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.
Filmography
Tornado
as Rich
Tornado
as Rich
Endgame
as Nagg
Endgame
as Nagg
The Dreams of Rene Sendam
as Dr. Bradley
The Dreams of Rene Sendam
as Dr. Bradley
Me To Play
as Himself
Me To Play
as Himself
Radium Girls
as Grandpa
Radium Girls
as Grandpa
No Pay, Nudity
as Mr. Davenport
No Pay, Nudity
as Mr. Davenport
Baked in Brooklyn
as David's Dad
Baked in Brooklyn
as David's Dad
The American Side
as The Serb
The American Side
as The Serb
A Midsummer Night's Dream
as Peter Quince
A Midsummer Night's Dream
as Peter Quince
The Front
as Mr. Zeffirelli
The Front
as Mr. Zeffirelli
The Last New Yorker
as Jerry
The Last New Yorker
as Jerry
A Crime
as Bill
A Crime
as Bill
Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
as Uncle Sam
Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
as Uncle Sam
Slow Burn
as Desk Sgt. Drown
Slow Burn
as Desk Sgt. Drown
A Jersey Tale
as Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
A Jersey Tale
as Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
13 Going on 30
as Mr. Flamhaff
13 Going on 30
as Mr. Flamhaff
Auto Focus
as Strip Club M.C.
Auto Focus
as Strip Club M.C.
Changing Lanes
as Judge Cosell
Changing Lanes
as Judge Cosell
Queenie in Love
as Berthold
Queenie in Love
as Berthold
61*
as Phil Rizzuto
61*
as Phil Rizzuto
Looking for an Echo
as Vic
Looking for an Echo
as Vic
The Other Me
as Conrad
The Other Me
as Conrad
Switching Goals
as Dave
Switching Goals
as Dave
The Out-of-Towners
as Arresting Cop
The Out-of-Towners
as Arresting Cop
The Naked Man
as Koski
The Naked Man
as Koski
The Deal
as Boular
The Deal
as Boular
Sunday
as Scottie Elster
Sunday
as Scottie Elster
One Fine Day
as Manny Feldstein
One Fine Day
as Manny Feldstein
Shadow of a Doubt
as Sidney Sherman
Shadow of a Doubt
as Sidney Sherman
Heavy
as Leo
Heavy
as Leo
Money Train
as Riley
Money Train
as Riley
Two Bits
as Uncle Joe
Two Bits
as Uncle Joe
Batman Forever
as Bank Guard
Batman Forever
as Bank Guard
Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
Natural Born Killers
as Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
Natural Born Killers
as Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
as Director
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
as Director
The Hudsucker Proxy
as Lou
The Hudsucker Proxy
as Lou
Household Saints
as Frank Manzone
Household Saints
as Frank Manzone
Taking the Heat
as Lou Valentine
Taking the Heat
as Lou Valentine
Benny & Joon
as Mike
Benny & Joon
as Mike
Citizen Cohn
as Gerald Walpin
Citizen Cohn
as Gerald Walpin
Primary Motive
as Paul Melton
Primary Motive
as Paul Melton
City of Hope
as Pauly
City of Hope
as Pauly
Presumed Innocent
as Tommy Molto
Presumed Innocent
as Tommy Molto
Kojak: Ariana
as Lieutenant Rastelli
Kojak: Ariana
as Lieutenant Rastelli
Perfect Witness
as Breeze
Perfect Witness
as Breeze
The Feud
as Bud Bullard
The Feud
as Bud Bullard
Chances Are
as Omar
Chances Are
as Omar
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
as Foreman
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
as Foreman
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
as Bartender
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
as Bartender
Big Business
as Desk Clerk
Big Business
as Desk Clerk
Ironweed
as Jack
Ironweed
as Jack
Moonstruck
as Shy Waiter
Moonstruck
as Shy Waiter
Matewan
as Fausto
Matewan
as Fausto
One Police Plaza
as Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
One Police Plaza
as Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
F/X
as Mickey
F/X
as Mickey
Bad Medicine
as Gómez
Bad Medicine
as Gómez
Brewster's Millions
as J.B. Donaldo
Brewster's Millions
as J.B. Donaldo
The Flamingo Kid
as Mario Minetta
The Flamingo Kid
as Mario Minetta
The Pope of Greenwich Village
as Jimmy the Cheese Man
The Pope of Greenwich Village
as Jimmy the Cheese Man
Splash
as Manny
Splash
as Manny
Will There Really Be a Morning?
as Wyler
Will There Really Be a Morning?
as Wyler
Still of the Night
as Joseph Vitucci
Still of the Night
as Joseph Vitucci
The Elephant Man
as Pinhead Manager
The Elephant Man
as Pinhead Manager
The 6th Annual Young Comedians
as Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)
The 6th Annual Young Comedians
as Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)
Honky Tonk Freeway
as Osvaldo
Honky Tonk Freeway
as Osvaldo
The Gentleman Bandit
as Det. Esposito
The Gentleman Bandit
as Det. Esposito
Hide in Plain Sight
as Matty Stanek
Hide in Plain Sight
as Matty Stanek
Something Short of Paradise
as Barney Collins
Something Short of Paradise
as Barney Collins
The Deer Hunter
as Bandleader
The Deer Hunter
as Bandleader
On the Yard
as Morris
On the Yard
as Morris
Secret Service
as Cpl. Matson
Secret Service
as Cpl. Matson