- In 1990, he had small supporting roles in two of the year's Best Picture nominees Ghost (1990) and The Godfather Part III (1990).
- Was a stand-up comedian.
- Developed a heroin habit which led to his contracting AIDS. Died of a pulmonary embolism.
- Became a host of "It's Showtime at the Apollo" in 1987, and continued hosting on an occasional basis until 1991.
- Best remembered for his feral roles in urban movies, notably as Willie Lopez, the killer of Patrick Swayze's character who gets his payback by Swayze's ghost, in the smash hit movie Ghost (1990).
- Worked as a street performer and stand-up comic in the Greenwich Village night club circuit in New York. In 1981, he auditioned and landed the role of Mad Dog in the movie The Cannonball Run (1981). He went on to appear in 14 other movies.
- Appeared in two Best Picture nominees in 1990: Ghost (1990) and The Godfather Part III (1990). The only other actor to do this was Robert De Niro, who appeared in Goodfellas (1990) and Awakenings (1990). De Niro had also appeared in The Godfather Part II (1974).
- His parents emigrated from Puerto Rico to the U.S. in the late 1940s. They settled in Manhattan, New York City, where Rick was born.
- Brother of actress Angel Aviles and stand-up comic 'Rod Reyes'.
- Brother Rod Reyes has been a regular of the New York comedy scene, performing in most of the big comedy clubs in New York City: The Comic Strip Live, Comedy Cellar, New York Comedy Club, Boston Comedy Club, Duplex, Gothan Comedy Club, and Stand-Up New York, as well as cable TV. He has also appeared on HBO's "One Night Stand", and NBC's "Five Alive," and was given an unbilled role as a subway passenger in the movie Carlito's Way (1993), which featured Rick.
- His last name, Aviles, is too the name of a little coastal city belonging Principality of Asturias (north to Spain). It spells as "Avilés".
- Born on exactly the same date as Harry Anderson (of "Night Court" fame).
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