Joe Spinell
Actor
Born October 28, 1936 in Manhattan, New York
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
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic
Self (archive footage)
FantastiCozzi
Count Zarth Arn (archive footage)
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
William "Willie" Cicci
Maniac
Exorcising 'Cruising'
Self (archive footage)
The History of 'Cruising'
Self (archive footage)
The Joe Spinell Story
(archive footage)
The American Nightmare
Self
Thriller Zone
Vinny Durand (segment "Fanatical Extremes") (archive footage)
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
Will Cicci
Rapid Fire
Hansen
The Undertaker
Uncle Roscoe
Married to the Mob
Leonard 'Tiptoes' Mazzilli
Operation Warzone
Brig. Gen. George Delevane
Deadly Illusion
Crazy Man in Gun Bureau
The Pick-up Artist
Eddie
Blood Ties
Joey, New York Goon #1
The Messenger
Rico
Maniac II: Mr. Robbie
Mr. Robbie
Hollywood Harry
Max Caldwell
The Whoopee Boys
Guido Antonucci
The Children of Times Square
Street Vendor
Out of the Darkness
Jim Halsey
The Equalizer
Mob Boss
Walking the Edge
Brusstar
Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer
Escobar
The Last Fight
Angelo
Eureka
Pete
Losin' It
Border Patrolman
The Big Score
Mayfield
Vigilante
Eisenberg
One Down, Two to Go
Joe Spangler
Monsignor
Bride's Father
The Last Horror Film
Vinny Durand
Night Shift
Manetti
A Question of Honor
Masked witness (uncredited)
National Lampoon's Movie Madness
Agent / M.C. ("Success Wanters")
Forbidden Zone
Drunken Sailor
Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter
Door Guard
Nighthawks
Lt. Munafo
Maniac
Frank Zito
The First Deadly Sin
Charles Lipsky
Melvin and Howard
Go-Go Club Owner #2 (uncredited)
The Little Dragons
Yancey
Brubaker
Birdwell
Nightside
Michael Vincent
The Ninth Configuration
Lt. Spinell
Cruising
Patrolman DiSimone
Vampire
Capt. Desher
Rocky II
Tony Gazzo
Winter Kills
Arthur Fletcher
Last Embrace
Man in Cantina
Starcrash
Count Zartharn
The One Man Jury
Mike Abatino
Paradise Alley
Burp
Big Wednesday
Psychologist
Nunzio
Angelo
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
William "Willie" Cicci
Sorcerer
Spider
Rocky
Tony Gazzo
Stay Hungry
Jabo
Taxi Driver
Personnel Officer
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
Cop
The Ransom of Red Chief
Bill
92 in the Shade
Ollie Slatt
Farewell, My Lovely
Nick
Strike Force
Sol Terranova
Rancho Deluxe
Mr. Colson
The Godfather Part II
William 'Willie' Cicci
The Seven-Ups
Toredano
Cops and Robbers
Marty
The Godfather
Willi Cicci (uncredited)