Joseph R. Gannascoli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph R. Gannascoli
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Gannascoli in 2011
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| Born | February 15, 1959 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Years active | 1991–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Diana Gannascoli
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 1 |
Joseph R. Gannascoli (born February 15, 1959) is an American actor, chef, and author. He is most famous for playing the character Vito Spatafore on the TV show The Sopranos.
Contents
About Joseph R. Gannascoli
Early Life and Education
Joseph R. Gannascoli was born and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. In the 1980s, he studied communications at St. John's University for two years.
His Career in Acting
Joseph Gannascoli got his first big acting chance from Benicio del Toro. They met while working on the movie Money for Nothing. After appearing in Ed Wood, Benicio del Toro later chose Gannascoli for his own short film, Submission.
Del Toro also helped Gannascoli meet casting directors for the HBO TV series The Sopranos. Gannascoli appeared in other films like Mickey Blue Eyes and TV shows such as Law & Order.
Role on The Sopranos
Gannascoli first appeared on The Sopranos in season one. He played a pastry shop customer named "Gino." Later, he got a bigger role as Vito Spatafore in season two. Vito was the nephew of another character, Richie Aprile.
Gannascoli became a regular actor on the show before season six began. He even suggested a storyline for his character to the writers. This made his character's story very unique on the show.
Other Acting Roles
After The Sopranos, Gannascoli appeared in other movies. These include Men in Black III and An Act of War (2015).
In 2019, he was on a cooking show called Bong Appétit: Cook Off. He also appeared with Vincent Pastore on Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back in 2020. More recently, he was in the pilot episode of Bring on the Dancing Horses with Kate Bosworth.
Joseph Gannascoli as an Author
In January 2006, Joseph Gannascoli published a novel. It was a crime story called A Meal to Die For: A Culinary Novel of Crime.
His Culinary Journey
Before he became an actor, Gannascoli worked in the food business for many years. He worked in restaurants in New York City and New Orleans. He also started his own restaurant in Brooklyn. He sold his share of the restaurant in 1990.
Since about 2017, Gannascoli has offered catering services. He often cooks for small parties himself. Sometimes, these parties have a Sopranos theme.
Film and Television Appearances
Movies
- 1993: Money for Nothing as Charlie DiSalvio
- 1994: Ed Wood as Security Guard
- 1995: Never Talk to Strangers as Carnival Attendant
- 1996: Basquiat as Guard at Hospital
- 1996: The Funeral as Rocco
- 1999: Mickey Blue Eyes as Jimmy, Gina's Doorman
- 2006: Beer League as Giusuppe Primavera
- 2008: College Road Trip as Mr. Arcara
- 2010: Corrado as Frankie D'Onofrio
- 2012: Men in Black 3 as New York Mets Fan #2
- 2014: Rob the Mob as Dom
- 2015: An Act of War as Frank
- 2017: Jason's Letter as Principal (Pratt) Prattoli
- 2019: The Brawler as John
- 2021: Last Call as Charlie
Television Shows
- 1999: The Sopranos as Bakery Customer (1 episode)
- 2000–2006: The Sopranos as Vito Spatafore (38 episodes)
- 2004: Law & Order as Artie Baldo (1 episode)
- 2011: White Collar as Salvatore (1 episode)
- 2022–2023: Bring on the Dancing Horses as Sal (Main Cast)
Video Games
- 2006: The Sopranos: Road to Respect as Vito Spatafore (voice)
See also
In Spanish: Joseph R. Gannascoli para niños
