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Ron CareyAmerican film and television actor
Date of Birth: 11.12.1935
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Ron Carey: A Life in Comedy
- Television and Film Breakthrough
- Collaborations with Mel Brooks
- Later Career and Personal Life
Ron Carey: A Life in Comedy
Early Life and CareerRon Carey was born Ronald Joseph Ciscenia on December 11, 1935, in Newark, New Jersey. Raised in a devout Italian-American Catholic family, Carey developed a sharp wit that would later fuel his comedic career. In the 1960s, he honed his stand-up routine in improvisational comedy clubs, often incorporating his experiences as a short-statured Catholic into his material.
Television and Film Breakthrough
Carey's breakthrough came in 1966 with an appearance on "The Merv Griffin Show." The following year, he released his comedy album, "The Slightly Irreverent Comedy of Ron Carey." In 1975, he landed his signature role as the assertive Desk Sergeant Carl Levitt in the sitcom "Barney Miller." Alongside a cast of predominantly taller male actors, Carey's height of 5'6" (168 cm) became a running gag.
Collaborations with Mel Brooks
Carey's talents extended beyond television. He collaborated with Mel Brooks on several films, including "High Anxiety," "History of the World, Part I," and "Silent Movie." In "History of the World, Part I," Carey uttered one of the film's most memorable lines: "I tore my scrotum for you, and you're angry with me? You're a schmuck, man... a dummy!"
Later Career and Personal Life
In addition to his roles in television and film, Carey appeared in commercials for Hanes and Nabisco's Better Cheddars crackers, showcasing his comedic timing and vocal abilities. Later in his career, he starred in the Terrence Hill comedy westerns "Lucky Luke" and "Troublemakers."
Ron Carey married Sharon, who was 38 years his junior, and had one brother, James. He passed away from a stroke on January 16, 2007, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
