Joe Grifasi
Born: 1944-06-14 in Buffalo - New York - USA
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2024
- Tornado as Rich
2023
- Endgame as Nagg
2022
- The Dreams of Rene Sendam as Dr. Bradley
2021
- Me To Play as Himself
2020
- I Know This Much Is True as Steve Falice
- Radium Girls as Grandpa
2019
- Evil as Lombino
2018
- New Amsterdam as Lilo Steinhauser
- Lodge 49
2017
- The Good Fight as Judge John Mata
2016
- Bull as Judge Arlen Rand
- Baked in Brooklyn as David's Dad
- The American Side as The Serb
- No Pay, Nudity as Mr. Davenport
2014
- A Midsummer Night's Dream as Peter Quince
2012
- Elementary as Captain Moretti
2010
- The Front as Mr. Zeffirelli
- The Last New Yorker as Jerry
2009
- The Good Wife as Judge John Mata
2008
2007
- The Bronx Is Burning as Yogi Berra
2006
- A Crime as Bill
- Conviction as Judge Harrigan
- Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed as Uncle Sam
2005
- Slow Burn as Desk Sgt. Drown
2004
- 13 Going on 30 as Mr. Flamhaff
- A Jersey Tale as Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
2003
- Hope & Faith as Leo
- Tarzan as Lieutenant Scott Connor
2002
- Changing Lanes as Judge Cosell
- Auto Focus as Strip Club M.C.
2001
- Queenie in Love as Berthold
- 61* as Phil Rizzuto
- Some of My Best Friends as Joe Zito
2000
- Deadline
- The Beat as Vince Marinelli
- The Other Me as Conrad
- Looking for an Echo as Vic
1999
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Hashi Horowitz
- Switching Goals as Dave
- The Out-of-Towners as Arresting Cop
1998
- The Naked Man as Koski
- The Deal as Boular
1997
- The Practice as Harry Papp
- Sunday as Scottie Elster
1996
- Early Edition as Harry Hawks
- Undue Influence as Clem
- Remember WENN as Larry Looper
- One Fine Day as Manny Feldstein
- Shadow of a Doubt as Sidney Sherman
1995
- Batman Forever as Bank Guard
- Money Train as Riley
- Heavy as Leo
- Two Bits as Uncle Joe
1994
- ER as Tom Williams
- Chicago Hope
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult as Director
- Natural Born Killers as Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
- The Hudsucker Proxy as Lou
- Jack Reed: A Search for Justice as Mike 'Gravedigger' Edwards
1993
- Benny & Joon as Mike
- Household Saints as Frank Manzone
- Moon Over Miami
- Class of '96 as Joe Morrisey
- Taking the Heat as Lou Valentine
1992
- Primary Motive as Paul Melton
- Citizen Cohn as Gerald Walpin
- Sinatra as George Evans
1991
- City of Hope as Pauly
1990
- Law & Order as Ezra Gould
- Presumed Innocent as Tommy Molto
- Capital News
- WIOU as Tony Pro
1989
- Perfect Witness as Breeze
- Kojak: Ariana as Lieutenant Rastelli
- Chances Are as Omar
- The Feud as Bud Bullard
1988
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! as Foreman
- Big Business as Desk Clerk
- Roseanne as IRS Office Supervisor
- The Appointments of Dennis Jennings as Bartender
1987
- Moonstruck as Shy Waiter
- Matewan as Fausto
- Ironweed as Jack
1986
- Matlock as Hot Dog Vendor
- L.A. Law as Dominic Nuzzi
- F/X as Mickey
- One Police Plaza as Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
1985
- Moonlighting as Kapatkin
- The Equalizer as Lt. Vocek
- Bad Medicine as Gómez
- Brewster's Millions as J.B. Donaldo
1984
- Splash as Manny
- The Pope of Greenwich Village as Jimmy the Cheese Man
- The Flamingo Kid as Mario Minetta
1983
- Will There Really Be a Morning? as Wyler
1982
- Still of the Night as Joseph Vitucci
- The Elephant Man as Pinhead Manager
1981
- Hill Street Blues as Ronnie Delacroce
- Honky Tonk Freeway as Osvaldo
- The 6th Annual Young Comedians as Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)
- The Gentleman Bandit as Det. Esposito
1980
- Hide in Plain Sight as Matty Stanek
1979
- Something Short of Paradise as Barney Collins
1978
- The Deer Hunter as Bandleader
- On the Yard as Morris
1977
- Secret Service as Cpl. Matson
1971
- Great Performances as Cpl. Matson