Hollywood has lost a familiar face and veteran talent, as character actor Joe Marinelli has died at the age of 68 after a lengthy battle with throat and stomach cancer.
At a Glance
- Joe Marinelli, known for roles in “The Morning Show,” “General Hospital,” and “Santa Barbara,” died on June 18.
- The veteran actor amassed over 50 screen credits and won a Soap Opera Digest Award for his performance in “Santa Barbara.”
- Marinelli and the cast of “The Morning Show” were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award in 2022 for his role as Donny Spagnoli.
- His passing was confirmed by his friend and former co-star Leigh J. McCloskey, who praised his “indefatigable spirit.”
A Respected Career Spanning Decades
Joe Marinelli, a versatile and respected character actor whose career spanned more than three decades of television, passed away on June 18. His death was confirmed by his friend Leigh J. McCloskey. Marinelli was known for his memorable roles in daytime dramas, primetime procedurals, and modern streaming hits.
He was perhaps best known to soap opera fans for his award-winning role as Bunny Tagliatti on NBC’s “Santa Barbara,” where he appeared in over 170 episodes from 1988 to 1990. He later played crime boss Joseph Sorel on “General Hospital” in 1999. More recently, he gained recognition for his recurring role as network executive Donny Spagnoli in 20 episodes of Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show.”
From Classic TV to Modern Streaming
Marinelli’s extensive career reads like a history of modern television. Born in Connecticut, he trained at Loyola Marymount University and the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before beginning his career. His early credits include classic 1980s shows like “Hill Street Blues,” “Cagney & Lacey,” and “L.A. Law.”
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, he was a constant presence on television with roles in “ER,” “JAG,” “NYPD Blue,” and “The West Wing.” He also appeared in the critically acclaimed 2004 film “Sideways.” His recent work on “The Morning Show” earned him and the cast a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2022.
A Tribute to His Spirit
Marinelli’s passing was confirmed by his friend and former “Santa Barbara” co-star Leigh J. McCloskey, who paid tribute to the actor’s strength and character.
“I knew Joe was sick and so admired his indefatigable spirit throughout what sounded like a very difficult, if not impossible, ordeal. Joe was a champion,” McCloskey told Variety. “He was a great acting partner, teacher, philosophical friend, passionate believer in people, and a storyteller extraordinaire that with laughter and depth revealed the human spirit so beautifully and in so many different ways.”
Marinelli’s long and varied career stands as a testament to the vital role of the character actor—performers who form the backbone of the entertainment industry, delivering memorable performances that enrich countless stories.
