Joe Spinell

Joe Spinell

Birthday: 1936-10-28

Deathday: 1989-01-13

Place of birth: Manhattan, New York

Also known as: Joseph J. Spagnuolo, Joseph Spagnuolo

imdb_id: nm0818874

Biography:

​Joe Spinell was born Joseph J. Spagnuolo in Manhattan, New York of Italian immigrant parents, and the last of six children. His father, Pelegrino Spagnuolo (b. 1892, d. 1950), died from liver and kidney disease. His mother Filomena Spagnuolo (b. 1903, d. 1987) was a bit-part actress who acted in a few movies, some of them alongside her son. Spinell stood 5 foot and 11 inches. He was born at his family's apartment in Manhattan's Little Italy on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. A few years after the death of his father, he moved with his mother and older siblings to Woodside, Queens, New York where he lived off-and-on for the remainder of his life. Spinell suffered most of his life from hemophilia as well as chronic asthma. Because of his large, heavyset frame and imposing looks, Spinell was often cast as criminals, thugs, or corrupt police officers. His most notable roles were as mafioso Willi Cicci in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, and as loan shark Tony Gazzo in Rocky and Rocky II. Although primarily known as a character actor, Spinell co-wrote and starred as a serial killer in the 1980 film, Maniac. Joe Spinell died in his apartment on January 13, 1989 at the age of 52. The cause of his untimely death is arguable to this day. Some say that his death was caused by sudden heart attack due to heavy drug use, drinking and emotional distress in light of his mother passing away two years earlier. It is also speculated that he may have died from asthma complications, or bled to death from hemophilia related causes. He was planning a sequel to Maniac before his death. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Queens near his home. He is the distant cousin of the American football team St. Louis Ram's Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo. Spinell was married to adult film star Jean Jennings from February 1977 to July 1979. Together they had one daughter, but they eventually divorced.

Played in movies:

The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic

Score: 9.4

The Godfather

Score: 8.7

The Godfather Part II

Score: 8.6

Taxi Driver

Score: 8.1

K.O. Kippers

Score: 8.0

Rocky

Score: 7.8

The History of 'Cruising'

Score: 7.7

40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic

Score: 7.6

Sorcerer

Score: 7.4

Rocky II

Score: 7.3

Brubaker

Score: 7.1

A Question of Honor

Score: 7.0

The American Nightmare

Score: 7.0

Big Wednesday

Score: 6.9

Cruising

Score: 6.6

Farewell, My Lovely

Score: 6.6

Exorcising 'Cruising'

Score: 6.5

Maniac

Score: 6.4

The Ninth Configuration

Score: 6.4

Melvin and Howard

Score: 6.4

Next Stop, Greenwich Village

Score: 6.4

Out of the Darkness

Score: 6.4

Nighthawks

Score: 6.4

The Seven-Ups

Score: 6.3

Cops and Robbers

Score: 6.3

Forbidden Zone

Score: 6.2

Vigilante

Score: 6.2

The Children of Times Square

Score: 6.0

FantastiCozzi

Score: 6.0

Night Shift

Score: 6.0

Married to the Mob

Score: 6.0

Maniac II: Mr. Robbie

Score: 5.9

Winter Kills

Score: 5.9

The First Deadly Sin

Score: 5.8

Paradise Alley

Score: 5.8

Blood Ties

Score: 5.8

Vampire

Score: 5.8

The Joe Spinell Story

Score: 5.7

Stay Hungry

Score: 5.7

The Pick-up Artist

Score: 5.7

Deadly Illusion

Score: 5.6

Strike Force

Score: 5.6

92 in the Shade

Score: 5.5

Thriller Zone

Score: 5.5

Last Embrace

Score: 5.4

The One Man Jury

Score: 5.4

Walking the Edge

Score: 5.4

Rancho Deluxe

Score: 5.4

The Undertaker

Score: 5.3

Eureka

Score: 5.3

The Last Horror Film

Score: 5.3

The Messenger

Score: 5.2

Losin' It

Score: 5.0

The Big Score

Score: 5.0

The Whoopee Boys

Score: 4.9

Nunzio

Score: 4.8

The Little Dragons

Score: 4.7

One Down, Two to Go

Score: 4.5

Monsignor

Score: 4.4

The Last Fight

Score: 4.4

Starcrash

Score: 4.2

Rapid Fire

Score: 3.7

National Lampoon's Movie Madness

Score: 3.1

Hollywood Harry

Score: 2.3

Operation Warzone

Score: 2.0

The History of 'Cruising'

Score: 0.0

The Ransom of Red Chief

Score: 0.0

Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer

Score: 0.0

Nightside

Score: 0.0

Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter

Score: 0.0

Played in tv shows:

Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television

Score: 8.6

The Equalizer

Score: 7.1