Joe Spinell, Acting - KorPlix:Korean Person Archives

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Joe Spinell
Acting

Joe Spinell
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1936-10-28,Manhattan, New York
Gender
Male
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.

Filmography

7.8

Rocky
1976-11-20

7.3

Rocky II
1979-06-15

Farewell, My Lovely

6.599

Farewell, My Lovely
1975-08-08

5.7

Stay Hungry
1976-04-23

4.2

Starcrash
1978-12-21

6.4

Nighthawks
1981-03-17

Exorcising 'Cruising'

6.5

Exorcising 'Cruising'
2007-09-18

The History of 'Cruising'

7.7

The History of 'Cruising'
2007-09-18

6.2

Vigilante
1983-01-04

Next Stop, Greenwich Village

6.3

Next Stop, Greenwich Village
1976-02-04

6.3

The Seven-Ups
1973-12-14

Melvin and Howard

6.41

Melvin and Howard
1980-09-19

6.198

Forbidden Zone
1980-03-15

The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959

9.5

The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
1981-03-24

6.4

Maniac
1980-05-10

6.6

Cruising
1980-02-15

6

Night Shift
1982-07-30

7.4

Sorcerer
1977-06-24

The Ninth Configuration

6.427

The Ninth Configuration
1980-02-29

The American Nightmare

6.819

The American Nightmare
2000-09-11

The Last Horror Film

5.2

The Last Horror Film
1982-08-12

8.684

The Godfather
1972-03-14

Operation Warzone

2

Operation Warzone
1988-07-01

3.833

Nunzio
1978-05-10

5

The Big Score
1983-03-17

Walking the Edge

5.2

Walking the Edge
1985-01-11

4.7

The Messenger
1986-12-01

3.389

Rapid Fire
1989-04-07

5.5

Thriller Zone
1995-01-01

The One Man Jury

4.929

The One Man Jury
1978-09-29

40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic

7.6

40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic
2020-06-09

The Little Dragons

4.7

The Little Dragons
1980-07-18

5.3

Eureka
1983-05-01

Married to the Mob

5.9

Married to the Mob
1988-08-19

5.6

Strike Force
1975-04-12

5.14

The Undertaker
1988-11-01

4

The Last Fight
1983-09-07

One Down, Two to Go

4.2

One Down, Two to Go
1982-11-19

Maniac II: Mr. Robbie

5.9

Maniac II: Mr. Robbie
1986-11-01

The Whoopee Boys

5.1

The Whoopee Boys
1986-08-22

8.132

Taxi Driver
1976-02-09

6.88

Big Wednesday
1978-05-26

5.283

Rancho Deluxe
1975-03-14

5.81

Winter Kills
1979-05-11

5.8

Paradise Alley
1978-09-22

Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter

0

Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter
1981-12-01

5

Nightside
1980-06-08

The Godfather Part II

8.57

The Godfather Part II
1974-12-20

5.8

Vampire
1979-10-07

Hollywood Harry

2

Hollywood Harry
1986-10-03

8

K.O. Kippers
1988-08-13

4.947

Losin' It
1983-04-08

7.1

Brubaker
1980-06-20

The Pick-up Artist

5.6

The Pick-up Artist
1987-09-18

4.2

Monsignor
1982-10-22

6

FantastiCozzi
2016-05-21

92 in the Shade

5.5

92 in the Shade
1975-08-22

5.351

Last Embrace
1979-05-04

Cops and Robbers

6.2

Cops and Robbers
1973-08-15

The First Deadly Sin

5.7

The First Deadly Sin
1980-10-03

Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer

0

Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer
1983-10-15

The Children of Times Square

6

The Children of Times Square
1986-03-03

The Ransom of Red Chief

0

The Ransom of Red Chief
1975-11-01

The Joe Spinell Story

5.125

The Joe Spinell Story
2001-08-21

5.8

Blood Ties
1986-12-14

Out of the Darkness

6.4

Out of the Darkness
1985-10-12

Deadly Illusion

5.6

Deadly Illusion
1987-10-16

A Question of Honor

7

A Question of Honor
1982-04-28

National Lampoon's Movie Madness

3.1

National Lampoon's Movie Madness
1982-04-23

The History of 'Cruising'

0

The History of 'Cruising'
2007-09-18

7.1

The Equalizer
1985-09-18

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

8.6

Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
1977-11-12