Godspeed Chick Vennera

Chick Venerra, who appeared in films such as Yanks (1979) and The Milagro Beanfield War (1988) and did a good deal of voice work in animated television shows, died on July 7 2021 at the age of 74. The cause was lung cancer.

Chick Venerra was born Francis Venerra on March 27 1947 in Herkimer, New York. He served in the United States Army Signal Corps. He moved from New York to California to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. For two years he worked as a dancer, acrobat, and clown in Disney on Parade and appeared in Grease both on Broadway and on tour.

Chick Venerra made his television debut in an episode of Lucas Tanner in 1975. He appeared in the mini-series Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers and Once an Eagle. He guest starred on the shows Baretta, The Blue Knight, The Bastard, and Vega$. He appeared in the TV movies Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid and G.I.'s. He made his film debut in Thank God It's Friday (1978) and Yanks (1979).

In the Eighties Mr. Venerra appeared in the movies High Risk (1981), Free Ride (1986), Kidnapped (1987), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), Last Rites (1988), Night Eyes (1990), and The Terror Within II (1990). On television he was the voice of Sam on the animated series Foofur. He guest starred on the shows T. J. Hooker, Hail to the Chief, Hollywood Beat, Diff'rent Strokes, Night Court, and The Golden Girls. He was a guest voice on The Jetsons. He appeared in the movies A Bunny's Tale and A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story.

In the Nineties Chick Venerra was a voice on the animated television shows Animaniacs and The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. He was a guest voice on the animated television shows Capitol Critters, Batman: The Animated Series, Darkwing Duck, Bonkers, Cow and Chicken, Pinky and the Brain, and Batman Beyond. He guest starred on the shows The Untouchables, Pig Sty, Mad About You, Air America, JAG, L.A. Heat, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and That's Life. He appeared in the TV movies Runaway Father, Kissing Miranda, and Night Eyes Four: Fatal Passion. He appeared in the movies  McBain (1991), Double Threat (1992), Alone in the Woods (1996), Time Under Fire (1997), Evasive Action (1998), Final Voyage (1999), and Intrepid (2000).

In the Naughts Chick Venerra was a guest voice on the animated series Static Shock and he appeared in the movie Glass Trap (2005).

Chick Vennera was a very talented actor. He played a wide variety of roles from the carefree Marv Gomez in Thank God It's Friday to struggling bean farmer Joe Mondragon in The Milagro Beanfield War to American soldier Sergeant Danny Ruffelo in Yanks. In two guest appearances on The Golden Girls he played consumer reporter Enrique Mas. Mr. Vennera was also the voice of several different characters on animated TV shows, from the leader of the rat brothers, Sam, on Foofur to the supervillain Ferret on Static Shock. He was a gifted actor who could play nearly anything.