The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Thomas J Collins & Leona F. Collins
Ray Liotta, the blueeyed actor best known for playing mobster Henry Hill in “Goodfellas” and baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson in “Field of Dreams,” has died. He was 67.
Liotta’s publicist, Jen Allen, said he was in the Dominican Republic shooting a new movie and didn’t wake up Thursday morning. An official at the Dominican Republic’s National Forensic Science Institute who was not authorized to speak to the media confirmed the death of Ray Liotta and said his body was taken to the Cristo Redentor morgue.
Robert De Niro, who costarred with Liotta in “Goodfellas,” said in an emailed statement: “I was very saddened to learn of Ray’s passing. He is way too way young to have left us. May he Rest in Peace.”
Lorraine Bracco, who played Karen Hill in “Goodfellas” tweeted Thursday that she was, “Utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray. I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same…Ray Liotta.”
Alessandro Nivola, who recently appeared with Liotta in “The Sopranos” prequel film “The Many Saints of Newark” wrote, “I feel so lucky to have squared off against this legend in one of his final roles. The scenes we did together were among the all time highlights of my acting career. He was dangerous, unpredictable, hilarious, and generous with his praise for other actors. Too soon.”
Seth Rogen, who Liotta acted with in the 2009 comedy “Observe and Report” tweeted, “He was such a lovely, talented and hilarious person. Working with him was one of the great joys of my career and we made some of my favorite scenes I ever got to be in. A true legend of immense skill and grace.”
The Newark, New Jersey, native was born in 1954 and adopted at age six months out of an orphanage by a township clerk and an auto parts owner. Liotta always assumed he was mostly Italian — the movies did too. But later in life while searching for his birth parents, he discovered he’s actually Scottish.
Though he grew up focused on playing sports, including baseball, during his senior year of high school, the drama teacher asked him if he wanted to be in a play, which he agreed to on a lark. Whether he knew it or not at the time, it planted a seed, though he still assumed he’d end up working construction. And later, at the University of Miami he picked drama and acting because they had no math requirement attached. He would often say in interviews that he only started auditioning for plays because a pretty girl told him to. But it set him on a course. After graduation, he got an agent and soon he got his first big break on the soap opera “Another World.”
Thomas J. Collins Sr. and Leona F. Collins (nèe Nentwig) entered eternal life on May 11, 2022 and May 24, 2022, respectively. They resided in Dupont and were both formerly of Norristown.
Thomas was born in Philadelphia, son of the late Edward and Mary McShane Collins. He was a graduate of Northeast Catholic High School. Thomas along with his wife of 58 years, the former, Leona Nentwig, moved to Norristown where he was a long time employee of Sperry Univac.
He was 50 year member of Men of Malvern, was a leader for the Boy Scouts of America for 35 years, and was a certified trainer for the NRA. He enjoyed camping and fishing with his children and grandchildren. He was a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan and even had the privilege to work for the Eagles at the Linc.
In addition to his parents Thomas was preceded in death by daughter, Tracy Collins; sisters, Marie Foley and Rosemarie Collins; brothers, Edward, John, and Donald Collins and nephew Edward Collins, Jr.
Surviving are daughter, Donna “Dawn” and husband Robert Curtis, Dupont, and son, Thomas J. Collins, Jr. and wife Regina, Stowe, PA; grandchildren; Ryan Collins and wife Kaleen, Mariah Curtis, Christian Curtis, and Eric Curtis, Sarah Collins, Patrick Collins, Bryan and wife Kaitlyn Davis-Collins, and Samantha Collins; great- grandchildren; Cameron, Layla, Greysen and Hudsen; brother, Joseph and wife Diana Collins and sister Regina and husband Joseph Deininger.
Leona was born in Philadelphia, daughter of the late Joseph and Leona Nentwig.
Leona along with her late husband, Thomas, moved to Norristown where they raised their three children. Leona enjoyed reading, crocheting her famous Afghans, cooking, painting ceramics, and spending time with her many grandchildren.
In addition to her parents Leona was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas, daughter, Tracy Collins; brother Joseph Nentwig and sister Ada DeValle (nèe Nentwig).
Surviving in addition to those mentioned above are Leona’s brothers Richard, Robert and wife Stephanie, and Charles Nentwig, and sister Alberta (nèe Nentwig) and husband Ralph DelCiotto.
The family will receive friends and relatives Wednesday, June 1, 2022 from 10am-11am in St. Helena Church, 1489 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422. A Memorial mass will be celebrated at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105-9959. Arrangements are entrusted to Adonizio Funeral Home, LLC, Pittston.
Actor Ray Liotta attends the “No Sudden Move” premiere during the 20th Tribeca Festival in New York in 2021.