Rick Aviles

Infobox actor
name = Rick Aviles


caption = Aviles as Wille Lopez in "Ghost" (1990)
birthname = Richard Anthony Aviles
birthdate = October 14, 1952
birthplace = New York, New York, U.S.
deathdate = death date and age|1995|03|17|1952|10|14
deathplace = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
restingplace =
othername =
occupation = Actor, Stand-up Comedian
yearsactive =
spouse =
website =
awards =

Richard Anthony Aviles (October 14, 1952 - March 17, 1995) was an American stand-up comedian and actor who is best remembered for the role of Willie Lopez in the movie "Ghost".

Biography

Early years

Rick's parents emigrated from Puerto Rico to the United States in the late 1940s looking for a better way of life. They lived in Manhattan, New York City, where Aviles was born. He was raised in a tough neighborhood and at times got himself into trouble. One of his assets was that he had a comical side to him. [ [http://www.nndb.com/people/666/000132270/ NNDB] ]

tand-up career

In the 1970s and 1980s, Aviles worked as a stand-up comedian on the Greenwich Village night-club circuit in New York. In 1981, he landed the role of Mad Dog in the movie "Cannonball Run". He went on to act in 14 more film productions.

In 1987, Aviles landed a small part as the maintenance man in the movie "The Secret of My Success", starring Michael J. Fox. That same year he became the host of "It's Showtime at the Apollo", and continued as host until 1991.

Films

In 1990, Aviles landed his most memorable role. He was cast as Willie Lopez, Sam Wheat's killer, in the movie "Ghost". The movie was a smash hit at the box office and received multiple Oscar nominations. Besides Aviles, "Ghost" also starred Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg.

Aviles also acted in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part III" (1990) as Mask #1; Brian DePalma's "Carlito's Way" (1993) as "Quisqueya", starring Al Pacino; in "Waterworld" (1995) as the Gatesman, starring Kevin Costner and in "Joe's Apartment" (1996) as the voice of a cockroach. [ [http://www.nndb.com/people/666/000132270/ NNDB] ]

Television

Among the television series in which he appeared are "Mr. & Mrs. Dracula" (1980), "The Day Women Got Even" (1980), "The Carol Burnett Show" (1991) and Stephen King's "The Stand" (1994). [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/person/2969/Rick-Aviles/filmography New York Times] ]

Personal life

Having contracted HIV through heroin abuse, Rick Aviles died on March 17, 1995 in Los Angeles, California, from complications of AIDS. [cite news | first=Hannah | last=Tucker | coauthors= | title=25 years of AIDS in Hollywood -- We remember the lost stars of movies, TV and art | date=2006-06-09 | publisher= | url =http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1202273_7_0_,00.html | work =Entertainment Weekly | pages =2 | accessdate = 2006-07-29 | language = ]

Aviles' siblings Angel Aviles and Rod Reyes are also in the arts and entertainment fields.

ee also

*List of famous Puerto Ricans

References

External links

*
* [http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/rick-aviles/1775005/mainMoviefone]
* [http://www.nndb.com/people/666/000132270/ NNDB Profile]