The Godfather1972
As Willi Cicci (uncredited)
TMDb 8.7 / 10
Joe Spinell
Born
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 (70)
The Godfather Part II1974
As William 'Willie' Cicci
TMDb 8.6 / 10
Taxi Driver1976
As Personnel Officer
TMDb 8.1 / 10
Rocky1976
As Tony Gazzo
TMDb 7.8 / 10
Rocky II1979
As Tony Gazzo
TMDb 7.3 / 10
Paradise Alley1978
As Burp
TMDb 5.9 / 10
Sorcerer1977
As Spider
TMDb 7.5 / 10
Nighthawks1981
As Lt. Munafo
TMDb 6.4 / 10
Cruising1980
As Patrolman DiSimone
TMDb 6.6 / 10
Brubaker1980
As Birdwell
TMDb 7.1 / 10
Night Shift1982
As Manetti
TMDb 6.1 / 10
Vigilante1983
As Eisenberg
TMDb 6.2 / 10
Married to the Mob1988
As Leonard 'Tiptoes' Mazzilli
TMDb 6.0 / 10
Losin' It1983
As Border Patrolman
TMDb 5.0 / 10
The Seven-Ups1973
As Toredano
TMDb 6.4 / 10
The Ninth Configuration1980
As Lt. Spinell
TMDb 6.4 / 10
Farewell, My Lovely1975
As Nick
TMDb 6.7 / 10
Big Wednesday1978
As Psychologist
TMDb 6.9 / 10
The Pick-up Artist1987
As Eddie
TMDb 5.7 / 10
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-19801992
As Will Cicci
TMDb 8.9 / 10
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–19592016
As William "Willie" Cicci
TMDb 9.0 / 10
Stay Hungry1976
As Jabo
TMDb 5.7 / 10
Eureka1983
As Pete
TMDb 5.3 / 10
Thriller Zone1995
As Vinny Durand (segment "Fanatical Extremes") (archive footage)
TMDb 6.3 / 10
Last Embrace1979
As Man in Cantina
TMDb 5.4 / 10
The Last Fight1983
As Angelo
TMDb 4.7 / 10
Maniac1980
As Frank Zito
TMDb 6.4 / 10
40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic2020
As Self (archive footage)
TMDb 7.5 / 10
Starcrash1978
As Count Zartharn
TMDb 4.2 / 10
Winter Kills1979
As Arthur Fletcher
TMDb 5.7 / 10
Melvin and Howard1980
As Go-Go Club Owner #2 (uncredited)
TMDb 6.5 / 10
Vampire1979
As Capt. Desher
TMDb 6.1 / 10
92 in the Shade1975
As Ollie Slatt
TMDb 5.8 / 10
The Whoopee Boys1986
As Guido Antonucci
TMDb 5.4 / 10
The First Deadly Sin1980
As Charles Lipsky
TMDb 5.9 / 10
Next Stop, Greenwich Village1976
As Cop
TMDb 6.4 / 10
One Down, Two to Go1982
As Joe Spangler
TMDb 4.7 / 10
The Children of Times Square1986
As Street Vendor
TMDb 6.3 / 10
Forbidden Zone1982
As Drunken Sailor
TMDb 6.2 / 10
Rancho Deluxe1975
As Mr. Colson
TMDb 5.3 / 10
The Big Score1983
As Mayfield
TMDb 6.0 / 10
Strike Force1975
As Sol Terranova
TMDb 5.9 / 10
Cops and Robbers1973
As Marty
TMDb 6.3 / 10
FantastiCozzi2016
As Count Zarth Arn (archive footage)
TMDb 6.0 / 10
National Lampoon's Movie Madness1982
As Agent / M.C. ("Success Wanters")
TMDb 3.4 / 10
The Messenger1986
As Rico
TMDb 5.0 / 10
Blood Ties1986
As Joey, New York Goon #1
TMDb 6.3 / 10
The American Nightmare2000
As Self
TMDb 6.8 / 10
Out of the Darkness1985
As Jim Halsey
TMDb 6.3 / 10
The Last Horror Film1982
As Vinny Durand
TMDb 5.3 / 10
The Joe Spinell Story2001
As (archive footage)
TMDb 5.3 / 10
Walking the Edge1985
As Brusstar
TMDb 5.4 / 10
Nunzio1978
As Angelo
TMDb 4.9 / 10
Rapid Fire1989
As Hansen
TMDb 3.8 / 10
The One Man Jury1978
As Mike Abatino
TMDb 5.4 / 10
Deadly Illusion1987
As Crazy Man in Gun Bureau
TMDb 5.5 / 10
Nightside1980
As Michael Vincent
TMDb 6.0 / 10
Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter1981
As Door Guard
TMDb 8.0 / 10
A Question of Honor1982
As Masked witness (uncredited)
TMDb 8.5 / 10
Hollywood Harry1986
As Max Caldwell
TMDb 3.6 / 10
Monsignor1982
As Bride's Father
TMDb 4.5 / 10
Exorcising 'Cruising'2007
As Self (archive footage)
TMDb 6.5 / 10
Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer1983
As Escobar
TMDb 8.0 / 10
Maniac II: Mr. Robbie1986
As Mr. Robbie
TMDb 6.4 / 10
The Undertaker1988
As Uncle Roscoe
TMDb 5.3 / 10
Operation Warzone1988
As Brig. Gen. George Delevane
TMDb 3.8 / 10
The Little Dragons1980
As Yancey
TMDb 5.4 / 10
The Ransom of Red Chief1975
As Bill
The History of 'Cruising'2007
As Self (archive footage)
TMDb 7.7 / 10
K.O. Kippers
K.O. Kippers1988
As Tony Larosa
TMDb 8.0 / 10
Filmography and biography: TMDb