Nicholas Georgiade, ‘The Untouchables’ actor and Syracuse University alumnus, dies at 88

Nicholas “Nick” Georgiade, the last surviving regular cast member of “The Untouchables,” is dead at age 88.

Georgiade died Sunday, Dec. 19, in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to his nephew and namesake Nick Georgiade, who lives in Baldwinsville, N.Y. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

“He lived 88 long years, and had a beautiful life,” actor Nicholas Georgiade’s daughter Anastazia wrote on Facebook Sunday. “He was also a wonderful father to me. I had the blessing to have him pass away in my arms tonight. Thank you in advance to all your kind words and prayers.”

Georgiade was best known for playing agent Enrico Rossi, the hunky sidekick of Elliot Ness (played by Robert Stack) on the original “The Untouchables” TV series. He appeared in 113 of 119 episodes that aired from 1959 to 1963, according to IMDb.

“I’m playing myself,” Georgiade told the Chicago Tribune in 1960. “Sometimes actors have to be doctors of human behavior and the more they like their work the better they are at it. I’ve watched policemen and have been interested in their reactions. My brother George is a detective and he, like most cops, has the same emotions, fallibilities, frustrations and joys of all human beings.”

George Georgiade, who died in 2015, spent 22 years with Syracuse Police Department until his retirement as a lieutenant in 1982. In 1976, he was the detective responsible for returning SU football legend Ernie Davis’ stolen Heisman Trophy, according to his obituary.

Nicholas Georgiade was born March 25, 1933, in New York City. He was a boxer who joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War, winning the European Heavyweight title for the Army in 1952. After his military service, he received an athletic scholarship to Syracuse University, where he majored in sociology, psychology and drama; he graduated in 1957.

According to Syracuse University, Georgiade continued to box in college and intended to become a teacher after graduation, but first gave acting a try. He ended up being discovered by “I Love Lucy” star Lucille Ball when he appeared in a small theater production in California. According to the Tribune, he became one of the first members of her Desilu Workshop theater and acted in a stage production of “The Untouchables,” which helped land him the role of Rossi in Desilu Productions’ TV adaptation of “The Untouchables.”

Georgiade’s acting credits also included the 1963 movie “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” 1993′s “Indecent Proposal,” and appearances on TV shows like “Batman,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Rockford Files,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Hondo,” “Mannix,” “Get Smart,” “The Equalizer,” “T.J. Hooker” and “Kojak.” He was credited as both “Nick Georgiade” and “Nicholas Georgiade” throughout his career.

His final role was in the 2007 film “Three Days to Vegas,” playing a casino boss opposite George Segal, Rip Torn, Bill Cobbs and fellow SU alum Peter Falk.

“The Untouchables” was based on the real life of Ness, a U.S. Treasury Agent who sought to bring down gangster Al Capone in Chicago during the Prohibition era. A 1987 movie adaptation, directed by Brian De Palma, starred Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery; Connery won an Oscar for best supporting actor.

Nick Georgiade, who lived with his uncle Nicholas in Las Vegas in the ‘80s and ‘90s, said Nicholas was an inspiration for his own acting career, which includes television commercials in the Syracuse area.

“He meant a lot to me,” Nick told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. “Some people said he was my idol.”

“He meant a tremendous amount,” close family friend Mike Distefano added from Las Vegas. “He was larger than life and his persona was very powerful and magnetic, he was extremely generous. He was a star and a superstar.”

Nick and Mike also credited Nick’s uncle with encouraging them to go back to college and get their degree like he did.

“He was like a father to me,” Mike said. “He was like a father to many people.”

Georgiade was predeceased by his wife of 40 years, Alicia Razaf, in 2017. According to IMDb, he was previously married to Anita Khanzadian, a fellow SU student later known as Anita Raffi; and Davee Decker. He was also preceded in death by his brother, former Syracuse Police lieutenant George Georgiade; his sister Fotina (Flo) of Minoa; and his nephew, Michael DeFelix.

Survivors include Georgiade’s daughter, Anastazia Juliet Georgiade; sister Mary; nephews, Nick, George and Rick; niece Linda DeFelix; and numerous family and friends including Mike Distefano.