---
name: "Joe Spinell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/joe-spinell"
fi1m_id: "joe-spinell"
imdb_id: "nm0818874"
tmdb_id: 16525
wikidata_id: "Q960676"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 October 1936"
died: "13 January 1989"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 85
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-03T08:00:54.528389+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Joe Spinell

## Identity

Joe Spinell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/joe-spinell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** joe-spinell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0818874
- **TMDB ID:** 16525
- **Wikidata ID:** Q960676
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Spinell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q960676, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0818874/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16525

Actor. Born 28 October 1936 in Manhattan, New York. Died 13 January 1989.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 October 1936, Manhattan, New York
- **Died:** 13 January 1989
- **Active:** 1974–1979
- **Also known as:** Joseph J. Spagnuolo, Joseph Spagnuolo
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Burgess Meredith](https://film.one/person/burgess-meredith.md), [Burt Young](https://film.one/person/burt-young.md), [Carl Weathers](https://film.one/person/carl-weathers.md), [Irwin Winkler](https://film.one/person/irwin-winkler.md), [Robert Chartoff](https://film.one/person/robert-chartoff.md), [Sylvester Stallone](https://film.one/person/sylvester-stallone.md), [Talia Shire](https://film.one/person/talia-shire.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 85, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 85 to 77 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Crime 2, Sport 2, Action 1, Adventure 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $458m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Spinell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q960676, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0818874/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16525

## Streaming the US now

- **AMC+:** [*Rocky*](https://film.one/film/rocky.md) (85), [*Rocky II*](https://film.one/film/rocky-ii.md) (66)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Joe Spinell, born Joseph Spagnuolo, was an American character actor. He appeared in supporting roles in numerous films of the 1970s and 1980s, including *The Godfather* (1972) and *The Godfather Part II* (1974) as Willi Cicci, *Taxi Driver* (1976) as the personnel officer, *Rocky* (1976) and *Rocky II* (1979) as Tony Gazzo, and *Cruising* (1980). He also co-wrote and starred as the lead in the 1980 horror film *Maniac*.

Spinell was born on 28 October 1936 in Manhattan, New York. He began his career in stage productions on and off Broadway before making his film debut in the early 1970s. He died in Queens, New York, on 13 January 1989, aged 52.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these

- *Rocky II* (1979), Fi1m 66, as Tony Gazzo — [page](https://film.one/film/rocky-ii.md)
- *Sorcerer* (1977), Fi1m 88, as Spider — [page](https://film.one/film/sorcerer.md)
- *Rocky* (1976), Fi1m 85, as Tony Gazzo — [page](https://film.one/film/rocky.md)
- *Taxi Driver* (1976), Fi1m 92, as Personnel Officer — [page](https://film.one/film/taxi-driver.md)
- *The Godfather Part II* (1974), Fi1m 92, as William 'Willie' Cicci — [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-ii.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Godfather* (1972), Fi1m 93, as Willi Cicci (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather.md)

## Complete filmography (69)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *FantastiCozzi* (2016), as Count Zarth Arn (archive footage)
- *The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959* (2016), as William "Willie" Cicci
- *Maniac* (2012), Original Film Writer
- *The Joe Spinell Story* (2001), as (archive footage)
- *Thriller Zone* (1995), as Vinny Durand (segment "Fanatical Extremes") (archive footage)
- *The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980* (1992), as Will Cicci
- *Rapid Fire* (1989), as Hansen
- *The Undertaker* (1988), as Uncle Roscoe
- *Married to the Mob* (1988), as Leonard 'Tiptoes' Mazzilli
- *K.O. Kippers* (1988), as Tony Larosa
- *Operation Warzone* (1988), as Brig. Gen. George Delevane
- *Deadly Illusion* (1987), as Crazy Man in Gun Bureau
- *The Pick-up Artist* (1987), as Eddie
- *Blood Ties* (1986), as Joey, New York Goon #1
- *The Messenger* (1986), as Rico
- *Maniac II: Mr. Robbie* (1986), as Mr. Robbie · Story, Producer
- *Hollywood Harry* (1986), as Max Caldwell
- *The Whoopee Boys* (1986), as Guido Antonucci
- *The Children of Times Square* (1986), as Street Vendor
- *Out of the Darkness* (1985), as Jim Halsey
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Mob Boss
- *Walking the Edge* (1985), as Brusstar
- *Trackdown: Finding the Goodbar Killer* (1983), as Escobar
- *The Last Fight* (1983), as Angelo
- *Eureka* (1983), as Pete
- *Losin' It* (1983), as Border Patrolman
- *The Big Score* (1983), as Mayfield
- *Vigilante* (1983), as Eisenberg
- *One Down, Two to Go* (1982), as Joe Spangler
- *Monsignor* (1982), as Bride's Father
- *The Last Horror Film* (1982), as Vinny Durand
- *Night Shift* (1982), as Manetti
- *A Question of Honor* (1982), as Masked witness (uncredited)
- *National Lampoon's Movie Madness* (1982), as Agent / M.C. ("Success Wanters")
- *Forbidden Zone* (1982), as Drunken Sailor
- *Portrait of a Teenage Shoplifter* (1981), as Door Guard
- *Nighthawks* (1981), as Lt. Munafo
- *Maniac* (1980), as Frank Zito · Screenplay, Executive Producer, Story
- *The First Deadly Sin* (1980), as Charles Lipsky
- *Melvin and Howard* (1980), as Go-Go Club Owner #2 (uncredited)
- *The Little Dragons* (1980), as Yancey
- *Brubaker* (1980), as Birdwell
- *Nightside* (1980), as Michael Vincent
- *The Ninth Configuration* (1980), as Lt. Spinell
- *Cruising* (1980), as Patrolman DiSimone
- *Vampire* (1979), as Capt. Desher
- *Rocky II* (1979), as Tony Gazzo — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/rocky-ii.md)
- *Winter Kills* (1979), as Arthur Fletcher
- *Last Embrace* (1979), as Man in Cantina
- *Starcrash* (1978), as Count Zartharn
- *The One Man Jury* (1978), as Mike Abatino
- *Paradise Alley* (1978), as Burp
- *Big Wednesday* (1978), as Psychologist
- *Nunzio* (1978), as Angelo
- *Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television* (1977), series, as William "Willie" Cicci
- *Sorcerer* (1977), as Spider — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/sorcerer.md)
- *Rocky* (1976), as Tony Gazzo — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/rocky.md)
- *Stay Hungry* (1976), as Jabo
- *Taxi Driver* (1976), as Personnel Officer — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/taxi-driver.md)
- *Next Stop, Greenwich Village* (1976), as Cop
- *The Ransom of Red Chief* (1975), as Bill
- *92 in the Shade* (1975), as Ollie Slatt
- *Farewell, My Lovely* (1975), as Nick
- *Strike Force* (1975), as Sol Terranova
- *Rancho Deluxe* (1975), as Mr. Colson
- *The Godfather Part II* (1974), as William 'Willie' Cicci — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather-part-ii.md)
- *The Seven-Ups* (1973), as Toredano
- *Cops and Robbers* (1973), as Marty
- *The Godfather* (1972), as Willi Cicci (uncredited) — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather.md)

## Gallery

- ![Joe Spinell](https://film.one/media/person/104100/gallery-5796cbc34ac9.jpg) Joe Spinell — Image via TMDB
- ![Joe Spinell](https://film.one/media/person/104100/gallery-66501efb7925.jpg) Joe Spinell — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/joe-spinell