PLATOON Actor Francesco Quinn Dead at 48

His father Anthony Quinn lived to be a robust 86 (and even sired two children in his final decade), but Francesco Quinn died this morning far too young at the age of 48. On the big screen, he was perhaps best known for his memorable portrayal of underground drug king Rhah in Oliver stone’s Oscar-winning PLATOON (1986). He had a reputation for being difficult to work with and reportedly got into a fistfight with Willem Dafoe on the set of that film. He kept busy as an actor though, costarring with his father in the miniseries STRADIVARI in 1989 and opposite Chuck Norris in TOP DOG (1995). Most recently his raspy voice could be heard as the character of Dino in TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON. He found a lot of work in television where he had recurring roles on JAG, 24, Zen, NCIS, and was a regular at one time on The Young and the Restless.
Francesco Quinn suffered a heart attack outside his California home Friday night while playing with his 9-year-old twins Max and Michela.