Eddie Mekka a.k.a. The Big Ragu is an American actor most famous for his role as Carmine Ragusa on the sitcom Laverne & Shirley.
Mekka was born Rudolph Edward Mekjian in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Mariam (née Apkarian), a presser, and Vaughn V. Mekjian. He is of Armenian ancestry.
In the early 1970s, Mekka headed the Worcester County Light Opera in Massachusetts, teaching young people how to sing. After performing on Broadway in The Lie...
more
Eddie Mekka a.k.a. The Big Ragu is an American actor most famous for his role as Carmine Ragusa on the sitcom Laverne & Shirley.
Mekka was born Rudolph Edward Mekjian in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Mariam (née Apkarian), a presser, and Vaughn V. Mekjian. He is of Armenian ancestry.
In the early 1970s, Mekka headed the Worcester County Light Opera in Massachusetts, teaching young people how to sing. After performing on Broadway in The Lieutenant, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award, he moved to Los Angeles. He landed the role of Carmine for Laverne & Shirley in 1976, acting on the series until it was canceled in 1983.
His recent television credits include "24," "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "The Bold and the Beautiful," and as Detective Murdoch in the Fox T.V. movie "Catch Me If You Can". He had a small role in the 1992 film "A League of Their Own" credits list him as "Mae's guy in bar".
On stage, he has performed in Hairspray...
less
