Joe Grifasi
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 14, 1944 (age 82)
- Birthplace
- Buffalo - New York - USA
Biography
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
Photos
Filmography
Tornado
Movie · as Rich
Endgame
Movie · as Nagg
The Dreams of Rene Sendam
Movie · as Dr. Bradley
Me To Play
Movie · as Himself
Radium Girls
Movie · as Grandpa
I Know This Much Is True
TV · as Steve Falice · 1 ep
Evil
TV · as Lombino · 3 eps
Lodge 49
TV · as Burt · 6 eps
New Amsterdam
TV · as Lilo Steinhauser · 1 ep
The Good Fight
TV · as Judge John Mata · 1 ep
The American Side
Movie · as The Serb
Baked in Brooklyn
Movie · as David's Dad
No Pay, Nudity
Movie · as Mr. Davenport
Bull
TV · as Judge Arlen Rand, Judge Rand · 1 ep
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Movie · as Peter Quince
Elementary
TV · as Captain Moretti · 1 ep
The Front
Movie · as Mr. Zeffirelli
The Last New Yorker
Movie · as Jerry
The Good Wife
TV · as Judge John Mata · 1 ep
Canterbury's Law
TV · 1 ep
The Bronx Is Burning
TV · as Yogi Berra · 8 eps
A Crime
Movie · as Bill
Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
Movie · as Uncle Sam
Conviction
TV · as Judge Harrigan · 1 ep
Slow Burn
Movie · as Desk Sgt. Drown
A Jersey Tale
Movie · as Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
13 Going on 30
Movie · as Mr. Flamhaff
Hope & Faith
TV · as Leo · 1 ep
Tarzan
TV · as Lieutenant Scott Connor · 1 ep
Auto Focus
Movie · as Strip Club M.C.
Changing Lanes
Movie · as Judge Cosell
Queenie in Love
Movie · as Berthold
61*
Movie · as Phil Rizzuto
Some of My Best Friends
TV · as Joe Zito · 3 eps
The Other Me
Movie · as Conrad
Looking for an Echo
Movie · as Vic
Deadline
TV · as Mike Phelan · 1 ep
The Beat
TV · as Vince Marinelli · 2 eps
Switching Goals
Movie · as Dave
The Out-of-Towners
Movie · as Arresting Cop
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
TV · as Hashi Horowitz · 14 eps
The Deal
Movie · as Boular
The Naked Man
Movie · as Koski
Sunday
Movie · as Scottie Elster
The Practice
TV · as Harry Papp · 1 ep
One Fine Day
Movie · as Manny Feldstein
Shadow of a Doubt
Movie · as Sidney Sherman
Early Edition
TV · as Harry Hawks · 3 eps
Remember WENN
TV · as Larry Looper · 1 ep
Undue Influence
TV · as Clem · 2 eps
Batman Forever
Movie · as Bank Guard
Two Bits
Movie · as Uncle Joe
Heavy
Movie · as Leo
Money Train
Movie · as Riley
The Hudsucker Proxy
Movie · as Lou
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Movie · as Director
Natural Born Killers
Movie · as Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
Movie
Chicago Hope
TV · as Larry Ruscetti · 1 ep
ER
TV · as Tom Williams · 1 ep
Benny & Joon
Movie · as Mike
Household Saints
Movie · as Frank Manzone
Taking the Heat
Movie · as Lou Valentine
Moon Over Miami
TV · 1 ep
Class of '96
TV · as Joe Morrisey · 1 ep
Primary Motive
Movie · as Paul Melton
Citizen Cohn
Movie · as Gerald Walpin
Sinatra
TV · as George Evans · 2 eps
City of Hope
Movie · as Pauly
Presumed Innocent
Movie · as Tommy Molto
Law & Order
TV · as Ezra Gould, Defense Attorney James Linde · 1 ep
WIOU
TV · as Tony Pro · 13 eps
Capital News
TV · 1 ep
The Feud
Movie · as Bud Bullard
Chances Are
Movie · as Omar
Kojak: Ariana
Movie · as Lieutenant Rastelli
Perfect Witness
Movie · as Breeze
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
Movie · as Bartender
Big Business
Movie · as Desk Clerk
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Movie · as Foreman
Roseanne
TV · as IRS Office Supervisor · 1 ep
Matewan
Movie · as Fausto
Moonstruck
Movie · as Shy Waiter
Ironweed
Movie · as Jack
F/X
Movie · as Mickey
One Police Plaza
Movie · as Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
L.A. Law
TV · as Dominic Nuzzi · 5 eps
Matlock
TV · as Hot Dog Vendor · 1 ep
Brewster's Millions
Movie · as J.B. Donaldo
Bad Medicine
Movie · as Gómez
Moonlighting
TV · as Kapatkin · 1 ep
The Equalizer
TV · as Lt. Vocek · 1 ep
The Pope of Greenwich Village
Movie · as Jimmy the Cheese Man
The Flamingo Kid
Movie · as Mario Minetta
Splash
Movie · as Manny
Will There Really Be a Morning?
Movie · as Wyler
Still of the Night
Movie · as Joseph Vitucci
The Elephant Man
Movie · as Pinhead Manager
American Playhouse
TV · as Bud Bullard · 1 ep
Honky Tonk Freeway
Movie · as Osvaldo
The Gentleman Bandit
Movie · as Det. Esposito
The 6th Annual Young Comedians
Movie · as Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)
Hill Street Blues
TV · as Ronnie Delacroce · 1 ep
Hide in Plain Sight
Movie · as Matty Stanek
Something Short of Paradise
Movie · as Barney Collins
The Deer Hunter
Movie · as Bandleader
On the Yard
Movie · as Morris
Secret Service
Movie · as Cpl. Matson
Great Performances
TV · as Cpl. Matson · 1 ep