Joe Grifasi
Born
June 14, 1944 (age 81)
Birthplace
Buffalo - New York - USA

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.

Movies

Tornado
Tornado
2024
Rich
Endgame
Endgame
2023
Nagg
The Dreams of Rene Sendam
The Dreams of Rene Sendam
2022 ★ 1.0
Dr. Bradley
Radium Girls
Radium Girls
2020 ★ 6.5
Grandpa
No Pay, Nudity
No Pay, Nudity
2016 ★ 4.0
Mr. Davenport
Baked in Brooklyn
Baked in Brooklyn
2016 ★ 5.2
David's Dad
The American Side
The American Side
2016 ★ 4.7
The Serb
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
2014 ★ 6.4
Peter Quince
The Front
The Front
2010 ★ 5.6
Mr. Zeffirelli
The Last New Yorker
The Last New Yorker
2010 ★ 6.5
Jerry
A Crime
A Crime
2006 ★ 5.4
Bill
Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
2006 ★ 6.6
Uncle Sam
Slow Burn
Slow Burn
2005 ★ 5.3
Desk Sgt. Drown
A Jersey Tale
A Jersey Tale
2004
Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
13 Going on 30
13 Going on 30
2004 ★ 6.8
Mr. Flamhaff
Auto Focus
Auto Focus
2002 ★ 6.4
Strip Club M.C.
Changing Lanes
Changing Lanes
2002 ★ 6.3
Judge Cosell
Queenie in Love
Queenie in Love
2001 ★ 5.9
Berthold
61*
61*
2001 ★ 7.0
Phil Rizzuto
Looking for an Echo
Looking for an Echo
2000 ★ 2.7
Vic
The Other Me
The Other Me
2000 ★ 5.6
Conrad
Switching Goals
Switching Goals
1999 ★ 5.9
Dave
The Out-of-Towners
The Out-of-Towners
1999 ★ 5.8
Arresting Cop
The Naked Man
The Naked Man
1998 ★ 3.8
Koski
The Deal
The Deal
1998 ★ 5.0
Boular
Sunday
Sunday
1997 ★ 4.8
Scottie Elster
One Fine Day
One Fine Day
1996 ★ 6.4
Manny Feldstein
Shadow of a Doubt
Shadow of a Doubt
1996 ★ 5.0
Sidney Sherman
Undue Influence
Undue Influence
1996 ★ 5.5
Clem
Heavy
Heavy
1995 ★ 6.6
Leo
Money Train
Money Train
1995 ★ 5.8
Riley
Two Bits
Two Bits
1995 ★ 5.7
Uncle Joe
Batman Forever
Batman Forever
1995 ★ 5.4
Bank Guard
Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
1994 ★ 5.6
Mike 'Gravedigger' Edwards
Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers
1994 ★ 7.1
Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994 ★ 6.5
Director
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Hudsucker Proxy
1994 ★ 7.1
Lou
Household Saints
Household Saints
1993 ★ 6.5
Frank Manzone
Taking the Heat
Taking the Heat
1993 ★ 4.0
Lou Valentine
Benny & Joon
Benny & Joon
1993 ★ 7.0
Mike
Citizen Cohn
Citizen Cohn
1992 ★ 6.0
Gerald Walpin
Primary Motive
Primary Motive
1992 ★ 5.5
Paul Melton
City of Hope
City of Hope
1991 ★ 6.6
Pauly
Presumed Innocent
Presumed Innocent
1990 ★ 6.8
Tommy Molto
Kojak: Ariana
Kojak: Ariana
1989 ★ 6.0
Lieutenant Rastelli
Perfect Witness
Perfect Witness
1989 ★ 6.5
Breeze
The Feud
The Feud
1989 ★ 4.2
Bud Bullard
Chances Are
Chances Are
1989 ★ 6.6
Omar
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988 ★ 7.3
Foreman
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
1988 ★ 6.5
Bartender
Big Business
Big Business
1988 ★ 6.3
Desk Clerk
Ironweed
Ironweed
1987 ★ 6.3
Jack
Moonstruck
Moonstruck
1987 ★ 6.8
Shy Waiter
Matewan
Matewan
1987 ★ 7.4
Fausto
One Police Plaza
One Police Plaza
1986
Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
F/X
F/X
1986 ★ 6.6
Mickey
Bad Medicine
Bad Medicine
1985 ★ 5.0
Gómez
Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions
1985 ★ 6.6
J.B. Donaldo
The Flamingo Kid
The Flamingo Kid
1984 ★ 6.0
Mario Minetta
The Pope of Greenwich Village
The Pope of Greenwich Village
1984 ★ 6.4
Jimmy the Cheese Man
Splash
Splash
1984 ★ 6.3
Manny
Will There Really Be a Morning?
Will There Really Be a Morning?
1983 ★ 7.0
Wyler
Still of the Night
Still of the Night
1982 ★ 5.7
Joseph Vitucci
The Elephant Man
The Elephant Man
1982 ★ 5.6
Pinhead Manager
Honky Tonk Freeway
Honky Tonk Freeway
1981 ★ 5.2
Osvaldo
The Gentleman Bandit
The Gentleman Bandit
1981 ★ 4.8
Det. Esposito
Hide in Plain Sight
Hide in Plain Sight
1980 ★ 5.3
Matty Stanek
Something Short of Paradise
Something Short of Paradise
1979 ★ 2.5
Barney Collins
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter
1978 ★ 8.0
Bandleader
On the Yard
On the Yard
1978 ★ 5.8
Morris
Secret Service
Secret Service
1977
Cpl. Matson

TV Series

I Know This Much Is True
I Know This Much Is True
2020 ★ 7.6
Steve Falice
1 Episode
Evil
Evil
2019 ★ 7.8
Lombino
3 Episodes
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
2018 ★ 8.3
Lilo Steinhauser
1 Episode
Lodge 49
Lodge 49
2018 ★ 6.6
6 Episodes
The Good Fight
The Good Fight
2017 ★ 7.5
Judge John Mata
1 Episode
Bull
Bull
2016 ★ 7.1
Judge Arlen Rand
1 Episode
Elementary
Elementary
2012 ★ 7.6
Captain Moretti
1 Episode
The Good Wife
The Good Wife
2009 ★ 7.6
Judge John Mata
1 Episode
Canterbury's Law
Canterbury's Law
2008 ★ 6.3
1 Episode
The Bronx Is Burning
The Bronx Is Burning
2007 ★ 7.2
Yogi Berra
8 Episodes
Conviction
Conviction
2006 ★ 5.7
Judge Harrigan
1 Episode
Tarzan
Tarzan
2003 ★ 7.4
Lieutenant Scott Connor
1 Episode
Hope & Faith
Hope & Faith
2003 ★ 5.3
Leo
1 Episode
Some of My Best Friends
Some of My Best Friends
2001 ★ 4.8
Joe Zito
3 Episodes
Deadline
Deadline
2000
1 Episode
The Beat
The Beat
2000 ★ 2.0
Vince Marinelli
2 Episodes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999 ★ 7.9
Hashi Horowitz
14 Episodes
The Practice
The Practice
1997 ★ 7.6
Harry Papp
1 Episode
Early Edition
Early Edition
1996 ★ 7.3
Harry Hawks
3 Episodes
Remember WENN
Remember WENN
1996 ★ 8.0
Larry Looper
1 Episode
ER
ER
1994 ★ 7.8
Tom Williams
1 Episode
Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope
1994 ★ 7.2
Larry Ruscetti
1 Episode
Moon Over Miami
Moon Over Miami
1993 ★ 7.0
1 Episode
Class of '96
Class of '96
1993 ★ 5.0
Joe Morrisey
1 Episode
Sinatra
Sinatra
1992 ★ 7.9
George Evans
2 Episodes
WIOU
WIOU
1990 ★ 6.0
Tony Pro
20 Episodes
Law & Order
Law & Order
1990 ★ 7.4
Ezra Gould
1 Episode
Capital News
Capital News
1990 ★ 6.0
1 Episode
Roseanne
Roseanne
1988 ★ 6.8
IRS Office Supervisor
1 Episode
L.A. Law
L.A. Law
1986 ★ 7.0
Dominic Nuzzi
5 Episodes
Matlock
Matlock
1986 ★ 7.1
Hot Dog Vendor
1 Episode
The Equalizer
The Equalizer
1985 ★ 7.1
Lt. Vocek
1 Episode
Moonlighting
Moonlighting
1985 ★ 7.5
Kapatkin
1 Episode
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
1981 ★ 7.6
Ronnie Delacroce
1 Episode
Great Performances
Great Performances
1971 ★ 5.8
Cpl. Matson
1 Episode