Rick Aiello, ‘Do the Right Thing’ Actor and Danny Aiello’s Son, Dies at 65

Ethan Shanfeld
·2 min read

Rick Aiello, actor and son of Oscar nominee Danny Aiello, died of pancreatic cancer on Monday at a hospital in Warwick, N.Y., his niece Sydney Fingerhut told Variety. He was 65.

Fingerhut remembers him as a great uncle who was close to all his nieces and nephews, and a “strong guy.”

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With more than 60 acting credits, Aiello followed in his father’s footsteps, appearing alongside him in Spike Lee’s 1989 classic “Do the Right Thing.” His father earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Salvatore “Sal” Fragione and Aiello played Officer Long, a role he’d reprise a couple years later in Lee’s “Jungle Fever.”

Aiello also starred in films, including Christian Maelen’s “Remedy” and George Gallo’s “29th Street,” and toplined the TV series “Dellaventura” and the movie “A Brooklyn State of Mind” opposite his dad. As a character actor, Aiello had roles in shows such as “The Sopranos,” “Law & Order,” “Sex and the City,” “Ugly Betty,” “Renegade,” “Tales From the Crypt,” “Angel Street,” “Dark Justice,” “Marker,” “NYPD Blue,” “Strange Luck,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Clueless,” “Early Edition,” “18 Wheels of Justice,” “V.I.P.,” the original TV series “21 Jump Street” and many more.

Aiello also appeared in a slew of TV movies, including “The Preppie Murder,” “Murder in Paradise,” “Knights of the Kitchen Table,” “K-9000,” “Parker Kane,” “Brother’s Destiny,” “Hollywood Confidential” and “The Don’s Analyst.” He was in David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” and acted alongside Sylvester Stallone in John Herzfeld’s 2014 movie “Reach Me.”

Aiello is survived by his wife, Arlene Urichich, and their two children.

TMZ first reported the news.

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