The Idolmaker - Ray Sharkey - I Believe it Can be Done

[Enidangel22]

That's so sad he died. What a talented man and actor he was!!!

[pokeopolis]

He so much more acting to give. I miss him.

[7beers]

Is Ray singing? If yes, is it lip synching? If no, who is actually singing?

[Sirgreaseflick]

Can't say I sympathise with Ray, sorry. In the Book of Movie Obituaries Fade To Black, he's referred to as an "Evil Bastard." He callously disregarded the fact that he had AIDS to sleep with an infect several women with the deadly virus. Additionally, he was hardly DeNiro. And his voice is irritating.

[tjaf64]

@Sirgreaseflick It is not good to talk ill of the dead. One day you will be dead, and how do you want people to talk about you?

[rick00770]

he was a good actor, I saw him in atlanta, my favorite is wise guys with danny devito and joe piscapo, comedy, he was a great loss to acting, one of the best character actors around,

[rcajun91405]

You can see Ray Sharkey in the short lived Wiseguy series with Ken Wahl. It is the first season and he plays a mobster named Sonny Steelgrave.

[RitaAnne]

He was Sonny Steelgrave in Wise Guys..Too bad he died so young as he was multi talented. I love this movie..

[mikebe41]

He died?

[westeightyone]

He died quite a while ago.

Sharkey reportedly contracted the AIDS virus through his indiscriminate drug use and was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1987. Despite his diagnosis, Ray remained in denial about his HIV positive status. Sharkey convinced himself he harbored a strain of HIV that would never endanger himself or anyone else. He told no one of his condition, and reportedly did not disclose the fact that he was HIV positive to women he was in intimate relationships with.

[mikebe41]

thanks for the informed update!

[tjaf64]

@westeightyone Is this first hand information? Are you a family member that knew all the intimate details of his life?

[crosenblum]

Loved the movie...and i love this part the best...about a man...who just dreams of showing that he still has it...but doing it his own way...on his own skills not that of others...

So beautiful.l..

[rayderonnn]

he was also great in , wise guys ask  ken wahle.

[CrazyDiamond5321]

This is definately a lost gem of the 1980's. Amazing movie!

[brunsonpep]

One of my favorite scenes and songs from any movie, any time. SO Moving and inspirational.

[londonluvver]

This was such a great movie; Ray Sharkey was excellent in it. It was also fun to see a verrrrry young Peter Gallagher!

[Beatpoet7371]

Great movie! Ray Sharkey died in 1993 of AIDS (rest in pleace). Ironically, Ray died in the same financial state that his character in this movie became ... penniless.

[Idolmakercat]

How sad. I didn't even know he died until of was watching the idolmaker and did a google search for him and found out he had died. I was mad and sad because he had so much talent and I wanted to see more of him.

[Enidangel22]

@Idolmakercat Hi - I feel the same way you do. What an actor and performer. But they labeled him with the passing of HIV back in the day we hardly knew anything about AIDS. Said he purposely passed it on to women. I can't remember the 80's too much, but everybody was freaking out. Remember, how many ways they thought you could pass this and everybody was afraid. Just saying.....

[jds2701]

this is my favorite song from this movie i loved ray sharkey

[miterror]

Love the movie