It’d be interesting to know just how many people remember Tony Longo or would know that he passed away back in 2015. To say that he’s missed isn’t an over or understatement since those that remember him as an actor no doubt feel a grin splitting their lips when they remember just what he was all about when he was on screen since he usually played a big but dim-witted individual that was a lot of fun to watch. There were definitely moments when he showed his intelligence that made things even funnier since like it or not, appearances do make a big difference in society and in the movies since a lot of big guys get looked at as being dim for one reason or another, be it their looks or because they might be strong, rough-looking, or have amazing athletic skill. The thing with Tony is that he did graduate high school and attended the University of Rhode Island, so he wasn’t a dummy, but thanks to his appearance he was typecast quite often and a lot of people might have even believed he was kind of a simpleton when nothing could have been further from the truth. He was an accomplished actor and looking at his career should make that pretty clear since from the 80s to when he passed away he had quite a few roles that he’d taken on, and many that were memorable in their own way.
One such role was in an action movie titled Eraser with Arnold Schwarzenegger, in which Tony played the part of Little Mike, a name that was kind of obvious but was funny since he was treated as kind of a dullard, but proved to be pretty smart when his uncle called a group of Russians that were smuggling firearms ‘commies’. Little Mike corrected him, prompting the uncle to snap back with a witty retort that wasn’t answered as the small group helping Schwarzenegger was trying to provide a distraction so that he could sneak onto the docks and foil the exchange. Tony was, by and large, a pretty funny guy during his career and he was definitely imposing since his size alone was enough to make people take a step back, but when he wasn’t acting like he was in a good mood and had a scowl on his face his height and his girth were enough to intimidate a lot of people. But from all accounts, he was one of the nicest guys around and was well-liked by quite a few people. It’s amazing how the bigger a person gets the nicer they tend to be sometimes, though of course, it’s not always the case.
Unfortunately, as he grew older, Tony’s health wasn’t the best since he’d been fighting congestive heart failure for a while and had developed serious issues with kidneys that eventually caught up with him. He passed away in his own bed in 2015, and it’s likely that a lot of us didn’t even know this until now, and those that did know let it pass and have lamented him now and again. The fact is that Tony wasn’t such a major name in the business that one would stop and ring the bell to remember his name. But he was a fine addition to many movies that were both comical and needed now and again since he brought a great deal of his own personality to every role he played and was fun to watch. Like a lot of actors that have passed, Tony’s name has kind of been lost to history in a big way, but remembering him is a responsibility of many when it can be recalled since those that have come and gone have continued to pass on their expertise and contributions to show business that many that are coming up behind them might follow and learn from their examples. Some might want to say that Tony isn’t such an important person to remember, but like it or not, all of them are important enough to give a nod of thanks when it comes to being grateful that they were there for the roles we can remember and even those that we can’t. The business wasn’t built on just big names after all, and paying homage of some sort to those that have come and gone over the years is only right since without the many others that have helped one movie after another stand up and be noticed.
Tony and many others have done their part and more, and remembering them isn’t just a responsibility, it’s something that is important because while there’s no need to dwell on the past, there is a need to remember it and be thankful for what’s happened in some way or another. Giving a nod to the past is important, since without there is no present or future.
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