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TürkçeRamón Franco (Ramon Luis Franco)
Photos with Ramón Franco
Biography
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Ramon Franco was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx. By age 22, he was already a veteran stage performer with considerable television experience. He's best known to movie audiences through his co-starring role in Clint Eastwood's Heartbreak Ridge. Ramon received a baptism by fire in the off-Broadway Theatre during his early teen-aged years. Work with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre and in the critically-lauded production of Sancocho at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre in New York led to his first screen appearance in 1979's Boardwalk, in which at age 14, Ramon played opposite the legendary Lee Strasberg. Read more... ensuing years, Ramon divided his time between stage work, television production and high school studies in the Bronx. Credits from that early portion of his career include the critically praised stage productions of Runaways by Elizabeth Swados , The Sun Always Shines for the Cool by Miguel Pinero, and We're Fighting Back, a TV movie about the New York Guardian Angels. Despite the professional activity that absorbed him during his teens Ramon took a break from acting to work towards a bachelor of arts degree at Bard College. It was a brief hiatus. Ramon was enticed away from Bard's upstate New York campus when his agent called with several firm work offers. Academics were temporarily shelved in favor of a recurring role as Trimmer on the daytime drama Guiding Light, appearances on Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice and the pilot for Stingray as well as roles in the features Deadly Force and BulletProof. A return to the New York stage in early 1986 led to Ramon's most important break thus far. His performance as the troubled Marine Corporal Acevedo in the Chelsea Theatre production of Wasted, drew rave reviews and attracted the attention of Clint Eastwood, who was then casting for young actors to portray a group of Marines who took part in the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1984. Ramon's vivid portrayal of Corporal Acevedo landed him the part of Private Aponte in Eastwood's Heartbreak Ridge. Though demoted in military rank from Corporal to Private, Ramon was elated. With Heartbreak Ridge behind him, many doors have opened for Ramon Franco. Filming Heartbreak in Hollywood and on locations in Puerto Rico also offered Ramon the opportunity to return to the town of Caguas, which he had left with his family during his early childhood. "It was very moving he says, the look on my father's face when I got off the plane with Clint Eastwood was priceless, it definitely made me feel I was on the right path" and indeed he was. Upon completion of Heartbreak Ramon relocated to Los Angeles and not only worked on episodes of O'Hara and MacGyver but was cast as Private Alberto Ruiz in the CBS television series Tour of Duty. Tour is the only TV show to have recognized Hispanic American involvement in the nations armed conflicts through the character of Ruiz. From the years of Combat to China Beach Hispanics had never been acknowledged in the form of leading characters. The EMMY Award winning show ran three seasons and enabled him to work on over fifty episodes garnering him international recognition. Franco has had the pleasure of working with many talented actors over the years; John Travolta in Chains of Gold , Scott Glenn in Extreme Justice, Gary Busey in BulletProof, Robert Beltran in Kiss Me A Killer , opposite Robert Conrad in the TV movie Secret Vows and as a rookie FBI agent on Shattered Image with Bo Derek and Jack Scalia. One of his favorite roles was Mr. Cruz , a small town teacher in Search and Rescue, starring Robert Conrad and Dee Wallace Stone, on the NBC Network. Over the span of his career this ubiquitous and versatile actor has managed to Guest Star on nearly every popular TV show made over the last 25 years. From dramas like House, The X-Files, Cold Case, Medium and NYPD Blue to comedies like Dead at 21,Bakersfield PD, Seinfeld, and EagleHeart. In 2007 he played the role of Runty in the summers #1 hit Resident Evil 3 Extinction and his excellent work as Arturo Padron, the man sent to assassinate Fidel Castro in the Golden Globe nominated Mini-Series The Company received great notices as well. His most recent film work includes The Perfect Game a remake of 1955's The Little Giants. He just wrapped the pilot for The Good Guys for 20th Century Fox and roles on CSI Miami and CSI. Of most recent notoriety is his critically praised and fan favorite role of Dirty Man/ Sucio on the hit Showtime series Weeds. A one time Guest role was expanded to 7 episodes over seasons four and five.The episode where Sucio meets his ultimate demise is considered comic genius and honored his character with the title of Su-Su-Sucio.He currently plays the role of Fausto Galvan in the 2014 Peabody award-winning show The Bridge. Mr. Franco is the recipient of the Desi Arnaz Vanguard Award, given for being a strong role model and improving the image of Hispanics in the media arts.
Actor
Character:
Sleez Bag Vendor #1
Times Square 1980
20
Character:
Senor Villarreal
The Perfect Game 2009
17
Character:
Runty
Resident Evil: Extinction 2007
40
Character:
Carlos Gutierrez
Justice 1999
0
Character:
Enrique
Search and Rescue 1994
0
Character:
Jorge
Shattered Image 1994
0
Character:
Cisco
Street Knight 1993
0
Character:
Alberto Torres
Extreme Justice 1993
24
Character:
James
Chains of Gold 1991
8
Character:
Ramon
Kiss Me a Killer 1991
0
Character:
Aponte
Heartbreak Ridge 1986
7
Character:
Francisco
Low Self Esteem City 2014
5
Character:
Mr. Hernandez
Heavy 2005
1
Character:
Raul
Call Waiting 2007
3
Character:
Diego Barra
Crime After Crime 2011
0
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Pilot 2013
6
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Maria of the Desert 2013
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
The Beast 2013
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
ID 2013
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Destino 2013
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Vendetta 2013
4
Character:
Fausto Galvan
All About Eva 2013
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
The Crazy Place 2013
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Ghost of a Flea 2014
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Sorrowsworn 2014
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
The Acorn 2014
1
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Eye of the Deep 2014
3
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Harvest of Souls 2014
2
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Lamia 2014
2
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Goliath 2014
1
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Rakshasa 2014
2
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Eidolon 2014
1
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Beholder 2014
1
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Quetzalcoatl 2014
1
Character:
Fausto Galvan
Jubilex 2014
1
Character:
Dirty Man
No Man Is Pudding 2008
0
Character:
Dirty Man
Excellent Treasures 2008
2
Character:
Dirty Man
Little Boats 2008
0
Character:
Dirty Man
Till We Meet Again 2008
0
Character:
Sucio
Su-Su-Sucio 2009
0
Character:
Sucio
Van Nuys 2009
0
Character:
Nestor
John Doe 2002
3
Character:
Gustavo Reyes
Long Shot 2012
0
Character:
Arturo Padron
The Company 2007
0
Character:
Miguel Torres
Midnight Caller 1988
0
Character:
Ramon
MacGyver 1985
0
Character:
Hector
Young People's Specials 1984
0
Character:
Boy #2 on Bus
The First Deadly Sin 1980
0
Character:
Tony Rodriguez
Intersecting Lives 0
0
Character:
Tony Rodriguez
Heartfelt Passages 0
0
Character:
Augusto 'Augie' Martinez
The Thing with Feathers 0
0
Character:
Mateo Morales
But I Am a Good Girl 0
0
Character:
Larralde
Crossing the Line 0
0
Character:
Store Manager
And Then 0
4
Character:
Ricardo Munoz
Frank's Best 0
1
Character:
Luis Avilla
Blood Sugar 0
2
Character:
Luis Valdoriso
Possession 0
0
Character:
Saldivar
Me Llamo Justice 0
0
Character:
Nivaldo Quiroga
No Opportunity Necessary 0
0
Character:
Jose
Mother's Day 0
0
Character:
Ruben Arroyo
Light My Fire 0
0