
Joe Grifasi
Joseph G. "Joe" Grifasi (born June 14, 1944) is an American character actor of film, stage and television. Born in Buffalo, New York, Grifasi joined the U.S. Army prior to studying acting. He has appeared in more than 50 feature films including Presumed Innocent, The Deer Hunter, Big Business, Beaches, Auto Focus, Matewan, Naked Gun, Dark Matter, Natural Born Killers, Chances Are, Changing Lanes, One Fine Day, F/X, Benny & Joon, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Brewster’s Millions, Batman Forever, The Flamingo Kid, Ironweed, and Splash. His television credits include The Bronx is Burning (as Yogi Berra), 61* (as Phil Rizzuto), Law & Order, ER, LA Law, Chicago Hope, Hill Street Blues, SCTV, Roseanne, and The Practice. Grifasi’s Broadway credits include Dinner at Eight, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Memory of Two Mondays, Boy Meets Girl, The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The 1940’s Radio Hour and Happy End. His off-Broadway credits include Conversations in Tusculum, The Boys Next Door (Drama Desk Nomination), Once Around the City, Golden Boy, Filumena and Says I, Says He. He has been married to jazz soprano saxophonist and composer Jane Ira Bloom, whom he met while studying at the Yale School of Drama, since 1974.
Known For
Credits
- 2023 · Endgame as Nagg
- 2022 · The Dreams of Rene Sendam as Dr. Bradley
- 2021 · Me To Play as Himself
- 2020 · Radium Girls as Grandpa
- 2020 · I Know This Much Is True as Steve Falice
- 2019 · Evil as Lombino
- 2018 · New Amsterdam as Lilo Steinhauser
- 2018 · Lodge 49 as
- 2017 · The Good Fight as Judge John Mata
- 2016 · No Pay, Nudity as Mr. Davenport
- 2016 · Baked in Brooklyn as David's Dad
- 2016 · Bull as Judge Arlen Rand
- 2016 · Bull as Judge Rand
- 2016 · The American Side as The Serb
- 2014 · A Midsummer Night's Dream as Peter Quince
- 2012 · Elementary as Captain Moretti
- 2010 · The Front as Mr. Zeffirelli
- 2010 · The Last New Yorker as Jerry
- 2009 · The Good Wife as Judge John Mata
- 2008 · Canterbury's Law as
- 2007 · The Bronx Is Burning as Yogi Berra
- 2006 · A Crime as Bill
- 2006 · Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed as Uncle Sam
- 2006 · Conviction as Judge Harrigan
- 2005 · Slow Burn as Desk Sgt. Drown
- 2004 · A Jersey Tale as Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
- 2004 · 13 Going on 30 as Mr. Flamhaff
- 2003 · Tarzan as Lieutenant Scott Connor
- 2003 · Hope & Faith as Leo
- 2002 · Auto Focus as Strip Club M.C.
- 2002 · Changing Lanes as Judge Cosell
- 2001 · Queenie in Love as Berthold
- 2001 · 61* as Phil Rizzuto
- 2001 · Some of My Best Friends as Joe Zito
- 2000 · Looking for an Echo as Vic
- 2000 · Deadline as
- 2000 · The Other Me as Conrad
- 2000 · The Beat as Vince Marinelli
- 1999 · Switching Goals as Dave
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Hashi Horowitz
- 1999 · The Out-of-Towners as Arresting Cop
- 1998 · The Naked Man as Koski
- 1998 · The Deal as Boular
- 1997 · Sunday as Scottie Elster
- 1997 · The Practice as Harry Papp
- 1996 · One Fine Day as Manny Feldstein
- 1996 · Shadow of a Doubt as Sidney Sherman
- 1996 · Early Edition as Harry Hawks
- 1996 · Undue Influence as Clem
- 1996 · Remember WENN as Larry Looper
- 1995 · Heavy as Leo
- 1995 · Money Train as Riley
- 1995 · Two Bits as Uncle Joe
- 1995 · Batman Forever as Bank Guard
- 1994 · Jack Reed: A Search for Justice as Mike 'Gravedigger' Edwards
- 1994 · ER as Tom Williams
- 1994 · Chicago Hope as
- 1994 · Natural Born Killers as Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
- 1994 · Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult as Director
- 1994 · The Hudsucker Proxy as Lou
- 1993 · Moon Over Miami as
- 1993 · Household Saints as Frank Manzone
- 1993 · Taking the Heat as Lou Valentine
- 1993 · Benny & Joon as Mike
- 1993 · Class of '96 as Joe Morrisey
- 1992 · Sinatra as George Evans
- 1992 · Citizen Cohn as Gerald Walpin
- 1992 · Primary Motive as Paul Melton
- 1991 · City of Hope as Pauly
- 1990 · WIOU as Tony Pro
- 1990 · Law & Order as Ezra Gould
- 1990 · Law & Order as Defense Attorney James Linde
- 1990 · Presumed Innocent as Tommy Molto
- 1990 · Capital News as
- 1989 · Kojak: Ariana as Lieutenant Rastelli
- 1989 · Perfect Witness as Breeze
- 1989 · The Feud as Bud Bullard
- 1989 · Chances Are as Omar
- 1988 · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! as Foreman
- 1988 · Roseanne as IRS Office Supervisor
- 1988 · The Appointments of Dennis Jennings as Bartender
- 1988 · Big Business as Desk Clerk
- 1987 · Ironweed as Jack
- 1987 · Moonstruck as Shy Waiter
- 1987 · Matewan as Fausto
- 1986 · One Police Plaza as Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
- 1986 · L.A. Law as Dominic Nuzzi
- 1986 · F/X as Mickey
- 1985 · Bad Medicine as Gómez
- 1985 · The Equalizer as Lt. Vocek
- 1985 · Brewster's Millions as J.B. Donaldo
- 1985 · Moonlighting as Kapatkin
- 1984 · The Flamingo Kid as Mario Minetta
- 1984 · The Pope of Greenwich Village as Jimmy the Cheese Man
- 1984 · Splash as Manny
- 1983 · Will There Really Be a Morning? as Wyler
- 1982 · Still of the Night as Joseph Vitucci
- 1982 · The Elephant Man as Pinhead Manager
- 1981 · Honky Tonk Freeway as Osvaldo
- 1981 · The Gentleman Bandit as Det. Esposito
- 1981 · Hill Street Blues as
- 1980 · Hide in Plain Sight as Matty Stanek
- 1979 · Something Short of Paradise as Barney Collins
- 1978 · The Deer Hunter as Bandleader
- 1978 · On the Yard as Morris
- Future · The 6th Annual Young Comedians as Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)
- 1977 · Secret Service as Cpl. Matson
- 1971 · Great Performances as Cpl. Matson