Joe Spano

Age: 63
Height:

Birth Place: San Francisco, California, USA
Born: Jul. 7th, 1946

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Joe Spano's Main TV Roles

Show	Character(s)
Hill Street Blues	Det. Henry &hellip
Murder One	Ray Velacek
Amazing Grace	Detective D&hellip

NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at IMDB

BIOGRAPHY:

Actor Joe Spano, best known for his Emmy-nominated detective role on "Hill Street Blues" (1981), was born in San Francisco, the son of a doctor, and a Bishop Riordan High School and University of California-Berkeley graduate. His intention to be a pre-med major dissipated with the growing interest of acting. While in San Francisco worked with the improv group The Wing. While at college he made his debut as Paris in a production of "Romeo and Juliet" in 1967 and the very next year helped founded the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, appearing in its very first first production of "Woyzek." He stayed with the company for 10 years and appeared in many of its plays including "Hamlet" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." In the late 1970s he decided to give Hollywood a try and in between guest shots on TV and earned bit roles as hoodlums and other assorted urban troublemakers in the films American Graffiti (1973) and The Enforcer (1976/I). He also played a seductive vampire in the cult musical "Dracula: A Musical NIghtmare" in a small LA theatre. After the success of his hit cop show in the 1980s, Spano appeared here, there and everywhere but to less notoriety. He's had recurring roles in "Murder One" (1995) and "NYPD Blue" (1993), again as a detective. He has appeared regularly in mini-movies and other television shows as well. He made his Broadway bow in 1992 as Walter in a revival of "The Price" by Arthur Miller (I). In films Spano worked alongside Tom Hanks in _Apollo 13 (1995)_ and Richard Gere and Edward Norton (I) in Primal Fear (1996), among others. He and his wife Joan, a therapist, adopted two daughters. His credits are often confused with Australian actor Joseph Spano. They are not related.

TRIVIA:

Was considered for the role of Capt.Donald Cragen on _"Law & Order" (1990)_ (qv).
Attended Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco.
'Tom Hanks' (qv) credits Joe Spano as his first serious role model and source of inspiration as an actor.
He and his wife adopted two daughters.
In the early 1970s he appeared nude in a San Francisco production of "Oh, Calcutta!"
Returned to Berkeley Repertory Theatre after 25 years to co-star in "The Guys" opposite "NYPD Blue" star Sharon Lawrence in 2003.

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