1936-10-28 ( 88 years old ) 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.
Movies
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic
2020-06-09
FantastiCozzi
2016-05-21
Exorcising 'Cruising'
2007-09-18
The History of 'Cruising'
2007-09-18
The Joe Spinell Story
2001-08-21
The American Nightmare
2000-09-11
Thriller Zone
1995-01-01
Rapid Fire
1989-04-07
The Undertaker
1988-11-01
Married to the Mob
1988-08-19
K.O. Kippers
1988-08-13
Operation Warzone
1988-07-01
Deadly Illusion
1987-10-16
The Pick-up Artist
1987-09-18
Blood Ties
1986-12-14
The Messenger
1986-12-01
Maniac II: Mr. Robbie
1986-11-01
Hollywood Harry
1986-10-03
The Whoopee Boys
1986-08-22
The Children of Times Square
1986-03-03
Out of the Darkness
1985-10-12
Walking the Edge
1985-01-11
Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer
1983-10-15
The Last Fight
1983-09-07
Eureka
1983-05-01
Losin' It
1983-04-08
The Big Score
1983-03-17
One Down, Two to Go
1982-11-19
Monsignor
1982-10-22
The Last Horror Film
1982-08-12
Night Shift
1982-07-30
Vigilante
1982-05-18
A Question of Honor
1982-04-28
National Lampoon's Movie Madness
1982-04-23
Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter
1981-12-01
The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic
1981-03-24
Nighthawks
1981-03-17
The First Deadly Sin
1980-10-03
Melvin and Howard
1980-09-19
The Little Dragons
1980-07-18
Brubaker
1980-06-20
Nightside
1980-06-08
Maniac
1980-05-10
Forbidden Zone
1980-03-15
The Ninth Configuration
1980-02-29
Cruising
1980-02-15
Vampire
1979-10-07
Rocky II
1979-06-15
Winter Kills
1979-05-11
Last Embrace
1979-05-04
Starcrash
1978-12-21
The One Man Jury
1978-09-29
Paradise Alley
1978-09-22
Big Wednesday
1978-05-26
Nunzio
1978-05-10
Sorcerer
1977-06-24
Rocky
1976-11-20
Stay Hungry
1976-04-23
Taxi Driver
1976-02-09
Next Stop, Greenwich Village
1976-02-04
The Ransom of Red Chief
1975-11-01
92 in the Shade
1975-08-22
Farewell, My Lovely
1975-08-08
Strike Force
1975-04-12
Rancho Deluxe
1975-03-14
The Godfather Part II
1974-12-20
The Seven-Ups
1973-12-14
Cops and Robbers
1973-08-15
The Godfather
1972-03-14
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