'Godfather' Actor Killed by Bus in NYC

Sun Feb 19, 6:34 PM ET

from:news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060219/ap_en_ce/obit_bright

NEW YORK - Richard Bright, a character actor who appeared in all three "Godfather" movies and more recently on "The Sopranos," was struck and killed by a bus, police said.

Bright, 68, was hit by a private Academy Bus as he crossed the street at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday in his Manhattan neighborhood, police Detective Bernard Gifford said.

There were no arrests as of Sunday but police said the investigation was continuing. The bus driver told police he was not aware that he had hit anyone.

Bright played mob enforcer Al Neri in the "Godfather" movies, a bodyguard to the Corleone family patriarchs played by Marlon Brando and     Al Pacino.

He played a con artist hustling Ali McGraw in 1972's "The Getaway" and acted in dozens of other films such as Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and in TV shows such as "Hill Street Blues."

"He always said it was the work that was the reward," said Brett Smiley, a friend and fellow actor.

Bright was arrested in 1965 on an obscenity charge for language he used in a San Francisco production of poet Michael McClure's two-person play "The Beard," which was shut down.

The     American Civil Liberties Union took up the case and the charges against Bright were later dismissed in what was considered a precedent for artistic expression rights.

Sure it was an accident.

I was trying to find out who this guy is, because they said he was on the Sopranos.  I did some Google searches, but could not find a picture.  Who did he play in the Godfather and the Sopranos?

Bright played mob enforcer Al Neri in the "Godfather" movies, a bodyguard to the Corleone family patriarchs played by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.

He played a con artist hustling Ali McGraw in 1972's "The Getaway" and acted in dozens of other films such as Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and in TV shows such as "Hill Street Blues."

If you've ever seen The Getaway, he's the guy Steve McQueen beats the hell out of on the train.

That driver will shortly be in Satriales meat markets' "just reduced" isle in a complimentary blend of bologna and pastrami.

Two memorable lines from G II, one about Neri and one to Neri:

"I think you found your Luca Brazi"

""I don't want anything to happen to him while my mother's alive."

Isn't he the guy who shoots Fredo Corleone in the boat on the lake in Godfather 2?

It was George Bush'es fault!

Is he the fat-necked bastard who goes on the "long ride" with Fish?  (Abe Vigoda)

Quoted: Is he the fat-necked bastard who goes on the "long ride" with Fish?  (Abe Vigoda)

No.

Richard Bright

Thats just nor right