Who is the man, in real life, behind Tony Gazzo? Joe Spinell (born Joseph J. Spagnuolo; October 28, 1936 – January 13, 1989) was an actor who appeared in numerous films in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as various stage productions on and off Broadway. His notable roles included performances in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), Rocky (1976), Taxi Driver (1976), William Friedkin’s Sorcerer (1977) and Cruising (1980), and the cult horror film Maniac (1980), which he also wrote. 
