Regan, grandchildren Ashleigh and Bridget and ex-wife Ann. A memorial in his honor is being planned.