Character actor Reni Santoni, who played Poppie the restaurant owner on Seinfeld, has died at the age of 81, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Santoni passed away Saturday while in hospice care in Los Angeles following years of health problems that included cancer.
Born in New York City, Santoni gained fame with film roles like Dirty Harry, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid and Cobra. He also notched TV credits including Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting, Miami Vice and Murder, She Wrote. But he was perhaps best known for his four appearances as Poppie on Seinfeld, beginning with 1994’s “The Pie.”
In that Season 5 installment, Poppie ran a popular Italian restaurant, but he disgusted Jerry by neglecting to wash his hands after using the bathroom. Santoni returned as Poppie the following season in two episodes: “The Couch,” in which Poppie teams up with Kramer to plan a “make your own pie” pizza business and ruins Jerry’s couch; and “The Doorman.” He also reprised the role of Poppie in the Seinfeld series finale, which saw many of Jerry and the gang’s old enemies return to testify against them in court.
After Seinfeld, Santoni made guest appearances on shows like Grey’s Anatomy and CSI. His final TV credit was a 2012 episode of Franklin & Bash.
RIP. He was in the movie “Cobra” as Sly Stallone’s partner as well.
Well he never did wash his hands
He just wanted his duck money.
You’ll do very well in heaven Poppie….VERY WELL…
He was also in Sean Penn’s early career movie “Bad Boys”…a good sleeper movie.
RIP
Yep I remembered that too!
No Poppie, no!
Poppie was sloppy. RIP
Rest in peace.. God’s peace to his family.. So many of the Seinfeld cast have past
He was a great actor…Rest Well
RIP.
Just last week, TCM aired a tribute to Carl Reiner with films he directed and started the night with ENTER LAUGHING, which, I believe, was Santoni’s first starring role. Unfortunately, I did not finish the film and thought I could do so on TCM’s site, but none of Reiner’s films were made available there.
RIP. Hopefully, I’ll get around to finishing that film someday.
He’s always going to be Chico from Dirty Harry to me.
Heaven is gonna be more succulent than what he had hoped……..rest in peace poppies.
He will be missed good luck in heaven hope you make many more pizza pies and say hello to Jerry Stiller while you’re up? PS look up the Moyle who also passed away recently and uncle Leo and Jerry’s dad whoever else died on The show😇🙏