Eddie Mekka Passes On

Eddie Mekka, perhaps best known for playing Carmine "the Big Ragoo" Ragusa on Laverne & Shirley, died on November 27 2021 at at the age of 69.

Eddie Mekka was born Edward Rudolph Mekjian on June 14 1952 in  Worcester, Massachusetts. He attended the Berklee College of Music. In the early Seventies he headed the Worcester County Light Opera. On Broadway he was part of the ensemble of Jumpers in 1974 and a year later he appeared in The Lieutenant. He later appeared in The Magic Show.

In 1976 he began playing Carmine Ragusa on Laverne & Shirley. He continued to appear on the show until the end of its run. He also played Carmine on two guest appearances on Happy Days. In the late Seventies he also played Joey DeLuca on the short-lived sitcom Blansky's Beauties. He guest starred on Greatest Heroes of the Bible, Love Boat, and Fantasy Island.

In the Eighties Eddie Mekka appeared in the movies Assignment Berlin (1982), Bum Rap (1988), and Beaches (1988). He guest starred on The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Moonlighting, True Blue, and The Munsters Today. In the Nineties Eddie Mekka appeared in the movies A League of Their Own (1992) and Top of the World (1997). He guest starred on The Guiding Light, Family Matters, California Dreams, Dream On, Weird Science, The Big Easy, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Sunset Beach.

In the Naughts Eddie Mekka guest starred on the television shows Power Rangers Wild Force, The Bold and the Beautiful, 24, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, ER, and Pastor Greg. He appeared in the movies Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), Land of the Free? (2004), The Last Stand (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Love Made Easy (2006), Stuck in the Past (2007), and C Me Dance (2009). During the Naughts he also reunited with Laverne & Shirley co-star Cindy Williams for a tour of Grease and a regional production of It Had to Be You.

In the Teens he guest starred on the shows The Young and the Restless and Childrens Hospital. He appeared in the movies Through a Mother's Eyes (2013), Trew Calling (2017), Silver Twins (2017), and Sushi Tushi or How Asia Broke Into American Pro Football (2018).

Eddie Mekka was perfectly cast as Carmine Ragusa, Shirley's high school sweetheart, on Laverne & Shirley. He had perfect comic timing and even got to display his talent for singing and dancing from time to time on the show. He would shine in various guest appearances on television, as well as appearances in such movies as A League of Their Own and Dreamgirls. No matter how small the role, Eddie Mekka always gave a good performance.