
Joe Grifasi
Known for Acting · 108 credits
- Born
- 1944-06-14 (age 81)
- Place of birth
- Buffalo - New York - USA
- Also known as
- Joseph G. Grifasi · Joseph Grifasi
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (36)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Hashi Horowitz

Law & Order
1990
as Ezra Gould / Defense Attorney James Linde

The Good Wife
2009
as Judge John Mata

Elementary
2012
as Captain Moretti

ER
1994
as Tom Williams

The Good Fight
2017
as Judge John Mata

The Practice
1997
as Harry Papp

Chicago Hope
1994
as Larry Ruscetti

Great Performances
1971
as Cpl. Matson

New Amsterdam
2018
as Lilo Steinhauser

Hill Street Blues
1981
as Ronnie Delacroce

Bull
2016
as Judge Arlen Rand / Judge Rand

L.A. Law
1986
as Dominic Nuzzi

Evil
2019
as Lombino

The Equalizer
1985
as Lt. Vocek

Early Edition
1996
as Harry Hawks

Matlock
1986
as Hot Dog Vendor

Moonlighting
1985
as Kapatkin

Hope & Faith
2003
as Leo

Remember WENN
1996
as Larry Looper

Conviction
2006
as Judge Harrigan

Lodge 49
2018

Deadline
2000
as Mike Phelan

Roseanne
1988
as IRS Office Supervisor

The Beat
2000
as Vince Marinelli

Tarzan
2003
as Lieutenant Scott Connor

I Know This Much Is True
2020
as Steve Falice

Capital News
1990

Class of '96
1993
as Joe Morrisey

The Bronx Is Burning
2007
as Yogi Berra

Canterbury's Law
2008

WIOU
1990
as Tony Pro

Moon Over Miami
1993

Some of My Best Friends
2001
as Joe Zito

Sinatra
1992
as George Evans

Undue Influence
1996
as Clem
Movies (72)

Batman Forever
1995
as Bank Guard

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988
as Foreman

13 Going on 30
2004
as Mr. Flamhaff

The Deer Hunter
1978
as Bandleader

Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult
1994
as Director

Splash
1984
as Manny

Natural Born Killers
1994
as Deputy Sheriff Duncan Homolka

Moonstruck
1987
as Shy Waiter

Chances Are
1989
as Omar

Money Train
1995
as Riley

F/X
1986
as Mickey

Presumed Innocent
1990
as Tommy Molto

Changing Lanes
2002
as Judge Cosell

Radium Girls
2020
as Grandpa

Brewster's Millions
1985
as J.B. Donaldo

Auto Focus
2002
as Strip Club M.C.

The Hudsucker Proxy
1994
as Lou

One Fine Day
1996
as Manny Feldstein

Heavy
1995
as Leo

Big Business
1988
as Desk Clerk

Ironweed
1987
as Jack

Benny & Joon
1993
as Mike

A Crime
2006
as Bill

Slow Burn
2005
as Desk Sgt. Drown

Matewan
1987
as Fausto

61*
2001
as Phil Rizzuto

The Other Me
2000
as Conrad

Household Saints
1993
as Frank Manzone

City of Hope
1991
as Pauly

Secret Service
1977
as Cpl. Matson

Still of the Night
1982
as Joseph Vitucci

The Out-of-Towners
1999
as Arresting Cop

The Pope of Greenwich Village
1984
as Jimmy the Cheese Man

Switching Goals
1999
as Dave

Two Bits
1995
as Uncle Joe

Citizen Cohn
1992
as Gerald Walpin

Something Short of Paradise
1979
as Barney Collins

Queenie in Love
2001
as Berthold

Sunday
1997
as Scottie Elster

Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
1994

Honky Tonk Freeway
1981
as Osvaldo

The Flamingo Kid
1984
as Mario Minetta

The Naked Man
1998
as Koski

No Pay, Nudity
2016
as Mr. Davenport

Taking the Heat
1993
as Lou Valentine

The American Side
2016
as The Serb

A Midsummer Night's Dream
2014
as Peter Quince

The Feud
1989
as Bud Bullard

Shadow of a Doubt
1996
as Sidney Sherman

Primary Motive
1992
as Paul Melton

Bad Medicine
1985
as Gómez

Endgame
2023
as Nagg

Perfect Witness
1989
as Breeze

The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
1988
as Bartender

The Front
2010
as Mr. Zeffirelli

Baked in Brooklyn
2016
as David's Dad

Hide in Plain Sight
1980
as Matty Stanek

Looking for an Echo
2000
as Vic

Kojak: Ariana
1989
as Lieutenant Rastelli

The Elephant Man
1982
as Pinhead Manager

Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
2006
as Uncle Sam

A Jersey Tale
2004
as Alphonso "Chunks" Colon

The Gentleman Bandit
1981
as Det. Esposito

One Police Plaza
1986
as Insp. Nicolas Zambrano

On the Yard
1978
as Morris

The Last New Yorker
2010
as Jerry

Tornado
2024
as Rich

Will There Really Be a Morning?
1983
as Wyler

The Deal
1998
as Boular

Me To Play
2021
as Himself
The 6th Annual Young Comedians
1981
as Self (Audience Member) (uncredited)

The Dreams of Rene Sendam
2022
as Dr. Bradley
About 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 tele… With 108 credits spanning from 1971 to 2024, Joe Grifasi has appeared in 72 films and 36 TV shows.
Fans searching for Joe Grifasi movies, Joe Grifasi filmography, or the latest projects starring Joe Grifasi can stream many of these titles on HinFlix, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Joe Grifasi Movies
- Batman Forever (1995) — as Bank Guard
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) — as Foreman
- 13 Going on 30 (2004) — as Mr. Flamhaff
- The Deer Hunter (1978) — as Bandleader
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) — as Director
Where to Watch Joe Grifasi Films
Most Joe Grifasi movies and series are available to stream on HinFlix in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Joe Grifasi, check our movies catalogue and browse page.