| Frank Ray Perilli | |
| Birth Date: | August 30, 1925 |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation: | Film director, film producer, actor, screenwriter |
| Spouse: | Julia Mastrantonio (1927–2010, 1 son Marco) |
Frank Ray Perilli (August 30, 1925 – March 8, 2018[1]) was an American screenwriter with more than 15 screen credits, and a playwright of four stage plays. He began his career as a standup comic in the mob-controlled nightclubs of Chicago’s North Side, and made appearances on major television shows of the day such as The Ed Sullivan Show. His acting career included more than a dozen feature films, some of which he wrote and/or produced. He was also a comedy writer for Don Rickles, Shecky Greene, and Lenny Bruce, among others, and at times a manager for Greene and Bruce. His biography, The Candy Butcher by William Karl Thomas, was released in 2016 by Media Maestro-Book Division.[2]
He is known for such films as She Came to the Valley, End of the World, Laserblast, Mansion of the Doomed and Alligator.
He had a role in as a jail officer in the 1993 film The Fugitive.[3] [4] In 1995, he played the role of BJ in Steal Big Steal Little.[5]
Along with Franne Schacht, he wrote the story for Laserblast which starred Kim Milford, Cheryl Smith, Gianni Russo, and Roddy McDowall.[6] He has also worked with Michael Pataki on more than one occasion.[7]
Perilli has worked with director Albert Band on more than one occasion. With Louis A. Garfinkle, he wrote the story for the 1973 film Little Cigars which Chris Christenberry directed and Albert Band produced. It starred Angel Tompkins as a beautiful lady who teamed up with a group of midgets.[8] More work with Band came in 1977, with Dracula's Dog.[9] They also worked together on the western She Came to the Valley.[10] In 1993, it was Joey Takes a Cab.[11]
| Title | Role | Director | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinderella | Italian Ambassador | Michael Pataki | 1977 | |
| End of the World | Awards Party Guest | John Hayes | 1977 | |
| Fairy Tales | Baron | 1978 | ||
| She Came to the Valley | Emilio | Albert Band | 1979 | |
| Three of Hearts | Patient | Yurek Bogayevicz | 1993 | |
| The Fugitive | Jail Officer | Andrew Davis | 1993 | |
| Steal Big Steal Little | E.J. | Andrew Davis | 1995 | |
| Wedding Crashers | Old Italian Man | 2005 | Credited as Frankie Ray Perelli | |
| Title | Director | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Doberman Gang | Byron Chudnow | 1972 | Original story and screenplay |
| Little Cigars | Chris Christenberry | 1973 | Co-written with Louis A. Garfinkle |
| Last Foxtrot in Burbank | Charles Band | 1973 | Co-written with Bill Haggard, Sam Vaughn and Louis A. Garfinkle |
| Mansion of the Doomed | Michael Pataki | 1976 | |
| Cinderella | Michael Pataki | 1977 | |
| End of the World | John Hayes | 1977 | |
| Dracula's Dog | Albert Band | 1977 | Screenplay |
| Laserblast | Michael Rae | 1978 | Co-written with Franne Schacht |
| Land of No Return | Kent Bateman | 1978 | |
| Fairy Tales | Harry Hurwitz | 1978 | Co-written with Franne Schacht |
| She Came to the Valley | Albert Band | 1979 | Screenplay co-written with Albert Band |
| Alligator | Lewis Teague | 1980 | Co-written with John Sayles, also John Sayles (screenplay) |
| Joey Takes a Cab | Albert Band | 1991 | |
| The Best of Sex and Violence (documentary) | Ken Dixon | 1981 | |
| Steal Big Steal Little | Andrew Davis | 1995 | Story |
| Title | Director | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dracula's Dog | Albert Band | 1977 | Co-producer Albert Band, executive producer Philip Collins |
| She Came to the Valley | Albert Band | 1979 | Co-producer Albert Band, executive producer Robert S. Bremson, associate producers T.L. Duncan, W.T. Ellis |