Joe Spinell

Biography

Joe Spinell was an American character actor of the 1970s and 1980s who worked in film and on stage, on and off Broadway. Born in Manhattan, he acted in stage plays as a young man and appeared with a troupe, the Theater of the Forgotten, that staged unconventional shows in places such as prisons. He landed his first screen role in 1971 as the hitman Willi Cicci in The Godfather (1972), playing it again in The Godfather Part II (1974). He was often cast as criminals, thugs and corrupt police officers, among them a loan shark in Rocky (1976) and Rocky II (1979), with turns in Taxi Driver (1976), Sorcerer (1977) and Cruising (1980). He co-wrote, co-produced and took his first lead as a serial killer in Maniac (1980), then starred with Caroline Munro in The Last Horror Film (1982). Later films included Vigilante (1982), Walking the Edge (1985) and Rapid Fire (1989). He died in 1989.

52years old at death

Born October 28, 1936Manhattan
Died January 13, 1989Queens
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Joseph Spagnuolo (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 26
Career span: 12 years1973 to 1985

Genres

Drama58%, 15 films
Comedy35%, 9 films
Crime31%, 8 films
Thriller31%, 8 films
Action19%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Behind the camera
Spinell was mainly a character actor, but he co-wrote, co-produced and starred in Maniac, a 1980 psychological slasher film directed by William Lustig, playing a serial killer in his first lead role.
Behind the camera
Spinell co-wrote Maniac 2: Mr. Robbie with Joe Cirillo and produced the horror short promotional film himself, aiming to raise financing for a sequel to his 1980 horror film Maniac.

Joe Spinell movies on Netflix

Walking the Edge1985IMDb rating 6.1as Brusstar
Eureka1983IMDb rating 5.9as Pete
Monsignor1982IMDb rating 5.1as Bride's Father
Night Shift1982IMDb rating 6.5as Manetti
The Last Horror Film1982IMDb rating 5.6as Vinny Durand
Vigilante1982IMDb rating 6.5as Eisenberg
Nighthawks1981IMDb rating 6.3as Lt. Munafo
Brubaker1980IMDb rating 7.2as Birdwell
Cruising1980IMDb rating 6.5as Patrolman DiSimone
Forbidden Zone1980IMDb rating 6.5as Drunken Sailor
The First Deadly Sin1980IMDb rating 5.9as Charles Lipsky
The Ninth Configuration1980IMDb rating 6.7as Lt. Spinell
Last Embrace1979IMDb rating 6.0as Man in Cantina
Rocky II1979IMDb rating 7.3as Gazzo
Winter Kills1979IMDb rating 6.2as Arthur Fletcher
Big Wednesday1978IMDb rating 7.1as Psychologist
Paradise Alley1978IMDb rating 5.7as Burp
Starcrash1978IMDb rating 4.0as Count Zarth Arn
Sorcerer1977IMDb rating 7.7as Spider
Next Stop, Greenwich Village1976IMDb rating 7.0as Cop at El Station
Rocky1976IMDb rating 8.1as Gazzo
Stay Hungry1976IMDb rating 5.6as Jabo
92 in the Shade1975IMDb rating 5.8as Ollie Slatt
Farewell, My Lovely1975IMDb rating 7.0as Nick
Rancho Deluxe1975IMDb rating 6.3as Mr. Colson
The Seven-Ups1973IMDb rating 6.8as Toredano

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Rocky1976 Drama, Sportas Gazzo
IMDb rating 8.1702K votes
Rocky II1979 Drama, Sportas Gazzo
IMDb rating 7.3254K votes
Cruising1980as Patrolman DiSimone
IMDb rating 6.531K votes
Nighthawks1981as Lt. Munafo
IMDb rating 6.324K votes
Sorcerer1977as Spider
IMDb rating 7.738K votes
The Last Horror Film1982as Vinny Durand
IMDb rating 5.63.0K votes
Starcrash1978as Count Zarth Arn
IMDb rating 4.09.0K votes
Farewell, My Lovely1975as Nick
IMDb rating 7.011K votes

Most often with

Sylvester Stallone directed two of these films, William Friedkin two and Frank Perry two. Sylvester Stallone appears in five 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.

Top

Sylvester Stallone

Harry Dean Stanton

Jeff Bridges

Burgess Meredith

Roy Scheider

Christopher Walken

Sylvester StalloneDirector, 2 films

William FriedkinDirector, 2 films

Frank PerryDirector, 2 films

Films together

Sylvester Stallone5 films together, 1975 to 1981
Sylvester Stallone's page
- Nighthawks1981IMDb rating 6.3Spinell as Lt. MunafoStallone as Deke DaSilva
- Rocky II1979IMDb rating 7.3Spinell as GazzoStallone as Rocky Balboa
- Paradise Alley1978IMDb rating 5.7Spinell as BurpStallone as Cosmo Carboni
- Rocky1976IMDb rating 8.1Spinell as GazzoStallone as Rocky
- Farewell, My Lovely1975IMDb rating 7.0Spinell as NickStallone as Jonnie
Harry Dean Stanton3 films together, 1975
Harry Dean Stanton's page
- 92 in the Shade1975IMDb rating 5.8Spinell as Ollie SlattStanton as Carter
- Farewell, My Lovely1975IMDb rating 7.0Spinell as NickStanton as Billy Rolfe
- Rancho Deluxe1975IMDb rating 6.3Spinell as Mr. ColsonStanton as Curt
Jeff Bridges3 films together, 1975 to 1979
Jeff Bridges's page
- Winter Kills1979IMDb rating 6.2Spinell as Arthur FletcherBridges as Nick Kegan
- Stay Hungry1976IMDb rating 5.6Spinell as JaboBridges as Craig Blake
- Rancho Deluxe1975IMDb rating 6.3Spinell as Mr. ColsonBridges as Jack McKee
Burgess Meredith3 films together, 1975 to 1979
Burgess Meredith's page
- Rocky II1979IMDb rating 7.3Spinell as GazzoMeredith as Mickey
- Rocky1976IMDb rating 8.1Spinell as GazzoMeredith as Mickey
- 92 in the Shade1975IMDb rating 5.8Spinell as Ollie SlattMeredith as Goldsboro
Roy Scheider3 films together, 1973 to 1979
Roy Scheider's page
- Last Embrace1979IMDb rating 6.0Spinell as Man in CantinaScheider as Harry Hannan
- Sorcerer1977IMDb rating 7.7Spinell as SpiderScheider as Jackie Scanlon - 'Juan Dominguez'
- The Seven-Ups1973IMDb rating 6.8Spinell as ToredanoScheider as Buddy - Seven-Up
Christopher Walken2 films together, 1976 to 1979
Christopher Walken's page
- Last Embrace1979IMDb rating 6.0Spinell as Man in CantinaWalken as Eckart
- Next Stop, Greenwich Village1976IMDb rating 7.0Spinell as Cop at El StationWalken as Robert Fulmer
Sylvester StalloneDirector, 2 films, 1978 to 1979
All films by Sylvester Stallone
- Rocky II1979IMDb rating 7.3Spinell as Gazzo
- Paradise Alley1978IMDb rating 5.7Spinell as Burp
William FriedkinDirector, 2 films, 1977 to 1980
All films by William Friedkin
- Cruising1980IMDb rating 6.5Spinell as Patrolman DiSimone
- Sorcerer1977IMDb rating 7.7Spinell as Spider
Frank PerryDirector, 2 films, 1975 to 1982
All films by Frank Perry
- Monsignor1982IMDb rating 5.1Spinell as Bride's Father
- Rancho Deluxe1975IMDb rating 6.3Spinell as Mr. Colson
Also two films together24 more actors
- Robert ForsterWalking the Edge (1985) and Vigilante (1982)
- Rutger HauerEureka (1983) and Nighthawks (1981)
- Robert EnglundBig Wednesday (1978) and Stay Hungry (1976)
- Burt YoungRocky II (1979) and Rocky (1976)
- Richard LynchThe Ninth Configuration (1980) and The Seven-Ups (1973)
- Anthony ZerbeThe First Deadly Sin (1980) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
- Richard BrightVigilante (1982) and Rancho Deluxe (1975)
- Frank McRaeRocky II (1979) and Paradise Alley (1978)
- Talia ShireRocky II (1979) and Rocky (1976)
- Tomas MilianMonsignor (1982) and Winter Kills (1979)
- Carl WeathersRocky II (1979) and Rocky (1976)
- Patti D'ArbanvilleBig Wednesday (1978) and Rancho Deluxe (1975)
- Bill BaldwinRocky II (1979) and Rocky (1976)
- Elizabeth Ashley92 in the Shade (1975) and Rancho Deluxe (1975)
- Caroline MunroThe Last Horror Film (1982) and Starcrash (1978)
- Sylvia Miles92 in the Shade (1975) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
- Frank PesceEureka (1983) and Vigilante (1982)
- Jason MillerMonsignor (1982) and The Ninth Configuration (1980)
- Helena KallianiotesEureka (1983) and Stay Hungry (1976)
- Randy JurgensenVigilante (1982) and Cruising (1980)
- Victor ArnoldThe First Deadly Sin (1980) and The Seven-Ups (1973)
- Al SilvaniRocky II (1979) and Rocky (1976)
- Sonny GrossoCruising (1980) and The Seven-Ups (1973)
- Judd HamiltonThe Last Horror Film (1982) and Starcrash (1978)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.