Reni Santoni (1939–2020), actor who played Poppie in “Seinfeld”

Reni Santoni was an actor known for playing Poppie in “Seinfeld” as well as for roles in movies including “Dirty Harry.”

• Died: August 1, 2020 (Who else died on August 1?)
• Details of death: Died of complications from throat and lung cancer in Los Angeles at the age of 81.
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Film and TV career

Santoni started his career with movies including Carl Reiner’s (1922 – 2020) “Enter Laughing” (1967), playing an aspiring actor. In “Dirty Harry” (1971), he played Inspector Chico Gonzalez, Harry Callahan’s rookie partner. Santoni had roles in other films including “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” (1982), “Cobra” (1986), “Can’t Hardly Wait” (1998), and “28 Days” (2000). He also made appearances on TV shows including “Hawaii 5-O,” "Murder, She Wrote," and “Hill Street Blues,” as well as a regular role in “Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law.” Santoni’s best-known TV appearance was on four episodes of “Seinfeld,” playing restaurateur Poppie, who had issues with hygiene and incontinence.

What people said about him

Full obituary: USA Today