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Jay Acovone

Jay Acovone

Actor · Born August 20, 1955 (71) · New York City, New York, USA

Jay Acovone is a versatile actor who is best known for his ability to play authoritative characters such as Mafia bosses, villains, police/military, and lawyers. He was born in NYC; his parents later moved to Mahopac, NY, where he graduated from Mahopac High School. While he was always an avid movie fan, it was a chance encounter with a friend, urging him to take part in a play, that set him on a path for a career in acting. Acovone attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) and the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York. His break came when he was cast to play "Skip Lee", opposite Al Pacino, in the controversial movie Cruising (1980) (written and directed by William Friedkin). He spent the next few years working on daytime television in NYC, but moved to Los Angeles when he landed a co-starring role in Hollywood Beat. Acovone went on to have several supporting roles in film and television including Women of Valor (1986) and Cold Steel (1987) before being recruited to be a series regular on Beauty and the Beast (1987). After Beauty and the Beast ended, he continued to have multiple supporting or lead roles in TV and films including: Out for Justice (1991), Lookin' Italian (1994), Matlock (1986) and Friends (1994). The mid-1990s brought a role in the blockbuster hit Independence Day (1996) and a major recurring role in the TV series Stargate SG-1 (1997). Stargate-SG1 won multiple awards, including the Saturn Award for Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series for three different years. The following decade led to a role in Cast Away (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), and S.W.A.T. (2003); recurring roles in Silk Stalkings (1991), Sliders (1995), NYPD Blue (1993), and The X-Files (1993); guest-starring roles in CSI: NY (2004), Monk (2002), Criminal Minds (2005), and 24 (2001). In recent years, Acovone saw a brief return to daytime television with a recurring role on General Hospital (1963) (Maurice Benard), and then went on to guest-star on multiple hit TV dramas including: The Mentalist (2008), Leverage (2008), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), Vegas (2012), and NCIS (2003). In 2016, he acted in the motion capture video game Mafia III (2016), playing Mafia boss Sal Marcano. In 2017, Acovone was asked to perform the audiobook version of George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones (2011))'s novel, "Wildcards-Dead Man's Hand", along with Adrian Paul. Acovone lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their cat.

Read more

Biography from IMDb.

Born
August 20, 1955 (71)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
55 on MovieCove · 86 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 4% in 30 days

What are Jay Acovone's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 13th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
33%
Survival
24%
Bonds
16%
Power
15%
Self
5%
Society
5%
Ideas
4%
Justice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 10 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 9 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 9 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 8 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles
Ally
1 of 3
Shapeshifter
1 of 3
Hero
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Thrilling
8
Dread
5
Warm
3
Contemplative
2
Other
10

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jay Acovone's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 39 of their 55 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (19).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jay Acovone's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

86 credits, 55 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Rattlesnakes(2019)

    as Jamie Jarret

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Lethal Weapon(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Elliott

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • A Stranger in Paradise(2013)

    as The Interrogator

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Major Charles Kawalsky

  • The Mentalist(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Nicky Shaw

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • InAlienable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Gerhard

  • Traci Townsend(2007)

    as Jesse

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Hills Have Eyes 2(2007)

    as Wilson

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Shadow People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Eerie Man

  • World Trade Center(2006)

    as Donna's Male Neighbor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Paved with Good Intentions(2006)

    as John Barrhauser

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Detective Morrison

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • How I Met Your Mother(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Vance

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Mobsters and Mormons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Jackie

  • Sharkskin 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Molina

  • Rancid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • CSI: NY(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Paul Gionetti

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Collison (2005)

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Frankie Dean

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Ray Abazon

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • S.W.A.T.(2003)

    as Lear Jet Pilot

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines(2003)

    as Cop - Westside Street

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Red Shoe Diaries: Forbidden Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Monk(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Ray Galardi

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Collateral Damage(2002)

    as Bennie

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • 24(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Wegman

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles(2001)

    as Eric

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Seventh Sense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Melvin Snow

  • The Amati Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Mr. Moltiani

  • Cast Away(2000)

    as Pilot Peter

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Tommy Grazetti

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Strong Medicine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Jimmy Gentile

  • The Invisible Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as O'Ryan

  • The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood(2000)

    as B.B. Bascomb

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For(2000)

    as Lt. Det. Bob Mankowski

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Molly(1999)

    as Jack the Bartender

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Providence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 3 episodes · as Aldini · as Vincent

  • Charmed(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Keats

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • On the Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Capt. Unander

  • Time Under Fire(1997)

    as Schmidt

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • The Peacemaker(1997)

    as Cop

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Stargate SG-1(1997)

    Show 6 episodes · as Captain Charles Kawalsky · as Charles Kawalsky

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Crash Dive(1996)

    as Murphy

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Opposite Corners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Puggy

  • The Pretender(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Det. Stan Wilkins

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Crime of the Century(1996)

    as Sgt. Wallace

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Foxfire(1996)

    as Chuck

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Independence Day(1996)

    as Area 51 Guard

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Sentinel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Gary Hendrickson

  • Crosscut (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Frank

  • JAG(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Col. Harry R. Presser

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Sliders(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Ben Siegel III · as Dr. Tassler · as Stu

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Fireman Charlie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Viper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Victor Rand

  • Desperately Looking For Success (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Al Mariotti

  • Lookin' Italian(1994)

    as Vinny Pallazzo

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Diagnosis Murder(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Clifton Moloney

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Detective Curtis · as Duffy Haskell

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Born to Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Richie

  • Conflict of Interest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Det. Bob Falcone

  • Marked for Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Minelli

  • The Magician(1993)

    as David Katz

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Doctor Mordrid(1992)

    as Tony Gaudio

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Renegade(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Russell

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Nails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Capt. Evan Graham

  • Red Shoe Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Goucho

  • Stepfather 3(1992)

    as Steve Davis

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Quicksand: No Escape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Det. Harris

  • Silk Stalkings(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • The Commish(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Out for Justice(1991)

    as Bobby Arms

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Hardball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cold Steel(1987)

    as Cookie

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Jake and the Fatman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Beauty and the Beast(1987)

    Show 56 episodes · as Joe Maxwell

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Down and Out in Beverly Hills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Women of Valor(1986)

    as Capt. Rader

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Bruce Jacobs · as Joe Ahern

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Growing Pains(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Jake

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Hollywood Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 20 episodes · as Det. Jack Rado

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Det. Sgt. Vinnie Grillo · as Lieutenant Nick Acosta · as Sgt. Nick Acosta

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Parole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Leo

  • Times Square(1980)

    as Plainclothes Cop

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Cruising(1980)

    as Skip Lee

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Columbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Bruno Romano

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 86 titles from 1971 to 2019; peak year 1991.

Biggest box office

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

$433M worldwide

Highest rated

Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For (2000)

Midcredits 84th

Most popular right now

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Film career

19712019

Peak 1991 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting86 of 86: 86 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s13 · acting1990s37 · acting2000s32 · acting2010s3 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 15 roles
8095

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jay Acovone's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

33rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 55 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Universally Panned2
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed17

Most divisive · actor

Paved with Good Intentions (2006)

99th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Cast Away (2000)

Midcredits 97th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 49/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jay Acovone's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 91 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles31–73 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 85 · severeMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 52 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 86 · severeMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jay Acovone work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jay Acovone's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Guy Magar shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers

Producers

Mixed roles