Born: February 29, 1936 – Died: July 18, 2015
Alex Rocco, a formidable character actor, was born Alessandro Federico Petricone, Jr. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Italian immigrant parents. His early life was as colorful as his acting career, growing up amid the rough-and-tumble of Boston's Winter Hill gang. This gritty beginning shaped both his personality and his later roles.
Early Life and Career
Rocco's upbringing in Boston was far from ordinary. His involvement with the Winter Hill gang, earning him the nickname "Bobo," hinted at a life that could have veered off course. However, a decisive turn occurred after a brush with the law related to the Boston Irish Gang War, which prompted him to relocate to Hollywood in 1962 and pursue acting.
His entry into the entertainment industry was marked by his first professional role in 1965. Rocco immediately leveraged his tough-guy persona, a blend of sly menace and toothy toughness honed by his earlier life experiences. His film debut, a gritty role in an exploitation flick, set the tone for his career. However, it was his portrayal of Moe Greene, the Las Vegas syndicate boss in The Godfather (1972), that catapulted him to fame. This role, despite its brevity, left an indelible mark and led to a series of similar character roles.
Rocco's career was decorated with numerous appearances and awards. His most notable achievement was winning a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as a slick Hollywood agent in a popular sitcom, showcasing his versatility beyond tough-guy roles.
Off-screen, Rocco's life was as eventful as his on-screen persona. He was married twice, his first wife being a nightclub performer and screenwriter, and his second marriage to an actress with whom he appeared in a film. Rocco was also a father, with his children pursuing diverse professional paths. Despite his rough exterior, he had a range of interests and was known for his philanthropic efforts.
Rocco's impact on Hollywood was significant, not just for the roles he played but for the authenticity he brought to them. His ability to channel his early life experiences into his performances made him a unique and memorable presence in the entertainment industry. His journey from the streets of Boston to the studios of Hollywood is a testament to his resilience and talent, making him a true icon in the world of cinema.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Don't Sleep | Mr. Marino |
| 2016 | Silver Skies | Frank |
| 2015 | Maron (TV Series) | David Rosen |
| 2014–2015 | Episodes (TV Series) | Dick LeBlanc |
| 2014 | Scammerhead | Ben Sarnus |
| 2012–2013 | Magic City (TV Series) | Arthur Evans |
| 2013 | The House Across the Street | Mr. Barnes |
| 2012 | Private Practice (TV Series) | Ed Diamanti |
| 2011 | Blackbird (Short) | Sam |
| 2011 | The Life & Times of Tim (TV Series) | Old Caddie (voice) |
| 2011 | And They're Off | Sol Youngerman |
| 2011 | Batman: Year One (Video) | Falcone (voice) |
| 2010 | Now Here | Mr. Martin |
| 2010 | Fallout: New Vegas (Video Game) | Big Sal (voice) |
| 2010 | Party Down (TV Series) | Howard Greengold |
| 2009 | Ready or Not | Don Julio |
| 2007 | The Wedding Bells (TV Series) | Larry Herschfield |
| 2006 | Smokin' Aces | Serna |
| 2006 | Jam | Mick |
| 2006 | Find Me Guilty | Nick Calabrese |
| 2005 | ER (TV Series) | Martin Trudeau |
| 2005 | Crazylove | Uncle Cort |
| 2001–2004 | The Division (TV Series) | John Exstead Sr. |
| 2004 | Restive Planet (Short) | Johnny |
| 2003 | The Job | Vernon Cray |
| 2003 | Lucky (TV Series) | Sam Gordon |
| 2003 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) | Ben Horner |
| 2002 | The Country Bears | Rip Holland |
| 2002 | Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie (TV Movie) | Dominic |
| 2002 | Lloyd in Space (TV Series) | (voice) |
| 1999–2001 | Family Guy (TV Series) | Bea Arthur | Soccer Mom (voice) |
| 2001 | Italian Ties | Phil |
| 2001 | The Wedding Planner | Salvatore |
| 2000 | The Angry Beavers (TV Series) | Lucky Rabbit (voice) |
| 2000 | The Last Producer | Poker Player |
| 2000 | Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series) | Johnny 'Giovanni Rossini' Rose |
| 2000 | The Practice (TV Series) | Dr. Melnick |
| 1999 | Sam Churchill: Search for a Homeless Man (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1999 | Family Law (TV Series) | Goodman |
| 1998–1999 | Pepper Ann (TV Series) | Larry (voice) |
| 1999 | Dudley Do-Right | Chief |
| 1999 | Just Shoot Me! (TV Series) | Charlie Gold |
| 1999 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV Series) | Sid Wolff |
| 1999 | One Life to Live (TV Series) | FBI Chief Christopher Scaletta |
| 1998 | A Bug's Life | Thorny (voice) |
| 1998 | Silk Stalkings (TV Series) | Saul Bregman | Fossey |
| 1998 | Goodbye Lover | Det. Crowley |
| 1998 | Michael Hayes (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1997 | Home Improvement (TV Series) | Irv Schmayman |
| 1997 | Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher (TV Series) | Nick's Old Teacher |
| 1997 | Early Edition (TV Series) | Barney Kadison |
| 1997 | Just Write | Harold's Father |
| 1997 | Goode Behavior (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1990–1997 | The Simpsons (TV Series) | Roger Meyers Jr. (voice) |
| 1996 | Dead of Night | Bukowski |
| 1996 | Mad About You (TV Series) | Mel Slotkin |
| 1996 | That Thing You Do! | Sol Siler |
| 1996 | Pinky and the Brain (TV Series) | Floyd Nesbit |
| 1995 | Hope & Gloria (TV Series) | Bernie |
| 1995 | Partners (TV Series) | Warren |
| 1995 | Can't Hurry Love (TV Series) | Michael |
| 1995 | Get Shorty | Jimmy Capp (Ray Bones' Boss) (uncredited) |
| 1994–1995 | The George Carlin Show (TV Series) | Harry Rossetti |
| 1995 | The Spy Within | Bartender |
| 1993 | Harmful Intent (TV Movie) | Michael Mosconi |
| 1993 | Bonkers (TV Series) | Mr. Malone (voice) |
| 1993 | Daddy Dearest (TV Series) | Johnny O |
| 1993 | Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage (TV Movie) | Uncle Frank |
| 1991–1992 | Sibs (TV Series) | Howie Ruscio |
| 1992 | Boris and Natasha (TV Movie) | Sheldon Kaufman |
| 1991 | The Pope Must Diet | Cardinal Rocco |
| 1991 | An Inconvenient Woman (TV Mini Series) | Stieglitz |
| 1991 | Midnight Caller (TV Series) | Tommy Bombacelli |
| 1989–1990 | The Famous Teddy Z (TV Series) | Al Floss |
| 1990 | A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder (TV Movie) | Det. Locke |
| 1990 | How to Murder a Millionaire (TV Movie) | Walter Summers |
| 1990 | Carol & Company (TV Series) | Arthur Daniels |
| 1989 | Murphy Brown (TV Series) | Al Floss |
| 1989 | Wired | Arnie Fromson |
| 1989 | Dream a Little Dream | Gus Keller |
| 1988 | Lady in White | Angelo 'Al' Scarlatti |
| 1981–1988 | The Facts of Life (TV Series) | Charlie Polniaczek |
| 1988 | The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1987 | Hunter (TV Series) | Floyd Benson |
| 1987 | Hotel (TV Series) | Phil Johnson |
| 1987 | Rags to Riches (TV Series) | Michael Rapp |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse (TV Series) | Arthur |
| 1987 | Scenes from the Goldmine | Nathan DiAngelo |
| 1987 | Return to Horror High | Harry Sleerik |
| 1987 | P.K. and the Kid | Les |
| 1984–1986 | T.J. Hooker (TV Series) | Capt. C. Danza | Frank Dio |
| 1985–1986 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) | Bert Yardley | Ernie Santini |
| 1985 | Hollywood Beat (TV Series) | Parker |
| 1985 | Stiffs | Pasquale |
| 1985 | The Golden Girls (TV Series) | Glen |
| 1985 | Badge of the Assassin (TV Movie) | Detective Bill Butler NYPD |
| 1985 | Gotcha! | Al |
| 1985 | Braker (TV Movie) | Orsini |
| 1985 | Stick | Firestone |
| 1985 | The A-Team (TV Series) | Sonny Monroe |
| 1984 | Jessie (TV Series) | Capt. Whalen |
| 1984 | Hot Pursuit (TV Series) | Paul |
| 1983–1984 | The Love Boat (TV Series) | Johnny Bolina | Max Glutovsky |
| 1982–1984 | Simon & Simon (TV Series) | Police Capt. Tom Balcomb | U.S. Customs Agent Hank Galante |
| 1984 | St. Elsewhere (TV Series) | Roger |
| 1984 | Steambath (TV Series) | Tom Devon |
| 1984 | Hardcastle and McCormick (TV Series) | Tommy Sales |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II | Tony |
| 1984 | Matt Houston (TV Series) | Mick Logan |
| 1983 | The Best of Times (TV Series) | Gene Falcone |
| 1983 | Small & Frye (TV Series) | Jacobi |
| 1983 | High Performance (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1982 | The First Time (TV Movie) | Jay |
| 1982 | The Entity | Jerry Anderson |
| 1981 | Nobody's Perfekt | The Boss |
| 1981 | Riker (TV Series) | Jacoby |
| 1981 | The Gangster Chronicles (TV Mini Series) | Waxey Gordon |
| 1980 | CHiPs (TV Series) | Ansgar |
| 1980 | Herbie Goes Bananas | Quinn |
| 1980 | The Stunt Man | Jake |
| 1979 | Voices | Frank Rothman |
| 1978 | The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (TV Movie) | Ralph Corliss |
| 1978 | Rabbit Test | Sergeant Danny Bonhoff |
| 1978 | A Question of Guilt (TV Movie) | Mel Duvall |
| 1976–1977 | Delvecchio (TV Series) | Bernie Carrol | Bernie Carroll |
| 1977 | What Really Happened to the Class of '65? (TV Series) | Hornblower |
| 1977 | Starsky and Hutch (TV Series) | Thomas Callendar | Lt. Fargo |
| 1977 | The Godfather Saga (TV Mini Series) | Moe Greene (uncredited) |
| 1977 | Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue (TV Mini Series) | Frank Millerson |
| 1977 | Husbands and Wives (TV Movie) | Murray Zuckerman |
| 1977 | Fire Sale | Al |
| 1977 | Baretta (TV Series) | Lt. Malone |
| 1977 | Dog and Cat (TV Series) | Sandborn |
| 1977 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) | Harry Stroop |
| 1977 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) | Sherman Royle |
| 1975–1977 | Police Story (TV Series) | Phil Logan | Tony Melino |
| 1977 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show (TV Series) | Ben Selwyn |
| 1975 | Three for the Road (TV Series) | Pete Karras |
| 1975 | Hearts of the West | Earl |
| 1975 | A Woman for All Men | Lt. Robert Di Biase |
| 1975 | The Blue Knight (TV Series) | Detective Charley Bronski |
| 1972–1975 | Cannon (TV Series) | Paul | Walter Koether | Hit Man |
| 1975 | Twigs (TV Movie) | Frank |
| 1975 | Hustling (TV Movie) | Swifty |
| 1975 | Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins | Vinnie |
| 1973–1975 | Kojak (TV Series) | Morton Tallman | Tony Curcio |
| 1974 | Freebie and the Bean | D.A. |
| 1974 | Get Christie Love! (TV Series) | Keegan |
| 1974 | The Rookies (TV Series) | Earl Fisher |
| 1974 | Three the Hard Way | Lt. Di Nisco |
| 1974 | Lotsa Luck! (TV Series) | Rick Ferris |
| 1973 | Legend in Granite (TV Movie) | Tony Canadeo |
| 1973 | Detroit 9000 | Lieutenant Danny Bassett |
| 1973 | The Friends of Eddie Coyle | Scalise |
| 1973 | Slither | Man with Ice Cream |
| 1973 | Circle of Fear (TV Series) | Joseph Moretti |
| 1971–1973 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) | Dall | Tanner |
| 1972 | The Outside Man | Miller |
| 1972 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) | Matt Wilnor |
| 1972 | Bonnie's Kids | Eddy |
| 1972 | Stanley | Richard Thomkins |
| 1972 | *The Godfather* | Moe Greene |
| 1971 | Brute Corps | Wicks |
| 1971 | Wild Riders | Stick |
| 1970–1971 | That Girl (TV Series) | Employee Davey | Biff Johnson |
| 1970 | Blood Mania | Lawyer |
| 1970 | The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (TV Movie) | Male Nurse (uncredited) |
| 1968 | The Boston Strangler | Lt. Lurie (uncredited) |
| 1967 | Get Smart (TV Series) | Gaucho | KAOS Killer |
| 1967 | The St. Valentine's Day Massacre | Diamond |
| 1967 | Batman (TV Series) | Block |
| 1967 | Run for Your Life (TV Series) | Willie Roth (uncredited) |
| 1965 | Motorpsycho! | Cory Maddox |
General:
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
