Early 1970s to 1982: Rise to prominence

Because of his large, heavyset frame and imposing looks, Spinell was often cast as criminals, thugs, or corrupt police officers. As a teenager and young adult, Spinell starred in various stage plays, both on and off Broadway.^[4]

In 1971, he landed his first film role in a small part as the mafioso hitman Willi Cicci working for the Corleone crime family in the crime film The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.^[1] It was the highest-grossing film of 1972^[5] and was for a time the highest-grossing film ever made.^[6] It won the Oscars for Best Picture, Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as other nominations. Spinell was so liked by Coppola that he asked Spinell to sit in on much more of the film's shooting than was required, for which he was paid the daily actor rate even if not appearing in the day's scenes.

In 1973, he acted in Aram Avakian's Cops and Robbers, and Philip D'Antoni's The Seven-Ups.

In 1974, Spinell reprised his role as Willi Cicci in The Godfather Part II, where Cicci is still working for the Corleone crime family, but having been promoted from "soldier" (aka: 'button man') to being the personal bodyguard to Frank Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo). The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and became the first sequel to win for Best Picture. It was Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film of 1974 and was the fifth-highest-grossing picture in North America that year. Spinell was set to reprise his role as Willi Cicci in The Godfather Part III (1990) but he died before filming began.

In 1975, he acted in Frank Perry's Rancho Deluxe,^[7] Barry Shear's Strike Force, Dick Richards's Farewell, My Lovely,^[8] and Thomas McGuane's 92 in the Shade.^[9]

In 1976, he acted in Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver,^[10] and Bob Rafelson's Stay Hungry. That year, Spinell played the role of Gazzo, a loan shark in John G. Avildsen's Rocky. It earned $225 million in global box office receipts, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1976, went on to win three Oscars, including Best Picture, and turned lead actor Sylvester Stallone into a major star.^[11]

In 1977, he acted in Sorcerer, a thriller adaptation of The Wages of Fear directed by William Friedkin.

In 1978, he acted in Paul Williams's Nunzio, John Milius's Big Wednesday, Sylvester Stallone's Paradise Alley, and The One Man Jury. He also played the main antagonist in Luigi Cozzi's Italian-produced space opera Starcrash,^[12] starring Caroline Munro and Marjoe Gortner.^[13][14][15]

In 1979, he acted in Jonathan Demme's Last Embrace,^[16] and William Richert's Winter Kills. Spinell reprised his role as Gazzo in Rocky II this time directed by Sylvester Stallone. Rocky II finished in the top three highest-grossing films of 1979, in both the North American market and worldwide. The film grossed $6,390,537 during its opening weekend, $85,182,160 at the U.S. box office, and $200,182,160 overall.^[17]

1980 to 1982: leading man in horror films and subsequent films

Although primarily known as a character actor, Spinell co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in his first lead role as a serial killer in the 1980 film Maniac, the psychological slasher film directed by William Lustig.^[18]

Also in 1980, he acted in Curtis Hanson's The Little Dragons, William Friedkin's Cruising, William Peter Blatty'sThe Ninth Configuration, Bernard L. Kowalski's Nightside,^[19] Stuart Rosenberg's Brubaker, Brian G. Hutton's The First Deadly Sin, and Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard'.^[20]

In 1981, Spinell had a supporting role in the Sylvester Stallone action film Nighthawks,^[21] and Richard Elfman's Forbidden Zone.

In 1982, he acted in National Lampoon's Movie Madness, Night Shift, Monsignor, and One Down, Two to Go.

That year he starred in David Winters's horror comedy The Last Horror Film, co-starring Caroline Munro.^[22] It played in film festivals,^[23] at the Saturn Awards it received nominations,^[24] and at the Sitges Film Festival it was part of their official selection, and won best cinematography.^[25]

1983 to 1989: Final roles

In 1983, he played a corrupt lawyer in William Lustig's vigilante film Vigilante. He also acted in Curtis Hanson's Losin' It, Nicolas Roeg's Eureka, and Fred Williamson's The Last Fight .

In 1985, he played the main villain in the crime film Walking the Edge, starring Robert Forster.

In 1986, he acted in John Byrum'sThe Whoopee Boys, Robert Forster's Hollywood Harry, and Fred Williamson's The Messenger. That year, he made Maniac 2: Mr. Robbie, a horror short promotional film directed by Buddy Giovinazzo and co-written by Spinell and Joe Cirillo which was loosely based on a 1973 feature film titled An Eye for an Eye (aka: The Psychopath). The short film was produced by Joe Spinell in order to raise financing for a sequel to Spinell's 1980 horror film Maniac.^[26] The short was included with the 30th anniversary edition release of Maniac.^[27][26]

In 1987, Spinell acted in The Pick-up Artist, and Deadly Illusion.^[28][29]

In 1988, Spinell played a corrupt military official in David A. Prior's Operation Warzone.^[30] His last lead role was completed in 1988, a slasher film named The Undertaker. The film was never released for the public, only existed in an incomplete form. In 2010, The Undertaker was released on DVD release by Code Red, and restored by Vinegar Syndrome on Blu-ray in 2016. The film is considered a cult classic, due in part to Joe Spinell's involvement and its long and troubled production.

In 1989, Spinell played a U.S. government official in Rapid Fire, directed by David A. Prior which was his final role.

Film

Television