Leo Rossi (born June 26, 1946) is an American actor, writer and producer. A

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

with over 100 credits to his name, he is known for his role as foul-mouthed EMT Vincent "Budd" Scarlotti in the 1981

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

'' Halloween II'', as the serial killer Turkell from the 1990 horror sequel ''

Maniac Cop 2 ''Maniac Cop 2'' is a 1990 American action slasher film directed by William Lustig and written by Larry Cohen. It is the second installment in the ''Maniac Cop'' film series. It stars Robert Davi, Claudia Christian, Michael Lerner, and Bruce Ca ...

'', and as Detective Sam Dietz in the ''

Relentless Relentless may refer to: Film * ''Relentless'' (1948 film), an American film directed by George Sherman * ''Relentless'', a 1977 American television film starring Will Sampson * ''Relentless'' (1989 film), an American crime film starring Jud ...

'' franchise. His other films include ''

Heart Like a Wheel ''Heart Like a Wheel'' is the fifth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt, released in November 1974. It was Ronstadt's last album to be released by Capitol Records. At the time of its recording, Ronstadt had already moved to Asylum Records and rel ...

'' (1983), ''

River's Edge ''River's Edge'' is a 1986 American crime drama film directed by Tim Hunter, written by Neal Jimenez, and starring Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye Leitch, Daniel Roebuck and Dennis Hopper. It follows a group of teenagers in a Northern ...

'' (1986), ''

The Accused Accused or The Accused may refer to: * A person suspected with committing a crime or offence; see Criminal charge ** Suspect, a known person suspected of committing a crime * The Accüsed, a 1980s Seattle crossover thrash band *''The Accused'', a ...

'' (1988), ''

Analyze This ''Analyze This'' is a 1999 American mafia comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the screenplay with playwright Kenneth Lonergan, and Peter Tolan. The plot follows a crisis-stricken mafioso (Robert De Niro) who solicits the assista ...

'' (1999), '' One Night at McCool's'' (2001), and '' 10th & Wolf'' (2006).

Career

Rossi began his career with small roles in successful films, such as the

Rick Rosenthal Richard L. Rosenthal, Jr. (born June 15, 1949) is an American film instructor and director, known for directing '' Halloween II'' and '' Halloween: Resurrection''. Early life, family and education Rosenthal was born in New York City, the son o ...

-directed –

John Carpenter John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...

-scripted – '' Halloween II'' (1981) with

Jamie Lee Curtis Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, children's author, and activist. She came to prominence with her portrayal of Lt. Barbara Duran on the ABC sitcom '' Operation Petticoat'' (1977–78). In 1978, she m ...

and

Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...

, in which he falls victim to the suburban maniac Michael Myers. Subsequent roles in

Jonathan Kaplan Jonathan Kaplan (born November 25, 1947) is an American film producer and director. His film ''The Accused'' (1988) earned actress Jodie Foster an Oscar for Best Actress and was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 39th Berlin International ...

's ''

'' (1983) opposite

Bonnie Bedelia Bonnie Bedelia Culkin (born ) is an American actress. After beginning her career in theatre in the 1960s, Bedelia starred in the CBS daytime soap opera ''Love of Life'' and made her film debut in ''The Gypsy Moths''. Bedelia subsequently appeare ...

and

Beau Bridges Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III (born December 9, 1941) is an American actor and director. He is a three-time Emmy, two-time Golden Globe and one-time Grammy Award winner, as well as a two-time Screen Actors Guild Award nominee. Bridges was a ...

, Tim Hunter's ''

'' (1986) with

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...

and

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...

, and

Bob Rafelson Robert Jay Rafelson (February 21, 1933 – July 23, 2022) was an American film director, writer, and producer. He is regarded as one of the key figures in the founding of the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s. Among his best-known films as a ...

's '' Black Widow'' (1987) – also with Hopper,

Theresa Russell Theresa Lynn Russell ( Paup; born March 20, 1957) is an American actress whose career spans over four decades. Her filmography includes over fifty feature films, ranging from mainstream to independent and experimental films. Born in San Diego, R ...

and

Debra Winger Debra Lynn Wingerhttps://www.pressreader.com/usa/closer-weekly/20200511/282084868951188https://www.discountmags.com/magazine/closer-weekly-may-11-2020-digital/in-this-issue/99961 (born May 16, 1955)https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Inter ...

– paved the way for a starring role opposite

Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the ho ...

and

Kelly McGillis Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American stage actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in ''Witness'' (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in ''Top Gun'' (1986); ''Made in ...

in Kaplan's ''

'' (1988); Rossi delivers a chilling performance as the film's central antagonist, Cliff "Scorpion" Albrect. ''The Accused'' in turn led to Rossi winning a starring role in

William Lustig William "Bill" Lustig (born February 1, 1955, in The Bronx, New York) is an American film director and producer who has worked primarily in the horror film genre. He is the nephew of former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta. Film career As ...

's ''

'' (1989), a

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

film which co-stars

Judd Nelson Judd Asher Nelson (born November 28, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as John Bender in ''The Breakfast Club'', Alec Newbury in ''St. Elmo's Fire'', Joe Hunt in ''Billionaire Boys Club'', Nick Peretti in ''New Jack City ...

and

Robert Loggia Salvatore "Robert" Loggia ( , ; January 3, 1930 – December 4, 2015) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' Jagged Edge'' (1985) and won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for ...

; however, this time Rossi plays the central protagonist – Detective Sam Deitz – a role he would reprise in three sequels. Rossi followed up ''Relentless'' with Lustig's ''

'' (1990), a

sequel starring

Bruce Campbell Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is known for portraying Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's ''Evil Dead'' franchise, beginning with the 1978 short film ''Within the Woods''. He has starred in many low ...

and scripted by

Larry Cohen Lawrence George Cohen (July 15, 1936 – March 23, 2019) was an American screenwriter, producer, and director of film and television, best known as an author of horror and science fiction films — often containing police procedural and ...

. During the 1980s, Rossi was also a prominent face on TV: he made guest appearances in the

police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'' (1982), a recurring role; the science fiction series ''

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...

'' by

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...

(1985); the crime drama ''

21 Jump Street ''21 Jump Street'' is an American police procedural television series that aired on the Fox network and in first run syndication from April 12, 1987, to April 27, 1991, with a total of 103 episodes. The series focuses on a squad of youthful-loo ...

'' with

Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Award ...

(1988); and the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

drama ''

Tour of Duty For military personnel, a tour of duty is usually a period of time spent in combat or in a hostile environment. In an army, for instance, soldiers on active duty serve 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the length of their service commitment. ...

'' (1989). Rossi began the 1990s with a performance in the action comedy ''

Fast Getaway ''Fast Getaway'' is a 1991 Action film#Action comedy, action comedy film, starring Corey Haim, Cynthia Rothrock and Leo Rossi. A sequel ''Fast Getaway II'' was released in 1994. Plot Sixteen-year-old Nelson Potter is part of a bank robbing team wi ...

'' (1991): the film is about a father (Rossi) and son (

Corey Haim Corey Ian Haim (December 23, 1971 – March 10, 2010) was a Canadian actor. He starred in a number of 1980s films, such as '' Lucas'', ''Silver Bullet'', ''Murphy's Romance'', ''License to Drive'' and '' Dream a Little Dream''. His role alongsi ...

) who rob banks together until the former is caught and imprisoned, and the latter is forced to break him out; ''Fast Getaway'' has one of the highest ratings on cable TV. Rossi then took a supporting role in ''

Where the Day Takes You ''Where the Day Takes You'' is a 1992 American crime drama thriller film directed by Marc Rocco and starring Dermot Mulroney, Sean Astin, Balthazar Getty, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ricki Lake, James LeGros, Laura San Giacomo, David Arquette, Christian Sl ...

'' (1992), a drama featuring an all-star cast including

Sean Astin Sean Patrick Astin (né Duke; February 25, 1971) is an American actor. His acting roles include Samwise Gamgee in ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003), Mikey Walsh in ''The Goonies'' (1985), Daniel Ruettiger in ''Rudy'' (1993), Doug ...

James LeGros James Le Gros () (born April 27, 1962) is an American actor. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance in ''Living in Oblivion''. Career James Le Gros appeared as Rick in Gus Van Sant's 1989 ...

Dermot Mulroney Dermot Mulroney (born October 31, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in romantic comedy, western, and drama films. Appearing on screen since 1986, he is known for his work in various films such as '' Young Guns'' (1988), '' Stay ...

, and

Christian Slater Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." D ...

; the film depicts the lives of teenage runaways trying to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. He played a detective in the

Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...

vehicle '' Raw Justice'' (1994), a street preacher in the teen comedy ''

Dream a Little Dream 2 ''Dream a Little Dream 2'' is a 1995 direct-to-video American teen comedy film, starring Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Robyn Lively and Stacie Randall. Directed by James Lemmo, this film is the sequel to the 1989 film '' Dream a Little Dream''. It i ...

'' (1995) starring

Corey Feldman Corey Scott Feldman (born July 16, 1971) is an American actor and musician. As a youth, he became well known for roles in the 1980s in films such as '' Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter'' (1984), ''Gremlins'' (1984), ''The Goonies'' (1985), a ...

and Corey Haim, and reprised his role opposite Haim in '' Fast Getaway 2'' (1994). Rossi saw out the twentieth century with a lead role in the

Harold Ramis Harold Allen Ramis (; November 21, 1944 – February 24, 2014) was an American actor, comedian, director and writer. His best-known film acting roles were as Egon Spengler in ''Ghostbusters'' (1984) and '' Ghostbusters II'' (1989), and as Russel ...

hit comedy ''

'' (1999), in which he plays the evil cousin to

Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...

's character; other co-stars include

Billy Crystal William Edward Crystal (born March 14, 1948)On page 17 of his book ''700 Sundays'', Crystal displays his birth announcement, which gives his first two names as "William Edward", not "William Jacob" is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. ...

Chazz Palminteri Calogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri (born May 15, 1952)
Chazzpalminteri.net. Retrieved on November 19, 2013. is an American ...

, and

Lisa Kudrow Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( ; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She rose to fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004), which has since been named one of the greatest television cha ...

. TV appearances during the 1990s included ''

Murder She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' (1992), ''

Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Case ...

'' (1997), '' JAG'' and a recurring role in

ER (TV series) ''ER'' is an American medical drama television series created by novelist and physician Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, to April 2, 2009, with a total of 331 episodes spanning 15 seasons. It was produced by Consta ...

(1999). He portrayed a special agent in Kaplan's adaptation of

Truman Capote Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...

's psychological drama ''

In Cold Blood ''In Cold Blood'' is a non-fiction novel by American author Truman Capote, first published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas. Capote learned of the qua ...

'' (1996); the latter – a

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

set in 1950s America – co-stars

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

and

Eric Roberts Eric Anthony Roberts (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor. His career began with a leading role in ''King of the Gypsies'' (1978) for which he received his first Golden Globe Award nomination. He was nominated again at the Golden Globes fo ...

The 2000s saw Rossi in a variety of roles: having exhibited a natural talent for comedy in ''Analyze This'', he took a supporting role in the

Harald Zwart Harald Zwart (born 1 July 1965) is a Dutch-Norwegian film director. Life and career Although born in the Netherlands, Zwart was raised in Fredrikstad, Norway. By age eight, he had started making short films. He attended the Dutch Film Academy in ...

comedy ''One Night at McCool's'' (2001) in which he shared the screen with

Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination. Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...

Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AF ...

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the ABC comedy series '' Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he received a Golden Globe Award, an ...

, and

Liv Tyler Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress, producer, singer and former model. She began a modeling career at age 14. She later decided to focus on acting and made her film debut in ''Silent Fall'' (1994); she ...

; the same year he accepted a role in the mobster thriller ''

One Eyed King ''One Eyed King'' is an ensemble crime drama detailing the trials and tribulations of several characters living together in the same Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Starring Armand Assante, William Baldwin, Jim Breuer, Bruno Kirby, Chazz Palminteri, ...

'' (2001) co-starring with

Armand Assante Armand Anthony Assante Jr. (; born October 4, 1949) is an American actor. He played mobster John Gotti in the 1996 HBO television film '' Gotti'', Odysseus in the 1997 mini-series adaptation of Homer's ''The Odyssey'', Nietzsche in ''When Niet ...

William Baldwin William Joseph Baldwin (born February 21, 1963), Note: While birthplace is routinely listed as Massapequa, that town has no hospital, and brother Alec Baldwin was born in nearby Amityville, which does. known also as Billy Baldwin,is an America ...

Bruno Kirby Bruno Kirby (born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu Jr.; April 28, 1949 – August 14, 2006) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in ''City Slickers'', '' When Harry Met Sally...'', ''Good Morning, Vietnam'', ''The Godfather Part II'', and ' ...

, and Chazz Palminteri. Next came a supporting role in the experimental drama ''

The Business of Fancydancing ''The Business of Fancydancing'' is a 2002 film written and directed by Sherman Alexie. It is loosely based on his 1992 book of the same name, a collection of stories and poems. Plot The film explores the tension between two Spokane men who grew ...

'' (2002) and a part in '' Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' (2003) alongside a talented and extensive cast that includes

Timothy Dalton Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett (; born 21 March 1946) is a British actor. Beginning his career on stage, he made his film debut as Philip II of France in the 1968 historical drama ''The Lion in Winter''. He gained international prominence as ...

Brendan Fraser Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor known for his leading roles in blockbusters, comedies, and dramatic films. Having graduated from the Cornish College of the Arts in 1990, he made his film debut in '' ...

Heather Locklear Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...

, and

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominated ...

; ''Looney Tunes'' is a live action-animation comedy directed by

Joe Dante Joseph James Dante Jr. (; born November 28, 1946) is an American film director, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably ''Gremlins'' (1984) alongside its sequel, '' Gremlins 2: The New Batch'' (1990)—often mix 1950s-style B movies wit ...

. Rossi then both produced and starred in the thriller ''10th & Wolf'' (2006) in which he plays an

FBI Agent The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

partnered with

Brian Dennehy Brian Manion Dennehy (; July 9, 1938 – April 15, 2020) was an American actor of stage, television, and film. He won two Tony Awards, an Olivier Award, and a Golden Globe, and received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Dennehy had roles in ...

; the two agents attempt to infiltrate – and bring down – a

Sicilian Mafia The Sicilian Mafia, also simply known as the Mafia and frequently referred to as Cosa nostra (, ; "our thing") by its members, is an Italian Mafia-terrorist-type organized crime syndicate and criminal society originating in the region of Sicily a ...

family business. ''10th & Wolf'' is loosely based upon the real-life

Philadelphia crime family The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Philadelphia Mafia, the Philly Mob or Philly Mafia, the Philadelphia-South Jersey Mafia, or Bruno-Scarfo family is an Italian-American Mafia family based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed and ...

mafia war in the 1990s; other cast members include Dennis Hopper,

Val Kilmer Val Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer found fame after appearances in comedy films, starting with ''Top Secret!'' (1984) and ''Real Genius'' (1985), as well as the military action film ...

James Marsden James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor, singer, and former model. Marsden began his acting career guest starring in the television shows '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class'' (1993), '' Touched by an Angel'' (1995), ' ...

Brad Renfro Brad Barron Renfro (July 25, 1982 – January 15, 2008) was an American actor. He made his film debut at the age of 11 with a starring role in ''The Client'' (1994). He went on to appear in 21 feature films and won several awards. Prior to bein ...

Giovanni Ribisi Antonino Giovanni Ribisi (; born December 17, 1974) is an American actor known for his starring roles in the TV series ''Sneaky Pete'' and the films ''Avatar'' (2009), '' Lost in Translation'' (2003), ''Ted'' (2012) and its sequel ''Ted 2'' (201 ...

, and

Lesley Ann Warren Lesley Ann Warren (born August 16, 1946) is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in 1963, aged 17, in '' 110 in the Shade''. In 1965 she received wide recognition for playing the title role in the television musical prod ...

. In TV, Rossi starred in another drama based on the life of

Joseph D. Pistone Joseph Dominick Pistone (born September 17, 1939), is an American former FBI agent who worked undercover as Donnie Brasco between September 1976 and July 1981, as part of an infiltration primarily into the Bonanno crime family, and to a lesser ...

: '' Falcone'' (2000); the show aired on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

and also featured performances by

Amy Carlson Amy Lynn Carlson (born July 7, 1968) is an American actress known for her roles as Linda Reagan in the CBS police procedural '' Blue Bloods,'' as Alex Taylor on the NBC drama ''Third Watch'', and Josie Watts in the NBC daytime soap opera ''Ano ...

Jason Gedrick Jason Michael Gedrick (born February 7, 1965) is an American actor best known for his work on the television series '' Murder One'' and ''Boomtown'', and the motion picture ''Iron Eagle'' as Doug Masters. Early life Jason Michael Gedroic was b ...

, and

; it is based on the book '' Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia'' by Pistone and Richard Woodley. He also appeared in ''

Judging Amy ''Judging Amy'' is an American legal drama television series that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character (Brenneman) is a judge who serves in a ...

'' (2001) and ''

Without a Trace ''Without a Trace'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Hank Steinberg that aired on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009 with the total of seven seasons and 160 episodes. The series focuses the cases of ...

'' (2006).

Filmography

Films

*''Alias Big Cherry'' (1975) – 'Big Cherry' *''

Mr. Billion ''Mr. Billion'' is a 1977 action comedy/action-adventure film directed by Jonathan Kaplan. It is notable as the Hollywood debut of Terence Hill. It's also the last film of actor William Redfield, who died before its release. Plot After billion ...

'' (1977) – Italian Kidnapper *''

Grand Theft Auto ''Grand Theft Auto'' (''GTA'') is a series of action-adventure games created by David Jones (video game developer), David Jones and Mike Dailly (game designer), Mike Dailly. Later titles were developed under the oversight of brothers Dan Hous ...

'' (1977) – Vegas Muscle Chief *'' The Pirate'' (1978) TV Movie – Shadin *''

Circle of Power ''Circle of Power'', also known as ''Mystique'', ''Brainwash'' and ''The Naked Weekend'', is a 1981 film, co-produced by Gary Mehlman, Anthony Quinn and Jeffrey White, and based on the non-fiction book '' The Pit: A Group Encounter Defiled''. It ...

'' (1983) – Chris Morris *'' Halloween II'' (1981) – Budd Scarlotti *''

'' (1983) – Jack Muldowney *''

Kids Don't Tell ''Kids Don't Tell'' is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film about child molestation starring Michael Ontkean and JoBeth Williams. The docudrama, which was directed by Oscar-nominated film editor Sam O'Steen ('' Chinatown'', '' Postcard ...

'' (1985, TV Movie) – Detective Rastelli *''

'' (1986) – Jim *'' Black Widow'' (1987) – Detective Ricci *''

Russkies ''Russkies'' is a 1987 American comedy-drama film starring Whip Hubley and Leaf Phoenix, directed by Rick Rosenthal with cinematography by Reed Smoot. Plot A few nights before Independence Day, three 12-year old military brats (Danny, Adam, ...

'' (1987) – Keefer *''

Leonard Part 6 ''Leonard Part 6'' (also known as ''Leonard Part VI'') is a 1987 American spy parody film. It was directed by Paul Weiland and starred Bill Cosby, who also produced the film and wrote its story. The film also starred Gloria Foster as the vill ...

'' (1987) – Chef *''Out of Time'' (1988, TV Movie) – Hawkins *''

'' (1988) – Cliff 'Scorpion' Albrect *''

Maniac Cop ''Maniac Cop'' is a 1988 American action slasher film directed by William Lustig, written by Larry Cohen, and starring Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon, Richard Roundtree, William Smith, Robert Z'Dar, and Sheree North. Z'Dar plays th ...

'' (1988) – Mayor's Chief of Staff (uncredited) *'' Hit List'' (1989) – Frank DeSalvo *''

'' (1989) – Sam Dietz *''

'' (1990) – Steven Turkell *''

Too Much Sun ''Too Much Sun'' is a 1990 American comedy film directed by Robert Downey Sr. and starring Robert Downey Jr., Eric Idle, Andrea Martin, Allan Arbus, Ralph Macchio and Howard Duff. It was filmed in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, California, USA. ...

'' (1990) – George *''

'' (1991) – Sam Potter *''

'' (1992) – Mr. Burtis *''

We're Talkin' Serious Money ''We're Talkin' Serious Money (1992)'', also known as ''Serious Money'', is an action comedy film directed by James Lemmo. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Leo Rossi, who also stars in the film. Cinematography by Jacques Haitkin. It also stars ...

'' (1992) – Charlie *'' Dead On: Relentless II'' (1992) – Sam Dietz *'' Casualties of Love: The "Long Island Lolita" Story'' (1993, TV Movie) – Bobby Buttafuoco *''

Relentless 3 ''Relentless 3'' is a 1993 crime thriller film written and directed by James Lemmo. The tagline for the film was: "''When the fear stops...you're dead!''" ''Relentless 3'' was filmed in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is the third installment in ...

'' (1993) – Sam Dietz *''Rave Review'' (1994) – Brian *''

Fast Getaway II ''Fast Getaway II'' is a 1994 direct-to-video action comedy/ adventure film, starring Corey Haim, Cynthia Rothrock and Leo Rossi. The film is a sequel to the popular ''Fast Getaway'', released in 1991. Plot Nelson Potter, now retired from bank r ...

'' (1994) – Sam Potter *'' Runaway Daughters'' (1994) – Deputy 2 *'' Raw Justice'' aka ''Good Cop Bad Cop'' (1994) – Lieutenant David Atkins *''Reform School Girl'' (1994, TV Movie) – Disc Jockey *'' Relentless IV: Ashes to Ashes'' (1994) – Detective Sam Dietz *''The Misery Brothers'' (1995) – Michael Misery *''Mutant Species'' (1995) – Hollinger *''Felony'' (1995) – Detective Kincade *''

'' (1995) – Street Preacher (Uncredited) *'' In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King'' (1995) – Moran *''

Beyond Desire ''Beyond Desire'' is a 1995 American action thriller film directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard, written by Dale Trevillion, and starring William Forsythe and Kari Wuhrer. It was released direct-to-video, first in Germany on July 13, 1995, follo ...

'' (1995) – Frank Zulla *''

The Assault ''The Assault'' (original title in Dutch language, Dutch: ''De aanslag'') is a 1982 novel by Netherlands, Dutch author Harry Mulisch. Random House published an English translation by Claire Nicolas White in 1985. It covers 35 years in the life o ...

'' (1996) – Zigowski *''Wedding Bell Blues'' (1996) – Robert *''True Friends'' (1998) – Carmine *''Unconditional Love'' (1999) – Martin Ward *''

'' (1999) – Carlo Mangano *''

The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human ''The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human'' is a 1999 American mockumentary directed and written by Jeff Abugov, and starring David Hyde Pierce, Carmen Electra, Lucy Liu, and Mackenzie Astin. Premise Hyde Pierce, acting out the role of an ali ...

'' (1999) – Mr. Smith *''Fashionably L.A.'' (1999) – Acting Teacher *''Fatal Conflict'' (2000) – Conrad Nash *''Crackerjack 3'' (2000) – Ricky Santeria-Ramos *''Separate Ways'' (2001) *''Road to Redemption'' (2001) – 'Sully' Santoro *''Sticks'' (2001) – 'Domino' *'' One Night at McCool's'' (2001) – Joey Dinardo *''

'' (2001) – Joe 'Big Joe' Thomas *''The Syndicate'' (2002) Short Film – Mr. Gianelli *''Four Deadly Reasons'' (2002) – Otto *''

'' (2002) – Mr. Williams *''Deranged'' (2002) – Artie *'' Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' (2003) – Acme Vice President, Climbing to the Top *''The Last Letter'' (2004) – Judge *''Mafioso: The Father, the Son'' (2004) – Vito Lupo *'' Shut Up and Kiss Me'' (2004) – Mario *''Back by Midnight'' (2004) – 'Rusty' *''Diamond Zero'' (2005) – Augustine Garza *''All In'' (2006) – Dr. Hamilton *'' 10th & Wolf'' (2006) – Agent Thornton *'' A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper'' (2007) – Officer Harold *''The Nail: Joey Nardone Story'' (2009) – Petey *''PriMates'' (2010) – Ray *''Sinatra Club'' (2010) – Castellano *'' Exodus Fall'' (2011) – Ford Ashworth *''The Unlikely's'' (2012) – Gerald Maxwell *''The Independents'' (2013) – ''David The Barber *
Fragments from Olympus: The Vision of Nikola Tesla
' (2013) – Henry *''On Painted Wings'' (2014) – The Boss *'' Gotti'' (2018) – Bobby Boriello

TV appearances

*''

'' – ''Domestic Beef'' – Season 3, episode 2 (1982) – ''Jon Gennaro'' *''

'' – ''Heat Rash'' – Season 3, episode 3 (1982) – ''Jon Gennaro'' *''

'' – ''Rain of Terror'' – Season 3, episode 4 (1982) – ''Jon Gennaro'' *''

T.J. Hooker ''T. J. Hooker'' is an American police drama television program starring William Shatner in the title role as a 15-year veteran police sergeant. The series premiered as a mid-season replacement on March 13, 1982, on ABC and ran on the network un ...

'' – ''Lady in Blue'' – Season 2, episode 22 (1983) – ''Joe Tate'' *''

Mike Hammer, Private Eye ''Mike Hammer, Private Eye'' is an American syndicated television program based on the adventures of the fictitious private detective Mike Hammer, created by novelist Mickey Spillane. Like the previous series, it was produced by Jay Bernstein bu ...

'' – ''Satan, Cyanide and Murder'' – Season 1, episode 10 (1984) *'' Partners in Crime'' – Season 1, episodes 1–13 (1984) – ''Lieutenant Ed Vronsky'' *''

Cagney & Lacey ''Cagney & Lacey'' is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very dif ...

'' – ''Victimless Crime'' – Season 3, episode 3 (1984) – ''Moslovsky'' *''

ABC Afterschool Specials ''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controver ...

'' – ''One Too Many'' – Season 13, episode 7 (1985) – ''Mr. Jenkins *''

Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

'' – ''Case X'' – Season 2, episode 1 (1985) – ''Tony Cochran'' *

's ''

'' – ''Mr. Magic'' – Season 1, episode 8 (1985) – ''Murray'' *''

Hardcastle and McCormick ''Hardcastle and McCormick'' is an American action crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 18, 1983, through May 5, 1986. The series stars Brian Keith as Judge Milton C. Hardcastle and Daniel Hugh Kelly as ex-con and race ...

'' – ''In the Eye of the Beholder'' – Season 3, episode 20 (1986) – ''Marvin'' *''

'' – ''Into the Night'' – Season 5, episode 17 (1986) – ''Salvatore Martel'' *''

'' – ''Role Call'' – Season 6, episode 5 (1986) – ''Public Relations Man'' *''

Stingray Stingrays are a group of sea rays, which are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray), Plesiobatidae ( ...

'' – ''Anytime, Anywhere'' – Season 2, episode 13 (1987) – ''Johnny'' *''

CBS Summer Playhouse ''CBS Summer Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that ran from June 12, 1987 to August 22, 1989 on CBS. It aired unsold television pilots during the summer season. Overview Tim Reid and Daphne Maxwell Reid acted as hosts during the first ...

'' – ''Reno and Yolanda'' – Season 1, episode 13 (1987) – ''Ricky Barron'' *''

A Year in the Life ''A Year in the Life'' is an American dramatic series that ran on NBC from September 16, 1987 to April 13, 1988, during the 1987–1988 television season, created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey. The series began as a three-part miniseries whi ...

'' – ''Goodbye to All That'' – Season 1, episode 15 (1988) – ''Mel'' *''

The Bronx Zoo The Bronx Zoo (also historically the Bronx Zoological Park and the Bronx Zoological Gardens) is a zoo within Bronx Park in the Bronx, New York. It is one of the largest zoos in the United States by area and is the largest metropolitan zoo in ...

'' – ''Career Day'' – Season 2, episode 5 (1988) – ''Tauber'' *''

Simon & Simon ''Simon & Simon'' is an American crime drama television series that originally ran from November 24, 1981, to September 16, 1989. The series was broadcast on CBS, and starred Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker as two disparate brothers who operate ...

'' – ''Simon & Simon and Associates'' – Season 8, episode 2 (1988) – ''Al Krantz'' *''

'' – ''Slippin' Into Darkness'' – Season 3, episode 2 – (1988)- ''Sergeant Walker'' *''

'' – ''Saigon: Part 1'' – Season 2, episode 1 (1989) – ''Jake Bridger'' *''

'' – ''Saigon: Part 2'' – Season 2, episode 2 (1989) – ''Jake Bridger'' *''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' – ''Murder on Madison Avenue'' – Season 8, episode 22 (1992) – ''Lieutenant Hornbeck'' *'' Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' – ''The Impossible Mission Episode'' – Season 1, episode 11 (1996) – ''Shelley'' *''

'' (miniseries) (1996) – ''Agent Harold Nye'' *''

'' – ''Liar! Liar!'' – Season 4, episode 10 (1997) *''

Early Edition ''Early Edition'' is an American fantasy comedy-drama television series that aired on CBS from September 28, 1996, to May 27, 2000. Set in Chicago, Illinois, it follows the adventures of a man who mysteriously receives each ''Chicago Sun-Times'' ...

'' – ''Mob Wife'' – Season 1, episode 13 (1997) – ''Frank Pirelli *'' JAG'' – ''Dungaree Justice'' – Season 4, episode 12 (1999) – ''Peter Reardon'' *'' Sons of Thunder'' – ''Lost & Found'' – Season 1, episode 4 (1999) – ''Anthony Cardone'' *'' ER'' – ''Humpty Dumpty'' – Season 6, episode 7 (1999) – ''Detective Cruson'' *'' ER'' – ''Family Matters'' – Season 6, episode 10 (2000) – ''Detective Cruson'' *'' Falcone'' – ''Pilot'' – Season 1, episode 1 (2000) – ''Noah Dietrich'' *'' Falcone'' – ''Double Exposure'' – Season 1, episode 4 (2000) – ''Noah Dietrich'' *'' Falcone'' – ''But Not Forgotten'' – Season 1, episode 7 (2000) – ''Noah Dietrich'' *'' Falcone'' – ''Paying the Piper'' – Season 1, episode 9 (2000) – ''Noah Dietrich'' *''

'' – ''Rights of Passage'' – Season 3, episode 8 (2001) – ''Mr. Schmeltzer'' *''

'' – ''Candy'' – Season 5, episode 2 (2006) – ''Leo''

Writer

*''We're Talking Serious'' (1992) – ''Writer'' (also Charlie) *''Mafioso: The Father, the Son'' (2004) – ''Writer'' (also Vito Lupo) *'' Gotti'' (2017) – ''Writer'' (also Bobby Boriello)

Producer

*''We're Talkin' Serious'' (1992) – ''Co-Producer'' *''

'' (1993) – ''Co-Producer'' *'' Relentless IV: Ashes to Ashes'' (1994) – ''Co-Producer'' *'' 10th & Wolf'' (2006) – ''Producer'' *''The Nail: The Story of Joey Nordone'' (2009) – ''Producer'' *''PriMates'' (2010) – ''Co-Producer''

Music department

*'' Project X'' (1987) – ''Vocalizations''

Self

*''Actors Entertainment'' (TV series), episode ''ActorsE Chat with Joe Sabatino and Leo Rossi'' (2009) *''Actors Reporters Interviews'' (TV Series), episode ''Exclusive Interviews with Working Actors Peter Onorati, Leo Rossi, James Quattrochi, Joe Sabatino'' (2009) *''The Nightmare Isn't Over: The Making of Halloween II'' (2012) Rossi, Leo, Internet Movie Database ccessedMay 1, 2012

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *Production Company: (http://www.eastmanrossi.com/) {{DEFAULTSORT:Rossi, Leo Living people American male film actors American male television actors Actors from Trenton, New Jersey American people of Italian descent Male actors from New Jersey 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors 1946 births Writers from Trenton, New Jersey