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Ray Sharkey

Ray Sharkey

Actor · Died June 11, 1993, aged 40 · Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Raymond Sharkey Jr. (November 14, 1952 – June 11, 1993) was an American stage, film and television actor. His most notable film role was Vincent Vacarri in the 1980 film The Idolmaker, for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He is also known for his role as Sonny Steelgrave in the television series Wiseguy.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 14, 1952
Died
June 11, 1993 (aged 40)
From
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Works as
Actor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 52 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 53% in 30 days

What are Ray Sharkey's films like?

Across their 19 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Power.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 29th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 22nd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Power
23%
Self
20%
Morality
20%
Survival
6%
Society
3%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 6 · Dark 8

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 12 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 9 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 14 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 14
Shadow
4 of 14
Ally
2 of 14
Trickster
2 of 14
Threshold guardian
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Melancholic
6
Absurd
5
Warm
3
Bittersweet
3
Other
17

How their films linger

Bittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ray Sharkey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ray Sharkey's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

52 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Cop & ½(1993)

    as Vinnie Fountain

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • In the Line of Duty: Street War(1992)

    as Det. Victor Tomasino

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Zebrahead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Richard

  • Round Trip to Heaven(1992)

    as Stoneface

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Chrome Soldiers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Gabe Ricci

  • Dead on: Relentless II(1992)

    as Kyle Valsone

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Man in the Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Caged Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Warden Hayes

  • Good Cops, Bad Cops(1990)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Rain Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Capra

  • The Take (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Dennis

  • 27 Wagons Full of Cotton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Silva

  • The Neon Empire(1989)

    as Junior Molov

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Neon Empire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Junior Molov

  • Wired (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Angel Velasquez

  • Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills(1989)

    as Frank

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Capone Behind Bars(1989)

    as Scarface

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Act of Piracy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Jack Wilcox

  • Jake and the Fatman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Wiseguy(1987)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Wiseguy: Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Sonny Steelgrave

  • P.I. Private Investigations (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Ryan

  • No Mercy(1986)

    as Angles Ryan

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Crime Story(1986)

    Show 7 episodes · as US Atty. Harry Breitel

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Grand Vizier

  • Wise Guys(1986)

    as Marco

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • 92 Grosvenor Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Geoffery Dryden

  • The Ray Bradbury Theater(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as The Father

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Hellhole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Silk

  • Body Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Terrence

  • Miami Vice(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Bobby Profile

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Du-beat-e-o (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as duBEAT-e-o

  • The Hitchhiker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Eric Coleman

  • Faerie Tale Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Grand Vizier

  • Some Kind of Hero(1982)

    as Sgt. Vinnie DiAngelo

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Regina Roma(1983)

    as Carry

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Ordeal of Bill Carney(1981)

    as Bill Carney

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Love & Money(1981)

    as Byron Levin

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • The Idolmaker(1980)

    as Vincent 'Vinnie' Vacarri

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Willie & Phil(1980)

    as Phil D'Amico

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Heart Beat(1980)

    as Ira (based on Allen Ginsberg)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Paradise Alley(1978)

    as Legs

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Who'll Stop the Rain(1978)

    as Smitty

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Stunts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Paul Salerno

  • Hot Tomorrows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Louis

  • Trackdown(1976)

    as Flash

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Barney Miller(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as David Salas · as Hold-Up Man

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Jeffersons(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Phelps

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Gallagher (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • All in the Family(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Man At Clinic (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 89th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles from 1971 to 1993; peak year 1985.

Biggest box office

Cop & ½ (1993)

$41M worldwide

Highest rated

Wiseguy (1987)

Midcredits 78th

Film career

19711993

Peak 1985 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting52 of 52: 52 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score36th

By decade

1970s10 · acting1980s30 · acting1990s12 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 13% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Ray Sharkey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 28th percentile, the median of all 20; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 31st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 28 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

Regina Roma (1983)

86th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Crime Story (1986)

Midcredits 95th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Ray Sharkey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ray Sharkey's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael Pressman shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors