Ralph Foody
Ralph Foody | |
|---|---|
 Foody in Home Alone (1990) | |
| Born | Ralph Wesley Foody November 13, 1928 |
| Died | November 21, 1999 (aged 71) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
Resting place | Lexington Cemetery, Lexington |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1965–1992 |
| Notable work | Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York |
Ralph Wesley Foody (November 13, 1928 – November 21, 1999)[1] was an American character actor, known to film audiences for his roles in various Chicago-shot productions during the 1980s and 1990s.[2] He was best known for playing the 1930s gangster Johnny in Home Alone (1990) and its first sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).
Early life and education
[edit]Ralph Wesley Foody was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 13, 1928. He graduated with a journalism degree from Marquette University and studied acting at the Goodman Theatre.[2]
Career
[edit]Foody appeared had a prolific stage career, appearing in various regional, touring, and repertory productions throughout Illinois and the Midwest. During the 1960s, he was a member of the Peninsula Players in Door County, Wisconsin.[3]
One of his more prominent film parts was as the alcoholic and negligent Detective Cragie in the Chuck Norris action movie Code of Silence. Foody also played a police dispatcher in The Blues Brothers and a police captain in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Raw Deal. He appeared in three films directed by Andrew Davis, and two by Costa-Gavras.
Foody played 1930s mobster Johnny in the 1990 film Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992.[4] As Johnny, Foody appears in two black-and-white gangster films-within-the-films Angels with Filthy Souls and its sequel Angels with Even Filthier Souls (both are a parody of the 1938 film Angels with Dirty Faces by Warner Bros.).[5] His appearances are notable for the famous catchphrases 'Keep the change ya filthy animal' and 'Merry Christmas ya filthy animal – and a Happy New Year'.[6] His appearance in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was also his final acting role. Originally, he was intended to play Snakes, the character whom Johnny kills in the first Angels with Filthy Souls and Michael Guido was intended to play Johnny. However, having just undergone a knee replacement surgery, he was unable to do the death scene where Snakes drops to his knees, leading to the roles being reversed.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Foody married his wife Jan in 1956, the couple had two children.
After 1991, Foody retired from show business and moved with his wife to Lexington, Kentucky, where the two helped found the Ballet Theatre.[2]
Death
[edit]Foody died of cancer in Lexington on November 21, 1999, at the age of 71.[8]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Mickey One | Police Captain | Arthur Penn | |
| 1980 | The Blues Brothers | Chicago Police Dispatcher | John Landis | |
| 1981 | Chicago Story | Sergeant Hesper | Harvey S. Laidman & Jerry London | Made-for-TV movie |
| 1984 | The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck | Bit Role | Simon Langton | Made-for-TV movie |
| 1985 | Lady Blue | Howe | Gary Nelson | Made into TV series |
| Lady Blue | Captain Flynn | Various | 14 episodes | |
| Code of Silence | Detective Cragie | Andrew Davis | Chuck Norris film | |
| 1986 | Raw Deal | Captain Sam Joyce | John Irvin | |
| 1988 | Vice Versa | Doorman | Brian Gilbert | |
| Above the Law | Federal Clerk | Andrew Davis | ||
| Betrayed | Lyle | Costa-Gavras | ||
| 1989 | The Package | Building Manager | Andrew Davis | |
| Music Box | Pawn Broker | Costa-Gavras | ||
| Cold Justice | Ernie | Terry Green | ||
| 1990 | Gabriel's Fire | Hot Dog Vendor | Robert Lieberman | Episode; "Gabriel's Fire" |
| Home Alone | Gangster Johnny | Chris Columbus | In the scene from a film on TV "Angels with Filthy Souls" | |
| 1991 | Curly Sue | Drifter | John Hughes | |
| 1992 | Straight Talk | Desk Clerk | Barnet Kellman | |
| The Babe | Pittsburgh Man | Arthur Hiller | Bit role | |
| Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | Gangster Johnny | Chris Columbus | In the scene from a film on TV "Angels with Even Filthier Souls" and final acting role |
References
[edit]- ↑ "Ralph Foody". ancestry.com. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
- 1 2 3 "Obituary for Ralph Wesley Ex-actor (Aged 71)". Lexington Herald-Leader. 1999-11-22. p. 16. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ Pulse, Door County (2021-05-04). "Peninsula Players Presents Remembers '60s Stars". Door County Pulse. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ King, Darryn (December 21, 2015). ""Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animal": Inside the Making of Home Alone's Fake Gangster Movie". Vanity Fair.
- ↑ Parker, Ryan (November 23, 2020). "'Home Alone' Film 'Angels with Filthy Souls' Turns 82 — Kind Of". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ Tisdale, Jennifer (December 24, 2021). "We're Gonna Give You Till the Count of 10 to Tell Us if 'Angels With Filthy Souls' Is Real". Distractify.
- ↑ ""Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animal": Inside the Making of Home Alone's Fake Gangster Movie". Vanity Fair. 2015-12-21. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
- ↑ "Ex-actor, arts patron Ralph Foody dies at 71". Kentucky Room. Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2014-12-21.
External links
[edit]- Ralph Foody at IMDb
- Ralph Foody at the TCM Movie Database (archived)
- Ralph Foody at Find a Grave