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.
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Movies (72)
Tornado
2024 · Rich
Endgame
2023 · Nagg
The Dreams of Rene Sendam
2022 · Dr. Bradley
Me To Play
2021 · Himself
Radium Girls
2020 · Grandpa
No Pay, Nudity
2016 · Mr. Davenport
Baked in Brooklyn
2016 · David's Dad
The American Side
2016 · The Serb
A Midsummer Night's Dream
2014 · Peter Quince
The Front
2010 · Mr. Zeffirelli
The Last New Yorker
2010 · Jerry
A Crime
2006 · Bill
Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
2006 · Uncle Sam
Slow Burn
2005 · Desk Sgt. Drown
A Jersey Tale
2004 · Alphonso "Chunks" Colon
Si yo tuviera 30
2004 · Mr. Flamhaff
Auto Focus
2002 · Strip Club M.C.
Fuera de control
2002 · Judge Cosell
Queenie in Love
2001 · Berthold
61*
2001 · Phil Rizzuto
Looking for an Echo
2000 · Vic
Mi otro yo
2000 · Conrad
Switching Goals
1999 · Dave
The Out-of-Towners
1999 · Arresting Cop
The Naked Man
1998 · Koski
The Deal
1998 · Boular
Sunday
1997 · Scottie Elster
One Fine Day
1996 · Manny Feldstein
Shadow of a Doubt
1996 · Sidney Sherman
Heavy
1995 · Leo
Money Train
1995 · Riley
Two Bits
1995 · Uncle Joe
Batman Forever
1995 · Bank Guard
Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
1994
Natural Born Killers
1994 · Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994 · Director
The Hudsucker Proxy
1994 · Lou
Household Saints
1993 · Frank Manzone
Taking the Heat
1993 · Lou Valentine
Benny & Joon
1993 · Mike
Citizen Cohn
1992 · Gerald Walpin
Primary Motive
1992 · Paul Melton
City of Hope
1991 · Pauly
Presumed Innocent
1990 · Tommy Molto
Kojak: Ariana
1989 · Lieutenant Rastelli
Perfect Witness
1989 · Breeze
The Feud
1989 · Bud Bullard
Chances Are
1989 · Omar
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988 · Foreman
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
1988 · Bartender
Big Business
1988 · Desk Clerk
Ironweed
1987 · Jack
Moonstruck
1987 · Shy Waiter
Matewan
1987 · Fausto
One Police Plaza
1986 · Insp. Nicolas Zambrano
F/X
1986 · Mickey
Bad Medicine
1985 · Gómez
Brewster's Millions
1985 · J.B. Donaldo
The Flamingo Kid
1984 · Mario Minetta
The Pope of Greenwich Village
1984 · Jimmy the Cheese Man
Splash
1984 · Manny
Will There Really Be a Morning?
1983 · Wyler
Still of the Night
1982 · Joseph Vitucci
The Elephant Man
1982 · Pinhead Manager
The 6th Annual Young Comedians
1981 · Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)
Honky Tonk Freeway
1981 · Osvaldo
The Gentleman Bandit
1981 · Det. Esposito
Hide in Plain Sight
1980 · Matty Stanek
Something Short of Paradise
1979 · Barney Collins
The Deer Hunter
1978 · Bandleader
On the Yard
1978 · Morris
Secret Service
1977 · Cpl. Matson
TV shows (37)
La innegable verdad
2020 · Steve Falice
Maligno
2019 · Lombino
New Amsterdam
2018 · Lilo Steinhauser
Lodge 49
2018 · Burt
The Good Fight
2017 · Judge John Mata
Bull
2016 · Judge Arlen Rand, Judge Rand
Elementary
2012 · Captain Moretti
La esposa ejemplar
2009 · Judge John Mata
Canterbury's Law
2008
The Bronx Is Burning
2007 · Yogi Berra
Rastro de los Culpables
2006 · Judge Harrigan
Tarzán
2003 · Lieutenant Scott Connor
Hope & Faith
2003 · Leo
Some of My Best Friends
2001 · Joe Zito
Deadline
2000 · Mike Phelan
The Beat
2000 · Vince Marinelli
La Ley y el Orden: Unidad de Víctimas Especiales
1999 · Hashi Horowitz
The Practice
1997 · Harry Papp
Early Edition
1996 · Harry Hawks
Undue Influence
1996 · Clem
Remember WENN
1996 · Larry Looper
ER
1994 · Tom Williams
Chicago Hope
1994 · Larry Ruscetti
Moon Over Miami
1993
Class of '96
1993 · Joe Morrisey
Sinatra
1992 · George Evans
WIOU
1990 · Tony Pro
Law & Order
1990 · Ezra Gould, Defense Attorney James Linde
Capital News
1990
Roseanne
1988 · IRS Office Supervisor
L.A. Law
1986 · Dominic Nuzzi
Matlock
1986 · Hot Dog Vendor
The Equalizer
1985 · Lt. Vocek
Moonlighting
1985 · Kapatkin
American Playhouse
1982 · Bud Bullard
Hill Street Blues
1981 · Ronnie Delacroce
Great Performances
1971 · Cpl. Matson