Robert Davi

Although rough-hewn Italian-American actor Robert Davi became known primarily for his portrayals of menacing tough guys, his range as a performer often surprised audiences when given a chance. Having briefly entertained a career in opera, Davi made his onscreen debut with a small role opposite his lifelong idol Frank Sinatra in the crime-drama "Contract on Cherry Street" (NBC, 1977). After toiling away for most of a decade, the actor gained notice for two vastly different roles in the fan favorite films "The Goonies" (1985) and "Die Hard" (1988). A starring turn in the made-for-TV movie "Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami" (CBS, 1988) led to Davi's being cast as brutal drug baron Franz Sanchez opposite Timothy Dalton's James Bond in "License to Kill" (1989). While work in such box-office fiascos like the notorious sexploitation movie "Showgirls" (1995) did little to improve his standing, he courted a broader audience as one of the good guys on the crime series "Profiler" (NBC, 1996-2000), where Davi played F.B.I. Agent Bailey Malone. Davi later embraced his love of classic popular music with his debut as a director for the crime comedy "The Dukes" (2007) then parlayed that experience into a recording career with the CD Davi Sings Sinatra - On the Road to Romance. Never away from tough guy roles for long, Davi continued to appear in such gritty fare as the based-on-fact crime-thriller "The Iceman" (2012), proving he was one of the more dependable character actors in the business.