Joe Spinell
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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.
Known for
Credits
The Godfather (1972)
as Willi Cicci (uncredited)
The Godfather Part II (1974)
as William 'Willie' Cicci
Rocky (1976)
as Tony Gazzo
Taxi Driver (1976)
as Personnel Officer
Rocky II (1979)
as Tony Gazzo
Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
as Nick
Sorcerer (1977)
as Spider
Cruising (1980)
as Patrolman DiSimone
Married to the Mob (1988)
as Leonard 'Tiptoes' Mazzilli
Nighthawks (1981)
as Lt. Munafo
Thriller Zone (1995)
as Vinny Durand (segment "Fanatical Extremes") (archive footage)
Paradise Alley (1978)
as Burp
Brubaker (1980)
as Birdwell
The Ninth Configuration (1980)
as Lt. Spinell
Vigilante (1983)
as Eisenberg
Big Wednesday (1978)
as Psychologist
Winter Kills (1979)
as Arthur Fletcher
The Seven-Ups (1973)
as Toredano
Night Shift (1982)
as Manetti
Starcrash (1978)
as Count Zartharn
Maniac (1980)
as Frank Zito
The American Nightmare (2000)
as Self
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959 (2016)
as William "Willie" Cicci
Losin' It (1983)
as Border Patrolman
The Pick-up Artist (1987)
as Eddie
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic (2020)
as Self (archive footage)
Stay Hungry (1976)
as Jabo
Cops and Robbers (1973)
as Marty
Melvin and Howard (1980)
as Go-Go Club Owner #2 (uncredited)
Last Embrace (1979)
as Man in Cantina
FantastiCozzi (2016)
as Count Zarth Arn (archive footage)
Eureka (1983)
as Pete
The Last Horror Film (1982)
as Vinny Durand
The Big Score (1983)
as Mayfield
The Whoopee Boys (1986)
as Guido Antonucci
Deadly Illusion (1987)
as Crazy Man in Gun Bureau
The First Deadly Sin (1980)
as Charles Lipsky
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 (1992)
as Will Cicci
Forbidden Zone (1982)
as Drunken Sailor
National Lampoon's Movie Madness (1982)
as Agent / M.C. ("Success Wanters")
The Joe Spinell Story (2001)
as (archive footage)
Monsignor (1982)
as Bride's Father
The Undertaker (1988)
as Uncle Roscoe
Walking the Edge (1985)
as Brusstar
Strike Force (1975)
as Sol Terranova
Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter (1981)
as Door Guard
One Down, Two to Go (1982)
as Joe Spangler
Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976)
as Cop
Rancho Deluxe (1975)
as Mr. Colson
Out of the Darkness (1985)
as Jim Halsey
92 in the Shade (1975)
as Ollie Slatt
A Question of Honor (1982)
as Masked witness (uncredited)
Maniac II: Mr. Robbie (1986)
as Mr. Robbie
The History of 'Cruising' (2007)
as Self (archive footage)
The Last Fight (1983)
as Angelo
Nunzio (1978)
as Angelo
Nightside (1980)
as Michael Vincent
Operation Warzone (1988)
as Brig. Gen. George Delevane
Exorcising 'Cruising' (2007)
as Self (archive footage)
The Children of Times Square (1986)
as Street Vendor
The Ransom of Red Chief (1975)
as Bill
Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer (1983)
as Escobar
Rapid Fire (1989)
as Hansen
The Little Dragons (1980)
as Yancey
The Messenger (1986)
as Rico
The One Man Jury (1978)
as Mike Abatino
Vampire (1979)
as Capt. Desher
Blood Ties (1986)
as Joey, New York Goon #1
K.O. Kippers (1988)
as Tony Larosa
Hollywood Harry (1986)
as Max Caldwell