Joe Spinell

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	Acting
Most Rating	16.87
Birthday	1936-10-28
Place of Birth	Manhattan, New York
Also Known As	Joseph J. Spagnuolo, Joseph Spagnuolo,

Rocky II

Rocky

Farewell, My Lovely

Stay Hungry

Starcrash

Nighthawks

Exorcising 'Cruising'

The History of 'Cruising'

Vigilante

Next Stop, Greenwich Village

The Seven-Ups

Melvin and Howard

Forbidden Zone

The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic

Maniac

Cruising

Night Shift

Sorcerer

The Ninth Configuration

The American Nightmare

The Last Horror Film

The Godfather

Operation Warzone

Nunzio

The Big Score

Walking the Edge

The Messenger

Rapid Fire

Thriller Zone

The One Man Jury

40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic

The Little Dragons

Eureka

Married to the Mob

Strike Force

The Undertaker

The Last Fight

One Down, Two to Go

Maniac II: Mr. Robbie

The Whoopee Boys

Taxi Driver

Big Wednesday

Rancho Deluxe

Winter Kills

Paradise Alley

Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter

Nightside

The Godfather Part II

Vampire

Hollywood Harry

K.O. Kippers

Losin' It

Brubaker

The Pick-up Artist

Monsignor

FantastiCozzi

92 in the Shade

Last Embrace

Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer

Cops and Robbers

The Children of Times Square

The First Deadly Sin

The Ransom of Red Chief

The Joe Spinell Story

Blood Ties

Out of the Darkness

Deadly Illusion

A Question of Honor

National Lampoon's Movie Madness