Joe Viterelli
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2002 · Analyze That as Jelly
- 2002 · Serving Sara as Fat Charlie
- 2001 · Shallow Hal as Steve Shanahan
- 2001 · The Cure for Boredom as Fat Tony Ragoni
- 2001 · See Spot Run as Gino
- 2000 · Wannabes as Santo
- 1999 · The Strip as
- 1999 · Mickey Blue Eyes as Vinnie D'Agostino
- 1999 · The Making of a Mobster: 'Mickey Blue Eyes' as Self
- 1999 · Facade as Max
- 1999 · Analyze This as Jelly
- 1999 · Hitman's Run as Jimmy / Howard Sussman
- 1999 · A Walk in the Park as
- 1998 · Jane Austen's Mafia! as Clamato
- 1997 · Looking For Lola as Salvatore Greco
- 1997 · Out to Sea as Mickey
- 1996 · American Strays as Gene
- 1996 · Eraser as Tony Two-Toes
- 1996 · Heaven's Prisoners as Didi Giancano
- 1996 · Black Rose of Harlem as Costanza
- 1995 · The Crossing Guard as Joe
- 1994 · Bullets Over Broadway as Nick Valenti
- 1993 · Fallen Angels as Ugolino
- 1993 · The Firm as Joey Morolto (uncredited)
- 1992 · In the Shadow of a Killer as Gino Marchese
- 1992 · Ruby as Joseph Valachi
- 1992 · What She Doesn't Know as Fat Tommy Carducci
- 1991 · Palace Guard as
- 1991 · The Commish as
- 1991 · Mobsters as Joe Profaci
- 1990 · State of Grace as Borelli
- Future · The Frightening Frammis as Ugolino