Richard Portnow
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
A veteran of stage, film and television with a variety of characters to
his credit, Richard Portnow was named one of the "Actors We Love" by
the actors' trade newspaper Back Stage West. "Portnow knows
exactly how to hook an audience with every character." This Brooklyn
native has worked steadily for 30 years and has built a solid list of
credits, appearing in some of the most highly regarded and successful
films and television shows of the past three decades.
His entire family hails from Brooklyn. His folks, Al and Flo, are gone,
but he has a brother (Jay), a sister (Gayle), two nephews (John and
Sam) and three nieces (Samara, Ilana and Maia). He graduated with a BA
degree as a speech and theater major from Brooklyn College. He did not
shine while in college, and was discouraged from continuing as an actor
with the critique that he was "hopeless and without any ability or
talent" (he continues to wonder if the faculty was right). He has been
a bartender, an antique dealer, a boxer, an international drug
trafficker, a fifth-grade teacher in the NYC public school system, a
competitive body builder, a truck driver, a bouncer, a bagel maker, a
short-order cook, a marathon runner, a designer, a competitive gymnast,
a background extra, a disco dancer at the famed "Arthur" discotheque,
and a confused and aimless layabout. Richard is 6'0", weighs in at a
trim 180 lb. and continues to box. He has excellent defensive skills
and his ability to stop punches with his face has made him a local
favorite.
Portnow assayed the role of attorney Hal "Mel" Melvoin on the
Emmy-winning HBO series
The Sopranos (1999), the lawyer
for Uncle Junior, whom he singlehandedly kept out of prison
and managed to get placed under house arrest instead. His rates
for defending Corrado Soprano (Uncle Juniors's full name) are
astronomical, but as Uncle June has said, "Mel, you're worth every
penny". He has held this role since the show's inception in 1999.
Richard began his professional career at the famed Cafe La Mama in New
York City, appearing in plays by Tom Eyen,
Leonard Melfi,
Jeff Weiss,
Megan Terry,
Tom O'Horgan and
Lanford Wilson. He won "The Best Newcomer
of the Year" award from Show Business Magazine as a result of his early
work off-off-Broadway. He continued his stage career with starring
roles on Broadway in "The House of Blue Leaves" and "A Month of
Sundays". He was in the original cast of "Moonchildren" at the
prestigious Royal Court Theatre in London. He has also worked
extensively at some of the most highly regarded regional theaters in
the country, including The Long Wharf Theater, The Berkshire Theatre
Festival for the brilliant director Josephine Abady, The Philadelphia
Drama Guild, The Lowell Regional Theater and the Cincinnati Playhouse
in the Park. Neil Simon's "Oscar and
Felix" at The Geffen Playhouse marked Richard's Los Angeles stage
debut. His has also appeared in
Woody Allen's "Writer's Block", which was
directed by Allen at The Atlantic Theater Company in New York.
Richard has been fortunate and privileged to work with some of the best
directors in film today. Among those who have had a profound influence
on him are Barry Levinson,
Joel Coen,
Ethan Coen,
David Fincher, Woody Allen,
Sydney Pollack,
James Foley,
Jim Jarmusch,
Heywood Gould,
Cameron Crowe and
Sidney Lumet. He has also appeared as a
regular on the critically acclaimed series
EZ Streets (1996) and on the
police drama
Ryan Caulfield: Year One (1999).
He has had guest-starring appearances on
""Elementary" (2016),
"The Good Wife"(2015),
"Grimm"(2015),
"Parks and Recreation" (2014),
"Suits (2014),
"Castle" (2014),
"CSI New York" (2012),
"Hawaii Five-0" (2012),
"Nip/Tuck." (2009),
"Cold Case" (2008),
"Boston Legal" (2006),
Seinfeld (1989),
Mad About You (1992),
Going to California (2001),
Spin City (1996),
NYPD Blue (1993),
The Shield (2002),
Dave's World (1993),
Civil Wars (1991),
Homefront (1991),
Double Rush (1995),
JAG (1995),
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993),
The Nanny (1993),
Middle Ages (1992),
The Commish (1991)
Wiseguy (1987) and
Walker, Texas Ranger (1993).
Richard has also starred in numerous movies of the week and mini
series, most notably Neil Simon's
Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001),
Double Bang (2001),
Bella Mafia (1997),
A Deadly Silence (1989),
Original Sin (1997),
Peter Gunn (1989) and
Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995).
Richard shares his home with an unpredictable Chow/Shiba Inu named "Sweetie" and a feisty English
Cocker Spaniel named "Jackpot"
Richard is an avid collector of Americana from the 1940s and 1950s, with special
focus on the original oil paintings created for the "pulp magazine" covers of the 1930s and 1940s.
his credit, Richard Portnow was named one of the "Actors We Love" by
the actors' trade newspaper Back Stage West. "Portnow knows
exactly how to hook an audience with every character." This Brooklyn
native has worked steadily for 30 years and has built a solid list of
credits, appearing in some of the most highly regarded and successful
films and television shows of the past three decades.
His entire family hails from Brooklyn. His folks, Al and Flo, are gone,
but he has a brother (Jay), a sister (Gayle), two nephews (John and
Sam) and three nieces (Samara, Ilana and Maia). He graduated with a BA
degree as a speech and theater major from Brooklyn College. He did not
shine while in college, and was discouraged from continuing as an actor
with the critique that he was "hopeless and without any ability or
talent" (he continues to wonder if the faculty was right). He has been
a bartender, an antique dealer, a boxer, an international drug
trafficker, a fifth-grade teacher in the NYC public school system, a
competitive body builder, a truck driver, a bouncer, a bagel maker, a
short-order cook, a marathon runner, a designer, a competitive gymnast,
a background extra, a disco dancer at the famed "Arthur" discotheque,
and a confused and aimless layabout. Richard is 6'0", weighs in at a
trim 180 lb. and continues to box. He has excellent defensive skills
and his ability to stop punches with his face has made him a local
favorite.
Portnow assayed the role of attorney Hal "Mel" Melvoin on the
Emmy-winning HBO series
The Sopranos (1999), the lawyer
for Uncle Junior, whom he singlehandedly kept out of prison
and managed to get placed under house arrest instead. His rates
for defending Corrado Soprano (Uncle Juniors's full name) are
astronomical, but as Uncle June has said, "Mel, you're worth every
penny". He has held this role since the show's inception in 1999.
Richard began his professional career at the famed Cafe La Mama in New
York City, appearing in plays by Tom Eyen,
Leonard Melfi,
Jeff Weiss,
Megan Terry,
Tom O'Horgan and
Lanford Wilson. He won "The Best Newcomer
of the Year" award from Show Business Magazine as a result of his early
work off-off-Broadway. He continued his stage career with starring
roles on Broadway in "The House of Blue Leaves" and "A Month of
Sundays". He was in the original cast of "Moonchildren" at the
prestigious Royal Court Theatre in London. He has also worked
extensively at some of the most highly regarded regional theaters in
the country, including The Long Wharf Theater, The Berkshire Theatre
Festival for the brilliant director Josephine Abady, The Philadelphia
Drama Guild, The Lowell Regional Theater and the Cincinnati Playhouse
in the Park. Neil Simon's "Oscar and
Felix" at The Geffen Playhouse marked Richard's Los Angeles stage
debut. His has also appeared in
Woody Allen's "Writer's Block", which was
directed by Allen at The Atlantic Theater Company in New York.
Richard has been fortunate and privileged to work with some of the best
directors in film today. Among those who have had a profound influence
on him are Barry Levinson,
Joel Coen,
Ethan Coen,
David Fincher, Woody Allen,
Sydney Pollack,
James Foley,
Jim Jarmusch,
Heywood Gould,
Cameron Crowe and
Sidney Lumet. He has also appeared as a
regular on the critically acclaimed series
EZ Streets (1996) and on the
police drama
Ryan Caulfield: Year One (1999).
He has had guest-starring appearances on
""Elementary" (2016),
"The Good Wife"(2015),
"Grimm"(2015),
"Parks and Recreation" (2014),
"Suits (2014),
"Castle" (2014),
"CSI New York" (2012),
"Hawaii Five-0" (2012),
"Nip/Tuck." (2009),
"Cold Case" (2008),
"Boston Legal" (2006),
Seinfeld (1989),
Mad About You (1992),
Going to California (2001),
Spin City (1996),
NYPD Blue (1993),
The Shield (2002),
Dave's World (1993),
Civil Wars (1991),
Homefront (1991),
Double Rush (1995),
JAG (1995),
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993),
The Nanny (1993),
Middle Ages (1992),
The Commish (1991)
Wiseguy (1987) and
Walker, Texas Ranger (1993).
Richard has also starred in numerous movies of the week and mini
series, most notably Neil Simon's
Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001),
Double Bang (2001),
Bella Mafia (1997),
A Deadly Silence (1989),
Original Sin (1997),
Peter Gunn (1989) and
Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995).
Richard shares his home with an unpredictable Chow/Shiba Inu named "Sweetie" and a feisty English
Cocker Spaniel named "Jackpot"
Richard is an avid collector of Americana from the 1940s and 1950s, with special
focus on the original oil paintings created for the "pulp magazine" covers of the 1930s and 1940s.