Actor Tony Ganios, who appeared in Philip Kaufman’s 1979 feature “The Wanderers,” as well as the 1980s sex comedy “Porky’s,” has died at the age of 64. The actor’s fiancée confirmed his passing on X Tuesday.
Ganios got his start in Kaufman’s coming-of-age drama about a teenage, Italian gang living in the Bronx in 1963. Ganios played the character of Perry in the film, which also starred Ken Wahl and Karen Allen. He’d follow that up with a performance in the 1981 feature “Continental Divide” starring John Belushi.
His biggest claim to fame, though, was in the role of Meat in Bob Clark’s 1981 comedy “Porky’s.” The film tells the story of a group of high school boys looking to lose their virginities in the 1950s. The movie was an unexpected hit upon release, becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of 1982 and would spawn two sequels: 1983’s “Porky’s II: The Next Day” and 1985’s “Porky’s Revenge,” both of which Ganios would appear in.
In 1990, Ganios played one of the villainous henchmen disposed of by officer John McLaine (Bruce Willis) in “Die Hard 2.” He’d also make appearances in television shows such as “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” and “The Equalizer.” He would then play a mob lawyer in the Emmy award-winning series “Wiseguy” in 1987.
He would reteam with Kaufman for his last film appearance in 1993, in the Sean Connery/Wesley Snipes actioner “Rising Sun.”
He is survived by his fiancée, Amanda Serrano-Ganios.
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