Joe Pesci
Biography
Joe Pesci is an American actor and singer known for playing tough, volatile characters in films by Martin Scorsese and alongside Robert De Niro. In the 1960s he played guitar in bands, and he and Frank Vincent worked as a comedy team between 1970 and 1976. His first film was The Death Collector (1976); Scorsese and De Niro then cast him as Joey LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980), which earned him an Academy Award nomination and a BAFTA newcomer award. He won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas (1990). His other films include Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Home Alone (1990), My Cousin Vinny (1992), A Bronx Tale (1993), and Casino (1995). He retired from acting in 1999 but later returned, and The Irishman (2019) brought him another Oscar nomination. He has recorded three studio albums.
83years old
Turns 84 on February 9in 119 days
- Born Newark
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
- Joseph Frank Pesci (birth name)Also credited as Joseph Pesci
Movie Career
- Films
- 27
- Career span
- 44 years1980 to 2024
First and latest
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Big break
Pesci was offered his role in The Irishman a reported 50 times before he agreed to take part. He first said he did not want to do "the gangster thing again," while Scorsese tried to persuade him the film would be "different."
A role that slipped away
Joe Pesci was considered for the role of Myron Larabee in Jingle All the Way, but the part went to Sinbad because his physical size was more comparable to Arnold Schwarzenegger's.
About the name
In 1968, billed as Joe Ritchie, Pesci put out his first album, Little Joe Sure Can Sing!, featuring his versions of pop hits of the day.
A change of course
Pesci teamed with Frank Vincent as the comedy duo "Vincent and Pesci" from 1970 to 1976. Their act mixed insult comedy in the style of Don Rickles with double act antics inspired by Abbott and Costello, and crowds liked it.
A change of course
In the 1960s, Pesci worked as a barber while also pursuing music, playing guitar in bands such as Joey Dee and the Starliters, the group behind the "Peppermint Twist" record, dance, and Peppermint Lounge in New York City.
Joe Pesci movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Martin Scorsese directed four of these films, Richard Donner three and Chris Columbus two. Robert De Niro appears in seven of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Robert De Niro's page
Danny Glover's page
Frank Vincent's page
Mel Gibson's page
Catherine O'Hara's page
Steve Kahan's page
All films by Martin Scorsese
All films by Richard Donner
All films by Chris Columbus
Also three films together4 more actors
- Darlene LoveLethal Weapon 4 (1998), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) and Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Damon HinesLethal Weapon 4 (1998), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) and Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Ebonie SmithLethal Weapon 4 (1998), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) and Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Traci WolfeLethal Weapon 4 (1998), Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) and Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Joe Pesci's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$2.2 billion
24 of the 27 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 27 films: 24 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 1 figure not found.
- 24Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 1Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 88% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$477M21.4% of the total
- 2$359M16.2% of the total
- 3$322M14.5% of the total
- 4$285M12.8% of the total
- 5$228M10.3% of the total
- 6$116M5.2% of the total
- 7$100M4.5% of the total
- 8$67M3.0% of the total
$269 millionfrom the other 16 films with a worldwide figure, 12% of the total
Awards
Two awards and honors from 1981 to 1991, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1991 | Best Supporting Actor | Goodfellas | Won |
| BAFTA | |||
| 1981 | Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles | Raging Bull | Won |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.