Actor and comedian Richard Dimitri has passed away at the age of 83, according to his family. He died on December 18, 2025, in Los Angeles, with his wife, Christianne, by his side, following a decades-long battle with heart and lung illnesses.
Born in Yonkers, New York, Dimitri began his career in 1963 with an Off-Broadway role in The Immoralist and later appeared on Broadway in productions including Zorba, The Guide, and Lysistrata. He amassed numerous television and film credits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, most notably appearing in the ensemble cast of the 1984 film Johnny Dangerously alongside Michael Keaton, Joe Piscopo, Marilu Henner, Danny DeVito, and Griffin Dunne. He also appeared in the 1989 comedy Let It Ride with Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr, and David Johansen.
On television, Dimitri appeared in shows such as Welcome Back, Kotter, Starsky and Hutch, The Tracey Ullman Show, and Hawaii Five-0. He also taught acting at Queen’s College, The City University of New York, in 1973, mentoring students who remained in touch for years.
Dimitri moved to Los Angeles in 1975 after being cast in Mel Brooks’ TV show When Things Were Rotten, portraying twin roles, Bertram and Renaldo. He retired from acting in 1998 due to chronic health conditions and transitioned to a career as an art and antiques dealer. Together with his wife, Christianne Engs, he opened Engs-Dimitri Works of Art on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. The gallery gained recognition for acquiring and selling fine sculptures, including a 1787 John Deare piece sold to The Getty Museum.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Christianne, and was preceded in death by his son, John W. Dimitri. His family remembered him as a talented actor, educator, and devoted father and husband, noting that his greatest joy came from the warmth and security he provided to his loved ones.#newsafro_
