Joe Grifasi
American character actor
About Joe Grifasi
Joe Grifasi was born on June 14, 1944, in Buffalo, New York, USA. He is a versatile actor known for his roles in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), Presumed Innocent (1990), and The Deer Hunter (1978). Grifasi has been married to Jane Ira Bloom since November 1974.
Throughout his career, Grifasi has had the unique opportunity to portray two different New York Yankees ballplayers. He played Phil Rizzuto in 61 and Yogi Berra in The Bronx Is Burning. Interestingly, in both portrayals, he did not depict these iconic figures during their playing careers. In 61, he portrayed Rizzuto as the TV color commentator for Yankee games, and in The Bronx Is Burning, he played Berra as the bench coach for the Yankees.
Grifasi’s ability to bring authenticity and depth to these roles, even outside the context of their playing days, demonstrates his skill and versatility as an actor.