Joe Spinell

Joe Spinell (born Joseph Spagnuolo; October 28, 1936 – January 13, 1989) was an American character actor who appeared in films in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as various stage productions on and off Broadway.^[1] He played supporting roles in film including The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), Rocky (1976), Rocky II (1979), Taxi Driver (1976), Sorcerer (1977) and Cruising (1980).

Until Spinell's death in 1989, his career ranged from

Because of his large, heavyset frame and imposing looks, Spinell was often cast as criminals, thugs, or corrupt police officers. As a teenager and young adult, Spinell starred in various stage plays, both on and off Broadway.^[4]

In 1971, he landed his first film role in a small part as the mafioso hitman Willi Cicci working for the Corleone crime family in the crime film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.^[1] It was the highest-grossing film of 1972^[5] and was for a time the highest-grossing film ever made.^[6] It won the Oscars for Best Picture, Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as other nominations. Spinell was so liked by Coppola that he asked Spinell to sit in on much more of the film's shooting than was required, for which he was paid the daily actor rate even if not appearing in the day's scenes.

In 1973, he acted in Aram Avakian's Cops and Robbers, and Philip D'Antoni's The Seven-Ups.

In 1974, Spinell reprised his role as Willi Cicci in The Godfather Part II, where Cicci is still working for the Corleone crime family, but having been promoted from "soldier" (aka: 'button man') to being the personal bodyguard to Frank Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo). The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and became the first sequel to win for Best Picture. It was Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film of 1974 and was the fifth-highest-grossing picture in North America that year. Spinell was set to reprise his role as Willi Cicci in The Godfather Part III (1990) but he died before filming began.

In 1975, he acted in Frank Perry's Rancho Deluxe,^[7] Barry Shear's Strike Force, Dick Richards's Farewell, My Lovely,^[8] and Thomas McGuane's 92 in the Shade.^[9]

In 1976, he acted in Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver,^[10] and Bob Rafelson's Stay Hungry. That year, Spinell played the role of Gazzo, a loan shark in John G. Avildsen's Rocky. It earned $225 million in global box office receipts, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1976, went on to win three Oscars, including Best Picture, and turned lead actor Sylvester Stallone into a major star.^[11]

In 1977, he acted in Sorcerer, a thriller adaptation of The Wages of Fear directed by William Friedkin.

In 1978, he acted in Paul Williams's Nunzio, John Milius's Big Wednesday, Sylvester Stallone's Paradise Alley, and The One Man Jury. He also played the main antagonist in Luigi Cozzi's Italian-produced space opera Starcrash,^[12] starring Caroline Munro and Marjoe Gortner.^[13][14][15]

In 1979, he acted in

Although primarily known as a character actor, Spinell co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in his first lead role as a serial killer in the 1980 film Maniac, the psychological slasher film directed by William Lustig.^[18]

Also in 1980, he acted in Curtis Hanson's The Little Dragons, William Friedkin's Cruising, William Peter Blatty'sThe Ninth Configuration, Bernard L. Kowalski's Nightside,^[19] Stuart Rosenberg's Brubaker, Brian G. Hutton's The First Deadly Sin, and Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard''.^[20]

In 1981, Spinell had a supporting role in the Sylvester Stallone action film Nighthawks,^[21] and Richard Elfman's Forbidden Zone.

In 1982, he acted in

In 1983, he played a corrupt lawyer in William Lustig's vigilante film Vigilante. He also acted in Curtis Hanson's Losin' It, Nicolas Roeg's Eureka, and Fred Williamson's The Last Fight .^{[citation needed]}

In 1985, he played the main villain in the crime film Walking the Edge, starring Robert Forster.

In 1986, he acted in

In 1987, Spinell acted in The Pick-up Artist, and Deadly Illusion.^[28][29]

In 1988, Spinell played a corrupt military official in

In 1989, Spinell played a U.S. government official in Rapid Fire, directed by David A. Prior which was his final role.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Spinell was married to

A close friend of Sylvester Stallone, Spinell was the godfather of his son Sage Stallone.^[32] Spinell had a falling out with Sylvester Stallone during the filming of their final collaboration Nighthawks (1981).^[33]

Death

Spinell died in his apartment located off Greenpoint Avenue in

Filmography

Film

Television

References