From "Chicago Tribune" - "He was really just old-school Chicago Fire Department, which I liked, and he was kind of fearless and had a great relationship with understanding fire, which was something I tried to bring to the character," said "Backdraft" screenwriter Gregory Widen.
Rimgale had a bit acting role in "Backdraft," and both during and after his 31-year career with the Chicago Fire Department, he found a second career as an actor, appearing in more than a dozen movies and TV shows, including "The Fugitive," "Baby's Day Out," "Early Edition" and "The Untouchables." Rimgale considered himself a firefighter first and foremost, and well into his 70s worked full-time as the fire chief of the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in far southwest suburban Sandwich.
"He did his job to the utmost and then more," said retired Chicago firefighter Ken Musial, a longtime friend who worked alongside Rimgale for a decade. "If you were at a fire with him, you knew he had your back. You didn't have to worry."
Rimgale, 77, died of complications from colon cancer Nov. 13 at his home in Elmhurst, said his daughter, Rachel. He recently had moved to Elmhurst after living in Sandwich. Prior to that, he had been a longtime resident of the Southwest Side Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
Born in Chicago, Rimgale grew up in the Southwest Side Brighton Park neighborhood and graduated from Kelly High School. He worked various jobs until signing on with the Fire Department as a firefighter in 1965.
Both Musial and Widen recalled Rimgale as an intrepid fireman. "He had the (nerve) to go anyplace and do anything," Musial said. "He was a big guy and yet so gentle. There's a picture of him coming out of a fire with four kittens in his hand. He'd go the extra mile." Rimgale later became an arson investigator in the Fire Department's Office of Fire Investigation. Rimgale's daughter said her father's transition to investigative work was a natural shift for him as he aged.
"He always said that firefighting was a young man's thing," she said.
Bill Cosgrove, a retired fire investigator for the Chicago Fire Department, said Rimgale brought a sense of humor — though always respectful — to the sometimes-grim work of investigating fires.
"Even in our worst situations, Rimgale would always be the guy to break the ice, so everybody didn't fall apart," Cosgrove recalled. "He was also a great fire investigator. He could write a great fire report and make it logical."
While working as an arson investigator, Rimgale was asked by a superior to work with Widen, who had worked as a firefighter during college. Rimgale took Widen on several investigations, and Widen repaid Rimgale by creating a character who is an arson investigator and giving that character Rimgale's name. De Niro was cast in that role.
"It's an overused (expression), but Don was bigger than life," Widen said. "He had a swagger, and the way that he walked into a fire, I know that that affected Robert De Niro when he had a chance to meet (Rimgale). And we could see Don's commitment to his work and his commitment to getting it right. And this was the generation that didn't like to get on their knees in a fire, so to speak. So a little bit of Don went into Kurt Russell's character in the film as well."
Rimgale also appeared in a small role in "Backdraft," in which he says some lines at a party and also in a funeral scene. That spurred him to enlist an agent and to begin seeking other acting roles.
"He got bit by the acting bug and did a bunch of different things," his daughter said.
Over the next decade, Rimgale appeared in other films shot in Chicago like "Baby's Day Out," "The Fugitive" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Part II," as well as episodes of TV shows shot locally like "Early Edition," "The Untouchables" and "Missing Persons." "He had a lot of fun with it all," Widen said. Rimgale retired from the Fire Department in 1996. He then started working as a truck driver for a time before signing on in Sandwich as a firefighter in 1999. He stepped down as a firefighter there in 2003 but returned to the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in 2012 as its chief. "He cared about his troops," said Jason Pruski, the district's current fire chief, who served under Rimgale as his deputy chief. "He always put his department first." Battling illness, Rimgale retired as chief in 2016. A first marriage ended in divorce. A son, Daniel, died many years ago, and a grandson, Jonathan, died in 2012. In addition to his daughter, Rimgale is survived by his wife, Sharon; two other daughters, Becky Mannarelli and Roxanne Gardner; three sons, Donald Jr., Robert and Timothy; five grandchildren; a sister, Barbara; and two brothers, Ron and Adam Jr.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sandwich Fire Department, 310 E. Railroad St."
Rimgale had a bit acting role in "Backdraft," and both during and after his 31-year career with the Chicago Fire Department, he found a second career as an actor, appearing in more than a dozen movies and TV shows, including "The Fugitive," "Baby's Day Out," "Early Edition" and "The Untouchables." Rimgale considered himself a firefighter first and foremost, and well into his 70s worked full-time as the fire chief of the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in far southwest suburban Sandwich.
"He did his job to the utmost and then more," said retired Chicago firefighter Ken Musial, a longtime friend who worked alongside Rimgale for a decade. "If you were at a fire with him, you knew he had your back. You didn't have to worry."
Rimgale, 77, died of complications from colon cancer Nov. 13 at his home in Elmhurst, said his daughter, Rachel. He recently had moved to Elmhurst after living in Sandwich. Prior to that, he had been a longtime resident of the Southwest Side Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
Born in Chicago, Rimgale grew up in the Southwest Side Brighton Park neighborhood and graduated from Kelly High School. He worked various jobs until signing on with the Fire Department as a firefighter in 1965.
Both Musial and Widen recalled Rimgale as an intrepid fireman. "He had the (nerve) to go anyplace and do anything," Musial said. "He was a big guy and yet so gentle. There's a picture of him coming out of a fire with four kittens in his hand. He'd go the extra mile." Rimgale later became an arson investigator in the Fire Department's Office of Fire Investigation. Rimgale's daughter said her father's transition to investigative work was a natural shift for him as he aged.
"He always said that firefighting was a young man's thing," she said.
Bill Cosgrove, a retired fire investigator for the Chicago Fire Department, said Rimgale brought a sense of humor — though always respectful — to the sometimes-grim work of investigating fires.
"Even in our worst situations, Rimgale would always be the guy to break the ice, so everybody didn't fall apart," Cosgrove recalled. "He was also a great fire investigator. He could write a great fire report and make it logical."
While working as an arson investigator, Rimgale was asked by a superior to work with Widen, who had worked as a firefighter during college. Rimgale took Widen on several investigations, and Widen repaid Rimgale by creating a character who is an arson investigator and giving that character Rimgale's name. De Niro was cast in that role.
"It's an overused (expression), but Don was bigger than life," Widen said. "He had a swagger, and the way that he walked into a fire, I know that that affected Robert De Niro when he had a chance to meet (Rimgale). And we could see Don's commitment to his work and his commitment to getting it right. And this was the generation that didn't like to get on their knees in a fire, so to speak. So a little bit of Don went into Kurt Russell's character in the film as well."
Rimgale also appeared in a small role in "Backdraft," in which he says some lines at a party and also in a funeral scene. That spurred him to enlist an agent and to begin seeking other acting roles.
"He got bit by the acting bug and did a bunch of different things," his daughter said.
Over the next decade, Rimgale appeared in other films shot in Chicago like "Baby's Day Out," "The Fugitive" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Part II," as well as episodes of TV shows shot locally like "Early Edition," "The Untouchables" and "Missing Persons." "He had a lot of fun with it all," Widen said. Rimgale retired from the Fire Department in 1996. He then started working as a truck driver for a time before signing on in Sandwich as a firefighter in 1999. He stepped down as a firefighter there in 2003 but returned to the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in 2012 as its chief. "He cared about his troops," said Jason Pruski, the district's current fire chief, who served under Rimgale as his deputy chief. "He always put his department first." Battling illness, Rimgale retired as chief in 2016. A first marriage ended in divorce. A son, Daniel, died many years ago, and a grandson, Jonathan, died in 2012. In addition to his daughter, Rimgale is survived by his wife, Sharon; two other daughters, Becky Mannarelli and Roxanne Gardner; three sons, Donald Jr., Robert and Timothy; five grandchildren; a sister, Barbara; and two brothers, Ron and Adam Jr.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sandwich Fire Department, 310 E. Railroad St."
From "Chicago Tribune" - "He was really just old-school Chicago Fire Department, which I liked, and he was kind of fearless and had a great relationship with understanding fire, which was something I tried to bring to the character," said "Backdraft" screenwriter Gregory Widen.
Rimgale had a bit acting role in "Backdraft," and both during and after his 31-year career with the Chicago Fire Department, he found a second career as an actor, appearing in more than a dozen movies and TV shows, including "The Fugitive," "Baby's Day Out," "Early Edition" and "The Untouchables." Rimgale considered himself a firefighter first and foremost, and well into his 70s worked full-time as the fire chief of the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in far southwest suburban Sandwich.
"He did his job to the utmost and then more," said retired Chicago firefighter Ken Musial, a longtime friend who worked alongside Rimgale for a decade. "If you were at a fire with him, you knew he had your back. You didn't have to worry."
Rimgale, 77, died of complications from colon cancer Nov. 13 at his home in Elmhurst, said his daughter, Rachel. He recently had moved to Elmhurst after living in Sandwich. Prior to that, he had been a longtime resident of the Southwest Side Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
Born in Chicago, Rimgale grew up in the Southwest Side Brighton Park neighborhood and graduated from Kelly High School. He worked various jobs until signing on with the Fire Department as a firefighter in 1965.
Both Musial and Widen recalled Rimgale as an intrepid fireman. "He had the (nerve) to go anyplace and do anything," Musial said. "He was a big guy and yet so gentle. There's a picture of him coming out of a fire with four kittens in his hand. He'd go the extra mile." Rimgale later became an arson investigator in the Fire Department's Office of Fire Investigation. Rimgale's daughter said her father's transition to investigative work was a natural shift for him as he aged.
"He always said that firefighting was a young man's thing," she said.
Bill Cosgrove, a retired fire investigator for the Chicago Fire Department, said Rimgale brought a sense of humor — though always respectful — to the sometimes-grim work of investigating fires.
"Even in our worst situations, Rimgale would always be the guy to break the ice, so everybody didn't fall apart," Cosgrove recalled. "He was also a great fire investigator. He could write a great fire report and make it logical."
While working as an arson investigator, Rimgale was asked by a superior to work with Widen, who had worked as a firefighter during college. Rimgale took Widen on several investigations, and Widen repaid Rimgale by creating a character who is an arson investigator and giving that character Rimgale's name. De Niro was cast in that role.
"It's an overused (expression), but Don was bigger than life," Widen said. "He had a swagger, and the way that he walked into a fire, I know that that affected Robert De Niro when he had a chance to meet (Rimgale). And we could see Don's commitment to his work and his commitment to getting it right. And this was the generation that didn't like to get on their knees in a fire, so to speak. So a little bit of Don went into Kurt Russell's character in the film as well."
Rimgale also appeared in a small role in "Backdraft," in which he says some lines at a party and also in a funeral scene. That spurred him to enlist an agent and to begin seeking other acting roles.
"He got bit by the acting bug and did a bunch of different things," his daughter said.
Over the next decade, Rimgale appeared in other films shot in Chicago like "Baby's Day Out," "The Fugitive" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Part II," as well as episodes of TV shows shot locally like "Early Edition," "The Untouchables" and "Missing Persons." "He had a lot of fun with it all," Widen said. Rimgale retired from the Fire Department in 1996. He then started working as a truck driver for a time before signing on in Sandwich as a firefighter in 1999. He stepped down as a firefighter there in 2003 but returned to the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in 2012 as its chief. "He cared about his troops," said Jason Pruski, the district's current fire chief, who served under Rimgale as his deputy chief. "He always put his department first." Battling illness, Rimgale retired as chief in 2016. A first marriage ended in divorce. A son, Daniel, died many years ago, and a grandson, Jonathan, died in 2012. In addition to his daughter, Rimgale is survived by his wife, Sharon; two other daughters, Becky Mannarelli and Roxanne Gardner; three sons, Donald Jr., Robert and Timothy; five grandchildren; a sister, Barbara; and two brothers, Ron and Adam Jr.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sandwich Fire Department, 310 E. Railroad St."
Rimgale had a bit acting role in "Backdraft," and both during and after his 31-year career with the Chicago Fire Department, he found a second career as an actor, appearing in more than a dozen movies and TV shows, including "The Fugitive," "Baby's Day Out," "Early Edition" and "The Untouchables." Rimgale considered himself a firefighter first and foremost, and well into his 70s worked full-time as the fire chief of the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in far southwest suburban Sandwich.
"He did his job to the utmost and then more," said retired Chicago firefighter Ken Musial, a longtime friend who worked alongside Rimgale for a decade. "If you were at a fire with him, you knew he had your back. You didn't have to worry."
Rimgale, 77, died of complications from colon cancer Nov. 13 at his home in Elmhurst, said his daughter, Rachel. He recently had moved to Elmhurst after living in Sandwich. Prior to that, he had been a longtime resident of the Southwest Side Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
Born in Chicago, Rimgale grew up in the Southwest Side Brighton Park neighborhood and graduated from Kelly High School. He worked various jobs until signing on with the Fire Department as a firefighter in 1965.
Both Musial and Widen recalled Rimgale as an intrepid fireman. "He had the (nerve) to go anyplace and do anything," Musial said. "He was a big guy and yet so gentle. There's a picture of him coming out of a fire with four kittens in his hand. He'd go the extra mile." Rimgale later became an arson investigator in the Fire Department's Office of Fire Investigation. Rimgale's daughter said her father's transition to investigative work was a natural shift for him as he aged.
"He always said that firefighting was a young man's thing," she said.
Bill Cosgrove, a retired fire investigator for the Chicago Fire Department, said Rimgale brought a sense of humor — though always respectful — to the sometimes-grim work of investigating fires.
"Even in our worst situations, Rimgale would always be the guy to break the ice, so everybody didn't fall apart," Cosgrove recalled. "He was also a great fire investigator. He could write a great fire report and make it logical."
While working as an arson investigator, Rimgale was asked by a superior to work with Widen, who had worked as a firefighter during college. Rimgale took Widen on several investigations, and Widen repaid Rimgale by creating a character who is an arson investigator and giving that character Rimgale's name. De Niro was cast in that role.
"It's an overused (expression), but Don was bigger than life," Widen said. "He had a swagger, and the way that he walked into a fire, I know that that affected Robert De Niro when he had a chance to meet (Rimgale). And we could see Don's commitment to his work and his commitment to getting it right. And this was the generation that didn't like to get on their knees in a fire, so to speak. So a little bit of Don went into Kurt Russell's character in the film as well."
Rimgale also appeared in a small role in "Backdraft," in which he says some lines at a party and also in a funeral scene. That spurred him to enlist an agent and to begin seeking other acting roles.
"He got bit by the acting bug and did a bunch of different things," his daughter said.
Over the next decade, Rimgale appeared in other films shot in Chicago like "Baby's Day Out," "The Fugitive" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Part II," as well as episodes of TV shows shot locally like "Early Edition," "The Untouchables" and "Missing Persons." "He had a lot of fun with it all," Widen said. Rimgale retired from the Fire Department in 1996. He then started working as a truck driver for a time before signing on in Sandwich as a firefighter in 1999. He stepped down as a firefighter there in 2003 but returned to the Sandwich Community Fire Protection District in 2012 as its chief. "He cared about his troops," said Jason Pruski, the district's current fire chief, who served under Rimgale as his deputy chief. "He always put his department first." Battling illness, Rimgale retired as chief in 2016. A first marriage ended in divorce. A son, Daniel, died many years ago, and a grandson, Jonathan, died in 2012. In addition to his daughter, Rimgale is survived by his wife, Sharon; two other daughters, Becky Mannarelli and Roxanne Gardner; three sons, Donald Jr., Robert and Timothy; five grandchildren; a sister, Barbara; and two brothers, Ron and Adam Jr.
A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sandwich Fire Department, 310 E. Railroad St."
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