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Joe Viterelli

Joe Viterelli

Actor · Died January 28, 2004, aged 66 · New York, USA

Joseph "Joe" Viterelli (March 10, 1937 – January 28, 2004) was an Italian American actor known for his mafioso-orientated character roles. Joe Viterelli was born to Italian immigrants in Bronx, New York. Before Viterelli became an actor, he was a successful businessman in New York City. He had befriended director Leo Penn (actor Sean Penn's father), who initially tried but failed to persuade Viterelli to pursue acting because of his unique and typically Italian looks. Some years later, Sean Penn approached Viterelli and asked him to try out for a part as a favor: Viterelli did and went on to appear in State of Grace and then in over 40 movies. Joe Viterelli became an icon of Mafia-Movies. Viterelli died on January 28, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada due to a severe stomach hemorrhage, a complication of just-completed heart surgery. He was 66 years old. His last role was as a mobster in a 2004 Super Bowl ad for Staples, Inc. and his last movie role was as Jelly in Harold Ramis’ Analyze That.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 10, 1937
Died
January 28, 2004 (aged 66)
From
New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 30 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What are Joe Viterelli's films like?

Across their 13 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama 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
Bonds
37%
Morality
27%
Self
14%
Survival
12%
Ideas
5%
Power
2%
Society
2%
Family bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 7 · Serious 3 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 4 · Intense 3

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 6

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 9 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 3 of 8 analyzed roles.

Shadow
3 of 8
Threshold guardian
3 of 8
Ally
1 of 8
Trickster
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Joyful
6
Absurd
6
Melancholic
5
Romantic
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous1

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 Joe Viterelli's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joe Viterelli'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

30 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Analyze That(2002)

    as Jelly

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Serving Sara(2002)

    as Fat Charlie

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Shallow Hal(2001)

    as Steve Shanahan

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Cure for Boredom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Fat Tony Ragoni

  • See Spot Run(2001)

    as Gino

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Wannabes(2000)

    as Santo

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • The Strip (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 17 episodes · Actor

  • Mickey Blue Eyes(1999)

    as Vinnie D'Agostino

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Facade(1999)

    as Max

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Analyze This(1999)

    as Jelly

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • A Walk in the Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Mr. Costello

  • Hitman's Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Jimmy / Howard Sussman

  • Mafia!(1998)

    as Clamato

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Looking For Lola (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Salvatore Greco

  • Out to Sea(1997)

    as Mickey (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • American Strays(1996)

    as Gene

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Eraser(1996)

    as Tony

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Heaven's Prisoners(1996)

    as Didi Giancano

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Black Rose of Harlem(1996)

    as Costanza

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Crossing Guard(1995)

    as Joe

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Bullets Over Broadway(1994)

    as Nick Valenti

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Fallen Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Ugolino

  • The Firm(1993)

    as Joey Morolto (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • In the Shadow of a Killer(1992)

    as Gino Marchese

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Ruby(1992)

    as Joseph Valachi

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Shades of Gray(1992)

    as Fat Tommy Carducci

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Palace Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Commish(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Mobsters(1991)

    as Joe Profaci

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • State of Grace(1990)

    as Borelli

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 30 titles from 1990 to 2002; peak year 2002.

Biggest box office

Analyze This (1999)

$177M worldwide

Highest rated

Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

Midcredits 90th

Most popular right now

Shallow Hal (2001)

Film career

19902002

Peak 2002 · at the high point of their film career. 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
Acting30 of 30: 30 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score35th

By decade

1990s24 · acting2000s6 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 14 roles

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.

How do Joe Viterelli's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 34th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 35th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th13
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Facade (1999)

81st percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

Midcredits 90th · 80% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 41. 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 Joe Viterelli's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles18–82 · median 49 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles24–57 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles51–92 · median 88 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 25 · mildMedian 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 Joe Viterelli work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joe Viterelli's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bruce Berman shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Producers