Robert Davi Spills Fratelli Family Secrets as 'Goonies' Turns 30
Anyone who grew up with Richard Donner’s 1985 classic The Goonies was no doubt frightened by the Fratelli family, the ghastly clan of criminals hot on the tail of our treasure-hunting heroes. There was the slap-happy Mama (Anne Ramsey); her golden boy, Francis (Joe Pantoliano); the disfigured Sloth (former NFL star John Matuszak); and, of course, Jake, the opera-singing, frequently ignored henchman, played by Robert Davi.
With Goonies celebrating its 30th anniversary on Sunday, Davi stopped by Yahoo Movies studios to share some tales from the set of the film that would help launch his career, one that would continue with roles in such high-profile films as License to Kill, Die Hard, and Showgirls. You can watch the interview in the player above.
Related: ‘The Goonies’ 30th Anniversary: Watch That Bonkers Deleted Octopus Scene
David had plenty of behind-the-scenes stories to share from the set. Those slaps from Mama? They were genuine hits from Ramsey, who was egged on by Davi to smack him every time he said something (“It wasn’t being pulled — she was letting it go,” he laughed.) Also of note: Davi helped dub the voice of Sloth, most notably during the scene in which the disfigured brother is crying in hunger. And Davi gave Chunk (Jeff Cohen) some extra incentive to cry by actually pulling the back of his hair during that lightly torturous blender scene.
Davi, who can currently be seen in the new drama Club Life, is also a Billboard-charting jazz singer who regularly tours the globe. You can check out his upcoming concert dates, hear music, and more at DaviSingsSinatra.com.
