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Joe Viterelli
Acting
Biography
Joseph "Joe" Viterelli (March 10, 1937 – January 28, 2004) was an Italian American actor known for his mafioso-orientated character roles.
Joe Viterelli was born to Italian immigrants in Bronx, New York. Before Viterelli became an actor, he was a successful businessman in New York City. He had befriended director Leo Penn (actor Sean Penn's father), who initially tried but failed to persuade Viterelli to pursue acting because of his unique and typically Italian looks. Some years later, Sean Penn approached Viterelli and asked him to try out for a part as a favor: Viterelli did and went on to appear in State of Grace and then in over 40 movies. Joe Viterelli became an icon of Mafia-Movies.
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Joseph "Joe" Viterelli (March 10, 1937 – January 28, 2004) was an Italian American actor known for his mafioso-orientated character roles. Joe Viterelli was born to Italian immigrants in Bronx, New York. Before Viterelli became an actor, he was a successful businessman in New York City. He had befriended director Leo Penn (actor Sean Penn's father), who initially tried but failed to persuade Viterelli to pursue acting because of his unique and typically Italian looks. Some years later, Sean Penn approached Viterelli and asked him to try out for a part as a favor: Viterelli did and went on to appear in State of Grace and then in over 40 movies. Joe Viterelli became an icon of Mafia-Movies. Viterelli died on January 28, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada due to a severe stomach hemorrhage, a complication of just-completed heart surgery. He was 66 years old. His last role was as a mobster in a 2004 Super Bowl ad for Staples, Inc. and his last movie role was as Jelly in Harold Ramis’ Analyze That.
Biography expanded
BODY OF WORK
Joe Viterelli's Filmography
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Analyze That
as Jelly
Serving Sara
as Fat Charlie
Shallow Hal
as Steve Shanahan
The Cure for Boredom
as Fat Tony Ragoni
See Spot Run
as Gino
Wannabes
as Santo
Hitman's Run
as Jimmy / Howard Sussman
Mickey Blue Eyes
as Vinnie D'Agostino
No Poster
The Making of a Mobster: 'Mickey Blue Eyes'
as Self
Facade
as Max
Analyze This
as Jelly
A Walk in the Park
as Mr. Costello
Jane Austen's Mafia!
as Clamato
Looking For Lola
as Salvatore Greco
Out to Sea
as Mickey (uncredited)
American Strays
as Gene
Eraser
as Tony
Heaven's Prisoners
as Didi Giancano
Black Rose of Harlem
as Costanza
The Crossing Guard
as Joe
Bullets Over Broadway
as Nick Valenti
The Firm
as Joey Morolto (uncredited)
In the Shadow of a Killer
as Gino Marchese
Ruby
as Joseph Valachi
What She Doesn't Know
as Fat Tommy Carducci
Mobsters
as Joe Profaci
State of Grace
as Borelli