Joe Spinell

Joe Spinell
Born	Joseph J. Spagnuolo (1936-10-28)October 28, 1936 Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died	January 13, 1989(1989-01-13) (aged 52) Queens, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Calvary Cemetery, Queens
Residence	Queens, New York
Other names	Joe "Maniac" Spinell Joseph Spinell Joe Spinnel Joe Spinnell
Occupation	Actor, screenwriter
Years active	1972–89
Home town	Queens, New York
Spouse(s)	Jean Jennings (February 1977–July 1979)
Children	1
Relatives	Steve Spagnuolo (Distant Cousins)

Joe Spinell (born Joseph J. Spagnuolo; October 28, 1936 – January 13, 1989) was an American character actor, who appeared in numerous films in the 1970s and 1980s.

Biography

Joe Spinell was born Joseph J. Spagnuolo (Italian pronunciation: [spaˈɲɲwɔlo]) 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. He was known to abuse drugs and alcohol heavily on and off throughout his career, especially during periods of unemployment. Spinell also 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.

Death

Spinell died in his apartment located off of Greenpoint Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens, New York on January 13, 1989 at the age of 52. Sometime during that morning, he cut himself badly on his glass shower stall door after apparently slipping in his bathtub while showering and soon afterward fell asleep on his couch instead of calling for help, his hemophilia causing him to bleed to death. His body was found by his friend Sal Sirchia. Sirchia had phoned Spinell that morning and was told of the injury and his refusal of treatment. Sirchia became concerned when he tried calling Spinell from his workplace at around noon and there was no answer. In the late afternoon, Sirchia left work at the end of his shift and drove to Spinell's apartment where, after no one answered the front door, Sirchia called the building superintendent who entered Spinell's apartment where they both found Spinell dead on his living room couch. Wearing only a bathrobe, Spinell bled to death over part of the couch from an apparent deep cut on the back of his head.

At the time of his death Spinell was planning a sequel to Maniac. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Queens near his home. He is the distant cousin of the American football team St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Personal life

Spinell was married to adult film star Jean Jennings from February 1977 to July 1979. Together they had one daughter, but they eventually divorced. A close friend of Sylvester Stallone, he was the godfather of his son Sage Stallone.

Filmography

• The Godfather (1972) as Willi Cicci (uncredited)
• The Seven-Ups (1973) as Toredano
• The Godfather Part II (1974) as Willi Cicci
• Rancho Deluxe (1975) as Mr. Coleson
• Farewell, My Lovely (1975) as Nick
• 92 in the Shade (1975) as Ollie Slatt
• Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976) as a cop
• Taxi Driver (1976) as the personnel officer
• Stay Hungry (1976) as Jabo
• Rocky (1976) as Tony Gazzo
• Sorcerer (1977) as Spider
• Big Wednesday (1978) as the psychologist
• Paradise Alley (1978) as Burp
• Nunzio (1978) as Angelo
• The One Man Jury (1978) as Mike Abatino
• Starcrash (1979) as Count Zarth Arn
• Last Embrace (1979) as Man in cantina (uncredited)
• Winter Kills (1979) as Arthur Fletcher
• Rocky II (1979) as Tony Gazzo
• Cruising (1980) as Patrolman DiSimone
• The Little Dragons (1980) as Yancy
• Maniac (1980) as Frank Zito
• Forbidden Zone (1980) as Squeezit's Father
• Brubaker (1980) as Floyd Birdwell
• The Ninth Configuration (1980) as Lt. Spinell
• Melvin and Howard (1980) as a Go-Go club owner (uncredited)
• The First Deadly Sin (1980) as Charles Lipsky
• Nighthawks (1981) as Lt. Munafo
• National Lampoon Goes to the Movies (1982) as the Talent Agent/Beauty show M.C. (segment: "Success Wanters")
• Night Shift (1982) as Manetti
• The Last Horror Film (also known as Fanatic) (1982) as Vinny Durand
• Monsignor (1982) as the bride's father
• Losin' It (1983) as a U.S. Customs Policeman
• The Last Fight (1983) as The Boss
• Walking The Edge (1983) as Brusstar
• Vigilante (1983) as Eisenberg
• Eureka (1984) as Pete
• Hollywood Harry (1985) as Max Caldwell
• The Whoopee Boys (1986) as Guido Antonucci
• Maniac 2: Mr. Robbie (1986) as Mr. Robbie (short promo film)
• The Pick-up Artist (1987) as Eddie
• Deadly Illusion (1987) as a hit man
• Married to the Mob (1988) as Leonard 'Tiptoes' Mazzilli (scenes deleted)
• Operation Warzone (1988) as Delevane
• The Undertaker (1988) as Roscoe
• Rapid Fire (1989) as Hanson (final role)

Made-for-TV movies and other television works

• Strike Force (1975) as Sol Terranova
• The Godfather Saga (1977) as Willie Cicci (edited version of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II)
• Vampire (1979) as Captain Desher
• Nightside (1980) as Michael Vincent
• Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer (1983) as Escobar
• Out of the Darkness (1985) as Jim Halsey
• The Equalizer; as a Mob boss; episode #1.16 'Wash Up' (1986)
• The Children of Times Square (1986) as a street vendor
• Blood Ties (1986) as Joey, 1st New York goon
• Night Heat as various roles; 3 episodes (1986–1987)

External links

• Joe Spinell at the Internet Movie Database
• Joe Spinell at AllRovi