by Mark Askeda

Created on: November 23, 2011   Last Updated: November 27, 2011

Joe Pesci is an acclaimed American actor that specializes in portraying psychopathic, violent mobsters or quirky comedic characters.  He commonly works with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorcese in their mobster movies.  Despite being only 5 feet 5 inches tall, he frequently plays the tough guy, mobster enforcer in mafia movies.  He is also a comedian and musician.  Pesci won an Oscar Award for his role in “Goodfellas”.  He also won an American Comedy Award for his role in “My Cousin Vinnie”.  He was nominated many times for various other awards.  Below are some of his finest films.

“The Raging Bull”.  This 1980 boxing movie is one of the finest fight movies ever made.  It is also one of the first times that Pesci worked with Robert De Niro.  Pesci portrayed Joey LaMotta, the brother and fight manger of Jake Lamotta.

“Once Upon a Time in America”.  One of Pesci’s early mob movies, he portrays Frankie Minaldi, a low level Jewish mobster.  This film traced the 30 year history of the main characters.

“Lethal Weapon 2”.  Pesci plays a comedic role as Leo Getz, an accountant for a drug kingpin.  His quirky role is opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, who play police officers charged with guarding Getz.  Pesci reprised his role as Getz in 2 sequels, “Lethal Weapons 3 and 4”.

“Goodfellas”.  In perhaps, Pesci’s finest role, he plays unpredictable and psychotic gangster, Tommy DeVito.  Everyone feared this low level mobster.

“Home Alone”.  Pesci plays burglar Harry Lyme.  Lyme and his partner desperately want to break into a wealthy suburban home that is defended only by a small child.  The child continually outsmarts the outmatched burglars.  Pesci also portrayed Lyme in the sequel, “Home Alone 2”.

“The Super”.  Pesci plays slumlord Louie Kristki who must live in one of his slums until he gets it up to code.

“My Cousin Vinny”.  Pesci plays Vince Gambini, a recent law school graduate.  In this comedy, an inexperienced attorney must defend a couple wrongly accused of murder in the deep South.

“Casino”.  In another mobster role opposite Robert De Niro, Pesci plays Nicky Santoro.  He works for the mob as the in house muscle for a Casino owned by the mafia.  As is common in his mob movies, Pesci’s character is killed by his bosses for his irrational behavior.

Pesci is one of the most recognizable actors of his time.  His portrayal of mobsters in various Mafia movies are all highly entertaining.  Joe Pesci is currently retired from acting, and only sporadically works.  Occasionally, he can be seen in a cameo or a television advertisement.  Pesci is currently divorced from his wife, Claudia Haro.  He has one daughter, Tiffany.  Pesci is also involved in various charitable ventures.

Learn more about this author, Mark Askeda.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.