As we mourn the loss of actor Ray Liotta, we remember his indelible performance as Henry Hill in “Goodfellas” and baseball icon Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Field of Dreams,” and many more performances of his we’ll never forget.
Ray Sinclair in “Something Wild” (1986)
Liotta’s breakout role as Melanie Griffith’s psychotic ex earned him a Golden Globe nomination and a spot on several critics’ associations lists. The character’s chilling intensity would have made even Henry Hill hesitate.
Eugene in “Dominick and Eugene” (1988)
Two years before “Goodfellas” cemented him as a tough guy, Liotta played a medical student who’s fiercely devoted to his “slow” older brother, Dominick (Tom Hulce).
Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Field of Dreams” (1989)
Where would this beloved sports drama be without Liotta’s turn as the baseball legend? And the heart-tugging line, “Hey rookie! You were good.”
Henry Hill in “Goodfellas” (1990)
Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci (who won an Oscar for his role as hothead Tommy DeVito) may have been the big names in Martin Scorsese’s mob masterpiece, but the man in the middle holding it all together – when he wasn’t unraveling spectacularly – was Liotta’s Henry Hill. His most mesmerizing performance found him by turns charming, ruthless, and, in the spectacular pre-arrest sequence, paranoid as hell as he drives, tracks helicopters and stirs that all-important sauce.
Manny Singer in “Corrina, Corrina” (1994)
This underrated romantic comedy finds widowed jingle writer Liotta in a slow-build romance with housekeeper Corrina (Whoopi Goldberg). We loved seeing his softer side in this warm, funny film.
Gary “Figgsy” Figgis in “Cop Land” (1997)
In the rousing finish to James Mangold’s tale of rampant police corruption, Liotta’s jaded character does the right thing, backing Sylvester Stallone’s dogged Sheriff Freddy Heflin when the chips are down, and turning state’s evidence to put away top cops on the take.
Frank Sinatra in “The Rat Pack” (1998)
It’s no mean feat stepping into the shoes of the iconic singer, but Liotta not only had the baby blues but the chops to pull it off in this Emmy-winning TV movie. He earned a SAG nomination for his performance.
Lt. Henry Oak in “Narc” (2002)
Liotta’s layered performance as an unstable cop whose long-ago cover-up is falling apart landed him an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
Charlie Metcalf in “ER” (2005)
Liotta won a well-deserved Emmy for his guest role as a gravely ill ex-con and alcoholic in the harrowing, real-time “ER” episode “Time of Death.”
Aldo Moltisanti in “The Many Saints of Newark” (2021)
The actor regretted passing on “The Sopranos,” but still got his chance to play a volatile, old school gangster in David Chase’s prequel movie.
