Born in Boston, Richard De Angelis served in the Navy during the Korean conflict and worked as an accountant for 14 years. At 38, he quit smoking, became a vegetarian and enrolled in acting school. He received a master's degree in 1983 from the University of Maryland's theater arts program. He played Baltimore police Col. Raymond Foerster on the HBO crime drama "The Wire" until his December 2005 death. De Angelis also appeared in plays, TV commercials, radio spots and print advertisements in an acting career that spanned four decades. He performed stand-up comedy for many years under the name Ricky Roach. In addition to his recurring role on "The Wire," De Angelis appeared in "Homicide: The Movie" and the John Waters films "A Dirty Shame" and "Cecil B. Demented."
