Alex Rocco
| Alex Rocco | |
|---|---|
 Rocco at the 1990 Annual Emmy Awards, September 16 | |
| Born |
Alessandro Federico Petricone, Jr. February 29, 1936 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died |
July 18, 2015 (aged 79) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Pancreatic cancer |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1965–2015 |
| Spouse(s) |
Grace Petricone (19??–19??; divorced) Sandra Elaine Garrett (1966–2002; her death) Shannon Wilcox (2005–2015; his death) |
| Children | 4 |
Alessandro Federico Petricone, Jr. (February 29, 1936 – July 18, 2015), known professionally as Alex Rocco, was an American actor. Often cast as a villain, he is best known for his portrayal of Moe Greene in The Godfather. He did a significant amount of voiceover work later in his career, and was known for his gravelly voice.[1] He was also a member of the Baha'i Faith.
Early life
Rocco was born as Alessandro Federico Petricone, Jr.[2] in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1936, but raised in nearby Somerville, the son of Italian immigrants, Mary (née DiBiase; 1909–1978) and Alessandro Sam Petricone (1896-19??).[3][4]
According to organized crime turncoat Vincent Teresa, Alex was a hanger-on with the Winter Hill Gang of the Boston area. An unwanted advance toward Petricone's then girlfriend on Labor Day, 1961, touched off the Boston Irish Gang War of the 1960s. Georgie McLaughlin, who made the advance, was beaten by Winter Hill Gang members.[5] Howie Carr, a Boston-area journalist and radio personality who has written extensively about the Boston underworld, has written that the young Petricone (whose nickname was "Bobo") was arrested in Charlestown in November 1961 along with Winter Hill boss Buddy McLean for questioning following the death of Bernie McLaughlin of the McLaughlin gang, the first murder of the war.[6] Petricone was released without charge, and shortly thereafter left the Boston area. (When he returned to the Boston area in 1972 to play a bank robber in the film The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Petricone — now styled "Alex Rocco" — set up a meeting between Robert Mitchum and local Irish-American gangsters to help Mitchum research his part as Eddie Coyle, a low-level Irish-American criminal. Rocco introduced Mitchum to Howie Winter, leader of the Winter Hill Gang.[7] Another Winter Hill Gang member who met with Mitchum was Johnny Martorano, who had murdered Billy O'Brien, a low-level gangster.[8])
After his arrest, Petricone moved to California in 1962 and began using the name Alex Rocco. He first worked as a bartender in Santa Monica, California and took acting lessons from actor Leonard Nimoy, a fellow Boston native. Nimoy was not impressed with Rocco's heavy Boston accent and told him to take speech lessons. Rocco followed through with Nimoy's instructions and after ridding himself of the accent came back to study under Nimoy and character actor and teacher Jeff Corey.
Career
Rocco played the part of Moe Greene, a Las Vegas casino owner, in the film The Godfather. Greene's character represented the top Jewish mobster in Las Vegas; although he sought an Italian role, director Francis Ford Coppola remarked "I got my Jew!" on seeing Rocco.[1] Other notable films in which Rocco appeared include The Wedding Planner, as Salvatore and appeared uncredited in Smokin' Aces. In the film That Thing You Do!, Rocco played Sol Siler, the founder of Playtone Records.
In the fall of 1975, Rocco starred in the role of Pete Karras, a widowed father, writer, and photographer, in a 12-week CBS drama series Three for the Road, with Vincent Van Patten as his older son, John Karras, and Leif Garrett as his younger son, Endy Karras. After the death of their wife and mother, the Karrases sell their house, buy a recreational vehicle, and roam throughout the United States.[9]
He played Charlie Polniaczek, Jo's father on The Facts of Life. In 1989, he played Gus Keller in the Corey Feldman and Corey Haim movie Dream a Little Dream. From 1989–90, Rocco was a regular on the television comedy series The Famous Teddy Z as "Al Floss", a Hollywood talent agent. He received an Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this role in 1990. In 1997, he appeared (along with Rodney Dangerfield) in the annual Thanksgiving episode of the ABC sitcom Home Improvement.
Rocco also had a recurring part in the long running animated series The Simpsons as the head of Itchy and Scratchy Studios, Roger Meyers, Jr. In DVD commentaries, Rocco expressed true gratitude to The Simpsons' staff for allowing him his first voice-over role. He did further voice work on two early episodes of another Fox sitcom, Family Guy. Rocco did a voiceover on the 1998 Disney/Pixar film A Bug's Life, deeming it his "greatest prize in life" as he was paid $1 million to record eight lines.[1]
In 2008, he starred in Audi's Super Bowl commercial for the Audi R8 supercar. The commercial was inspired by one of the films Rocco was in: The Godfather. He played a rich man who finds the front fascia of his luxury car in his bed, a nod to the scene from the original movie in which Jack Woltz, a rich movie producer, finds the head of his prized racehorse in his bed.[10] He most recently was one of the stars of the Starz cable channel's crime-drama series, Magic City.[11]
Personal life
After moving to Los Angeles, Rocco became a member of the Bahá'í Faith,[12] and he appeared in a number of productions related to the religion over the years.[13][14][15] He also thanked Bahá'u'lláh in his Emmy Award acceptance speech.[16]
His first marriage was to Grace Petricone, and they have one daughter, Maryann. After moving to California, he married Sandra Elaine Rocco (September 1, 1942 – June 12, 2002)[17] on March 24, 1964. He adopted her son, Marc King, who became known as Marc Rocco (June 19, 1962 – May 1, 2009), a film producer, screenwriter, and director.[18] The couple had two children, a daughter Jennifer and a son, Lucien, and one grandson.
Sandra Rocco died of cancer, aged 59. Rocco remarried, to Shannon Wilcox on October 15, 2005.[19]
Alex Rocco died on July 18, 2015 from pancreatic cancer in Studio City, Los Angeles, at the age of 79.[1]
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Motorpsycho | Cory Maddox | |
| 1967 | St. Valentine's Day Massacre, TheThe St. Valentine's Day Massacre | Diamond | |
| 1968 | Boston Strangler, TheThe Boston Strangler | Detective at Apartment of Victim #10 | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Blood Mania | Lawyer | |
| 1971 | Wild Riders | Stick | |
| 1971 | Brute Corps | Wicks | |
| 1972 | Godfather, TheThe Godfather | Moe Greene | |
| 1972 | Stanley | Thomkins | |
| 1973 | The Outside Man | Miller | |
| 1973 | Bonnie's Kids | Eddy | |
| 1973 | Slither | Man with Ice Cream | |
| 1973 | Friends of Eddie Coyle, TheThe Friends of Eddie Coyle | Jimmy Scalise | |
| 1973 | Detroit 9000 | Danny Bassett | |
| 1974 | Three the Hard Way | Lt. Di Nisco | |
| 1974 | Freebie and the Bean | D.A. | |
| 1975 | A Woman for All Men | Lt. Biase | |
| 1975 | Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins | Vinnie | |
| 1975 | Hearts of the West | Earl | |
| 1977 | Fire Sale | Al | |
| 1978 | Rabbit Test | Sergeant Danny Bonhoff | |
| 1979 | Voices | Frank Rothman | |
| 1980 | Herbie Goes Bananas | Quinn | |
| 1980 | Stunt Man, TheThe Stunt Man | Police Chief Jake | |
| 1981 | Entity, TheThe Entity | Jerry Anderson | |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II | Tony | |
| 1985 | Stick | Firestone | |
| 1985 | Gotcha! | Al | |
| 1985 | Badge of the Assassin | Detective Bill Butler NYPD | |
| 1987 | Return to Horror High | Harry Sleerik | |
| 1987 | P.K. and the Kid | Les | |
| 1987 | Scenes from the Goldmine | ||
| 1988 | Lady in White | Angelo "Al" Scarlatti | |
| 1989 | Dream a Little Dream | Gus Keller | |
| 1989 | Wired | Arnie Fromson | |
| 1991 | Pope Must Die, TheThe Pope Must Die | Cardinal Rocco | |
| 1992 | Boris and Natasha: The Movie | Sheldon Kaufman | |
| 1995 | Get Shorty | Jimmy Cap | Uncredited |
| 1996 | That Thing You Do! | Sol Siler | |
| 1997 | Just Write | Mr. McMurphy | |
| 1998 | A Bug's Life | Thorny | Voice |
| 1998 | Goodbye Lover | Detective Crowley | |
| 1999 | Dudley Do-Right | Kumquat Chief | |
| 2000 | Last Producer, TheThe Last Producer | Poker Player | |
| 2001 | Wedding Planner, TheThe Wedding Planner | Salvatore Fiore | |
| 2002 | Country Bears, TheThe Country Bears | Rip Holland | |
| 2003 | Job, TheThe Job | Vernon Cray | |
| 2006 | Find Me Guilty | Nick Calabrese | |
| 2007 | Smokin' Aces | Serna | |
| 2011 | Batman: Year One | Carmine Falcone | Voice |
| 2014 | Scammerhead | Ben Sarnus | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Batman | Block | Episodes: "A Piece of Action" and "Batman's Satisfaction" |
| 1970 | That Girl | Biff | 1 episode |
| 1971 | Mission:Impossible | Tanner | Season 6 Episode 10 - "Blues" |
| 1972 | F.B.I., TheThe F.B.I. | Matt Wilnor | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Cannon | Hit Man | Season 2, Episode 11 - Hear No Evil |
| 1973 | Cannon | Walter Koether | Season 3, Episode 5 - Target in the Mirror |
| 1973 | Circle of Fear | Joseph Moretti | 1 episode |
| 1974 | Rookies, TheThe Rookies | Earl Fisher | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Cannon | Paul | Season 4, Episode 24 - Search and Destroy |
| 1975 | Three for the Road | Pete Karras | 14 episodes |
| 1977 | Barnaby Jones | Harry Stroop | 1 episode |
| 1977 | Starsky & Hutch | Thomas Callendar | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Ben Sylver | 1 episode: "Lou's Army Reunion" on YouTube |
| 1978 | Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, TheThe Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank | Ralph Corliss | telefilm with Carol Burnett |
| 1981–1988 | Facts of Life, TheThe Facts of Life | Charlie Polniaczek | Jo's father |
| 1980 | CHiPs | Ansgar | Episodes: "The Great 5K Star Race and Boulder Wrap Party": Part 1 and Part 2 |
| 1984 | St. Elsewhere | Roger | Episode: "Breathless" |
| 1985 | Golden Girls, TheThe Golden Girls | Glen O'Brien | Episode: "That Was No Lady" |
| 1985 | A-Team, TheThe A-Team | Sonny Monroe | Episode: "Champ!" |
| 1986 | Murder, She Wrote | Bert Yardley | Episode: "Christopher Bundy - Died on Sunday" |
| 1987 | Rags to Riches | Michael Rapp | 1 episode |
| 1989 | Murphy Brown | Al Floss | 1 episode |
| 1989–1990 | Famous Teddy Z, TheThe Famous Teddy Z | Al Floss | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Comedy Series |
| 1990 | Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons | Roger Meyers, Jr. | Episode: "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" |
| 1991–1992 | Sibs | Howie Ruscio | 23 episodes |
| 1994 | George Carlin Show, TheThe George Carlin Show | Harry Rossetti | 11 episodes |
| 1995 | Can't Hurry Love | Michael O'Donnell | Episode: "Daddy's Girl" |
| 1996 | Pinky and the Brain | Floyd Nesbit | Episode: "Fly" |
| 1996 | Mad About You | Mark Slotkin | Episode: "Outbreak" |
| 1996 | Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons | Roger Meyers, Jr. | Episode: "The Day the Violence Died" |
| 1997 | Early Edition | Barney Kadison | Episode: "Home" |
| 1997 | Home Improvement | Irv Schmayman | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons | Roger Meyers, Jr. | Episode: "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" |
| 1998 | Michael Hayes | Bernero | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Family Law | Goodman | 1 episode |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Soccer Mom | Episode: "Mind Over Murder" |
| 2000 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Johnny "Giovanni Rossini" Rose | Episodes: "Wedding Bells" |
| 2001 | Family Guy | Bea Arthur | Voice Episode: "Ready, Willing and Disabled" |
| 2001–2004 | Division, TheThe Division | John Exstead Sr. | 14 episodes |
| 2005 | ER | Martin Trudeau | Episode: "Two Ships" |
| 2007 | Wedding Bells, TheThe Wedding Bells | Larry Herschfield | Episode: "The Fantasy" |
| 2010 | Party Down | Howard Greengold | Episode: "Constance Carmel Wedding" |
| 2012 | Magic City | Arthur Evans | 4 episodes |
| 2012 | Private Practice | Ed | Episode: "Aftershocks" |
| 2014 | Episodes | Dick LeBlanc | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Maron | David Rosen | Episode: "Stroke of Luck" |
References
- 1 2 3 4 Mike Barnes. "Alex Rocco Dead: 'Godfather' Actor Was 79". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ↑ Obituary, cbsnews.com; accessed July 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Alex Rocco profile at". FilmReference.com.
- ↑ Chozick, Amy (March 30, 2012). "Old Miami Beach: Sun, Schmaltz, Murder". New York Times.
- ↑ Teresa, Vincent. "My Life in the Mafia."
- ↑ Carr, Howie. "Alexander (Bobo) Petricone". BostonHitman.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ↑ Kimball, George. "Looking Back At An Unlikely Acquaintance With Whitey Bulger". WBUR. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ↑ Carr, Howie. "George V. Higgins’ Eddie Coyle: Even Better than True". CriminalElement.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ↑ "Three for the Road". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
- ↑ Steve Hall. "Audi's Godfather Ad Powerful, Stellar, Captivating". adrants.com. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Alex Rocco profile at". Fandango.com. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ↑ Marilyn Beck (September 11, 1975). "Actor Alex Rocco says he's indebted to Bahai teachings". The San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California). p. 39. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ↑ Alex Rocco (1970s). Introduction to the Baha'i Faith featuring Alex Rocco (Video). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States.
- ↑ Doug Cameron, Alex Rocco (1980s). Mona with the Children (Music video).
- ↑ Devon Grundy, Alex Rocco, Eva La Rue… (2009). Armed (Music video). Justin Baldoni.
- ↑ Alex Rocco (September 16, 1990). Alex Rocco Emmy acceptance speech (video). emmys.com.
- ↑ "RootsWeb: Database Index". ancestry.com. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
- ↑ McLellan, Dennis (May 29, 2009). "Marc Rocco dies at 46; filmmaker directed 'Where the Day Takes You'". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Obituary for Sandra Rocco, uga.edu; accessed July 20, 2015.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alex Rocco. |
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