Acting
71 titles
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.
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic
2020
FantastiCozzi
2016
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
2016
Exorcising 'Cruising'
2007
The History of 'Cruising'
2007
The Joe Spinell Story
2001
The American Nightmare
2000
Thriller Zone
1995
Rapid Fire
1989
The Undertaker
1988
Married to the Mob
1988
K.O. Kippers
1988
Operation Warzone
1988
Deadly Illusion
1987
The Pick-up Artist
1987
Blood Ties
1986
The Messenger
1986
Maniac II: Mr. Robbie
1986
Hollywood Harry
1986
The Whoopee Boys
1986
The Children of Times Square
1986
Out of the Darkness
1985
The Equalizer
1985
Walking the Edge
1985
Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer
1983
The Last Fight
1983
Eureka
1983
Losin' It
1983
The Big Score
1983
Vigilante
1983
One Down, Two to Go
1982
Monsignor
1982
The Last Horror Film
1982
Night Shift
1982
A Question of Honor
1982
National Lampoon's Movie Madness
1982
Forbidden Zone
1982
Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter
1981
Nighthawks
1981
Maniac
1980
The First Deadly Sin
1980
Melvin and Howard
1980
The Little Dragons
1980
Brubaker
1980
Nightside
1980
The Ninth Configuration
1980
Cruising
1980
Vampire
1979
Rocky II
1979
Winter Kills
1979
Last Embrace
1979
Starcrash
1978
The One Man Jury
1978
Paradise Alley
1978
Big Wednesday
1978
Nunzio
1978
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
1977
Sorcerer
1977
Rocky
1976
Stay Hungry
1976
Taxi Driver
1976
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
1976
The Ransom of Red Chief
1975
92 in the Shade
1975
Farewell, My Lovely
1975
Strike Force
1975
Rancho Deluxe
1975
The Godfather Part II
1974
The Seven-Ups
1973
Cops and Robbers
1973
The Godfather
1972