
Joe Viterelli
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1937-03-10
Day of Death
2004-01-28 (66 years old)
Place of Birth
New York, USA
Joe Viterelli
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.
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.
Acting
(2002)
Analyze That
as Jelly
(2002)
Serving Sara
as Fat Charlie
(2001)
Shallow Hal
as Steve Shanahan
(2001)
See Spot Run
as Gino
(2001)
The Cure for Boredom
as Fat Tony Ragoni
(2000)
Wannabes
as Santo
(1999)
Analyze This
as Jelly
(1999)
Mickey Blue Eyes
as Vinnie D'Agostino
(1999)
(1999)
Facade
as Max
(1999)
(1999)
Hitman's Run
as Jimmy / Howard Sussman
(1998)
Jane Austen's Mafia!
as Clamato
(1997)
Out to Sea
as Mickey
(1997)
Looking For Lola
as Salvatore Greco
(1996)
Eraser
as Tony Two-Toes
(1996)
Heaven's Prisoners
as Didi Giancano
(1996)
American Strays
as Gene
(1996)
Black Rose of Harlem
as Costanza
(1995)
The Crossing Guard
as Joe
(1994)
Bullets Over Broadway
as Nick Valenti
(1993)
The Firm
as Joey Morolto (uncredited)
(1992)
Ruby
as Joseph Valachi
(1992)
In the Shadow of a Killer
as Gino Marchese
(1992)
What She Doesn't Know
as Fat Tommy Carducci
(1991)
Mobsters
as Joe Profaci
(1990)
State of Grace
as Borelli