Vincent Spano
Encyclopedia
Vincent M. Spano is an American
stage, film and television actor, and film director
and producer
. He received a Cable Ace Award nomination in 1988 for his role as Mark Ciuni in Il cugino americano.
parents. His career started when he was 14-years-old, originally as "Vincent Stewart" because his first agnet felt the name was "too ethnic", and he was instructed to even sign autographs be that stage name
. At age 16, and in respecting his Italian
heritage, Spano stopped using the stage name and has remained "Spano" ever since.
In 1976, he made his stage debut in a production of The Shadow Box
at the Long Wharf Theatre
on Broadway
. His film debut was in The Double McGuffin
(1979).
's Baby, It's You
and City of Hope
, Francis Ford Coppola
's Rumble Fish
, Alive: The Miracle of the Andes, The Rats
, Over the Edge-1979
and Creator
In the 1983 film The Black Stallion Returns
, he played a handsome, young, Arabic rider, Raj, that returns home from university to compete in a major horse race and befriends an American boy, Alec Ramsey (played by Kelly Reno
) along the way. He also starred in the Italian
film Good Morning Babylon
written and directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, and the 1984 film Alphabet City
. He has co-starred with Dylan and Cole Sprouse
in A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper
. He was most recently seen on ION network opposite Lou Diamond Phillips
in Lone Rider
. But mostly as his recurring role of FBI Agent Dean Porter on the NBC drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
since the 8th season.
He starred in the 2004 TV film "Landslide (Buried Alive)" as a fireman trapped in a collapsed building with his son. He has also appeared in Italian
projects such as the television series L'onore e il Rispetto - Parte seconda (2009) in the role of the mafia boss "Rodolfo di Venanzio", and the film Caldo Criminale as Police Inspector Lai.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage, film and television actor, and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. He received a Cable Ace Award nomination in 1988 for his role as Mark Ciuni in Il cugino americano.
Backround
Spano was born in Brooklyn, New York to Italian AmericanItalian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
parents. His career started when he was 14-years-old, originally as "Vincent Stewart" because his first agnet felt the name was "too ethnic", and he was instructed to even sign autographs be that stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
. At age 16, and in respecting his Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
heritage, Spano stopped using the stage name and has remained "Spano" ever since.
In 1976, he made his stage debut in a production of The Shadow Box
The Shadow Box
The Shadow Box is a play written by actor Michael Cristofer. The play made its Broadway debut on March 31, 1977. The original cast included Simon Oakland as Joe, Laurence Luckinbill as Brian, Mandy Patinkin as Mark, Geraldine Fitzgerald as Felicity, and Vincent Spano as Steve.-Plot synopsis:The...
at the Long Wharf Theatre
Long Wharf Theatre
Long Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared....
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. His film debut was in The Double McGuffin
The Double McGuffin
The Double McGuffin is a 1979 children's film directed by Joe Camp. It starred Ernest Borgnine and George Kennedy, alongside a group of young actors, some of whom later became quite famous, including Lisa Whelchel, who would go on to star in the sitcom The Facts of Life. Elke Sommer and NFL stars...
(1979).
Career
Spano subsequently appeared in many Hollywood films, including John SaylesJohn Sayles
John Thomas Sayles is an American independent film director, screenwriter and author.-Early life:Sayles was born in Schenectady, New York, the son of Mary , a teacher, and Donald John Sayles, a school administrator. He was raised Catholic and took to labeling himself "a Catholic atheist"...
's Baby, It's You
Baby It's You (film)
Baby It's You is an American film released in 1983 written and directed by John Sayles. It stars Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano.This was Sayles' first film for a major Hollywood studio...
and City of Hope
City of Hope (film)
City of Hope is an American drama film written and directed by John Sayles.The film features Vincent Spano, Stephen Mendillo and Chris Cooper....
, Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
's Rumble Fish
Rumble Fish
Rumble Fish is a 1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the novel Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay....
, Alive: The Miracle of the Andes, The Rats
The Rats (film)
The Rats is a 2002 horror film directed by John Lafia. It is about a clan of rats transformed into man-eating killers as of part of a DNA research test who overtake a Manhattan department store and threaten to overrun New York City...
, Over the Edge-1979
Over the Edge (film)
Over the Edge is a drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan released in 1979. Due to the negative publicity surrounding a wave of recent youth gang films, Over the Edge had a limited theatrical release in late 1979...
and Creator
Creator (film)
Creator is a 1985 film directed by Ivan Passer, starring Peter O'Toole, Vincent Spano, Mariel Hemingway, and Virginia Madsen. It is based on a book of the same title by Jeremy Leven.-Plot:...
In the 1983 film The Black Stallion Returns
The Black Stallion Returns
The Black Stallion Returns is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to The Black Stallion. It is directed by Robert Dalva and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie stars Kelly Reno, Vincent Spano and Teri Garr...
, he played a handsome, young, Arabic rider, Raj, that returns home from university to compete in a major horse race and befriends an American boy, Alec Ramsey (played by Kelly Reno
Kelly Reno
Kelly Reno, born to cattle ranchers in Pueblo, Colorado is a former juvenile actor who was cast in the role of Alec Ramsey, the young boy who is marooned on a deserted island along with a horse, in The Black Stallion at age 13.Reno also appeared in the 1983 film adaptation of The Black Stallion...
) along the way. He also starred in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
film Good Morning Babylon
Good morning babylon
Good Morning, Babylon is an Italian film directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani in 1987. It was screened out of competition at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Vincent Spano - Nicola Bonnano* Joaquim de Almeida - Andrea Bonnano...
written and directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, and the 1984 film Alphabet City
Alphabet City (film)
Alphabet City is a 1984 crime drama film directed by Amos Poe. The story follows a young gangster of Italian descent named Johnny, who has been given control over his own neighborhood by the Mob. Then unknown actors Vincent Spano , Jami Gertz, and Michael Winslow give compelling performances in...
. He has co-starred with Dylan and Cole Sprouse
Dylan and Cole Sprouse
Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse are American actors. They are twins and are collectively referred to as Dylan and Cole Sprouse or the Sprouse Bros. Their first prominent major theatrical film role was in Big Daddy, where they starred alongside Adam Sandler...
in A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper
A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper
A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper, also known as The Prince and the Pauper: The Movie or simply The Prince and the Pauper, is a 2007 film directed by James Quattrochi and starring Dylan and Cole Sprouse, based on the novel by Mark Twain.The film had a 'sneak peek' showing in Temecula,...
. He was most recently seen on ION network opposite Lou Diamond Phillips
Lou Diamond Phillips
Lou Diamond Phillips is an American film, television, and stage actor and director. His breakthrough came when he starred in the film La Bamba. He earned a supporting actor Golden Globe Award nomination for his role in Stand and Deliver and a Tony Award nomination for his role in The King and I...
in Lone Rider
Lone Rider
Lone Rider is a 2008 made for television Western. It was directed by David S. Cass, Sr. and stars Lou Diamond Phillips and Stacy Keach.-Plot:...
. But mostly as his recurring role of FBI Agent Dean Porter on the NBC drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
since the 8th season.
He starred in the 2004 TV film "Landslide (Buried Alive)" as a fireman trapped in a collapsed building with his son. He has also appeared in Italian
Cinema of Italy
The history of Italian cinema began just a few months after the Lumière brothers had patented their Cinematographe, when Pope Leo XIII was filmed for a few seconds in the act of blessing the camera.-Early years:...
projects such as the television series L'onore e il Rispetto - Parte seconda (2009) in the role of the mafia boss "Rodolfo di Venanzio", and the film Caldo Criminale as Police Inspector Lai.
Filmography
A prolific actor, Spano has starred in numerous televison series episodes, television movies, and theatrical films.Television
- Search for TomorrowSearch for TomorrowSearch for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
" (1979) as Jackie Peterson - The Gentleman Bandit (1981) as Angel Perez
- Senior Trip (1981) as Dick
- AfterburnAfterburnAfterburn may refer to:* Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, the burning of calories after vigorous exercise* Afterburn is a psychological term used during the application of psychotherapy* Afterburn , a film starring Laura Dern...
(1992) as Ted Harduvel - Environmental Media AwardsEnvironmental Media AwardsThe Environmental Media Awards have been awarded by the Environmental Media Association since 1991 to the best television episode or film with an environmental message....
(1993) as Himself - Tales from the CryptTales from the CryptTales from the Crypt may refer to:* Tales from the Crypt , a comic book published by EC Comics during the 1950s** Tales from the Crypt , a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Richardson partially based on the comic book...
(1 episode, 1993) as Officer Fine - Downdraft (1996) as Jack
- Prince Street (6 episodes, 1997-2000) as Det. Alex Gage
- The Deadly Look of Love as Brett Becker
- Jennifer (2001) as Jack
- The RatsThe RatsThe Rats were an American garage punk band from Portland, Oregon, formed by Fred Cole from the garage rock band The Lollipop Shoppe. Cole played guitar and sang, his wife Toody played bass and sang, and initially Rod Rat played drums. Their sound was a raw mix of punk rock and garage rock with...
(2002) as Jack Carver - Deathlands: Homeward BoundDeathlands: Homeward BoundDeathlands: Homeward Bound is a 2003 Sci Fi Channel television film based loosely on the Deathlands series of books. The film stars Vincent Spano and Traci Lords, and was directed by Joshua Butler.-Synopsis:...
(2003) as Ryan Cawdor - North ShoreNorth Shore (TV series)North Shore is an American prime-time soap opera that aired on Fox every Monday at 8 p.m. EST for seven months in 2004 and 2005...
(2 episodes, 2004) as Dan Ralston - Landslide (2005) as Mark Decker
- The Engagement Ring (2005) as Tony Di Cenzo
- Her Fatal Flaw (2006) as Robert Genaro
- Pandemic (2007) as Troy Whitlock
- Lone RiderLone RiderLone Rider is a 2008 made for television Western. It was directed by David S. Cass, Sr. and stars Lou Diamond Phillips and Stacy Keach.-Plot:...
(2008) as Stu Croker - Grave MisconductGrave MisconductGrave Misconduct is a 2008 thriller film directed by Armand Mastroianni, starring Fran Bennett and Crystal Bernard....
(2008) as Trent Dodson - Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
(5 episodes, 2006-2009) as FBI Agent Dean Porter - L'onore e il rispettoL'onore e il rispettoL'onore e il rispetto is an Italian television series....
(2006) as Rodolfo Di Venenzio - Caldo criminale (2010) as Ispettore Lai
- House M.D.(1 episode, 2011) as Tommy
Film
- The Double McGuffinThe Double McGuffinThe Double McGuffin is a 1979 children's film directed by Joe Camp. It starred Ernest Borgnine and George Kennedy, alongside a group of young actors, some of whom later became quite famous, including Lisa Whelchel, who would go on to star in the sitcom The Facts of Life. Elke Sommer and NFL stars...
(1979) as Foster - Over the EdgeOver the Edge-Film, radio, television, and theatre:* Over the Edge , a 1979 drama starring Matt Dillon* Over the Edge , a radio program created by Don Joyce of the experimental band Negativland...
(1979) as Mark - A Stranger Is WatchingA Stranger Is WatchingA Stranger Is Watching is a suspense novel by Mary Higgins Clark.-Plot summary:The main characters in the novel are Steve Peterson...
(1982) as Gas Thief - Baby It's YouBaby It's You"Baby It's You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach , and Luther Dixon and Mack David . It was recorded by The Shirelles and The Beatles, and became hits for both...
(1983) as Albert 'Sheik' Capadilupo - The Black Stallion ReturnsThe Black Stallion ReturnsThe Black Stallion Returns is a 1983 film adaptation of the book of the same name by Walter Farley, and is a sequel to The Black Stallion. It is directed by Robert Dalva and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The movie stars Kelly Reno, Vincent Spano and Teri Garr...
(1983) as Raj - Rumble FishRumble FishRumble Fish is a 1983 film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the novel Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay....
(1983) as Steve - Alphabet CityAlphabet CityAlphabet City may refer to:*Alphabet City, Manhattan, a neighborhood in New York City*Alphabet City , a 1987 album by the band ABC*Alphabet City , a 1984 crime drama film directed by Amos Poe...
(1984) as Johnny - Maria's Lovers (1984) as Al Griselli
- CreatorCreator (film)Creator is a 1985 film directed by Ivan Passer, starring Peter O'Toole, Vincent Spano, Mariel Hemingway, and Virginia Madsen. It is based on a book of the same title by Jeremy Leven.-Plot:...
(1985) as Boris Lafkin - Il cugino americano (1986) as Mark Ciuni
- Good Morning, Babylon (1987) as Nicola Bonnano
- High FrequencyHigh frequencyHigh frequency radio frequencies are between 3 and 30 MHz. Also known as the decameter band or decameter wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decameters . Frequencies immediately below HF are denoted Medium-frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Very high frequency...
(aka Qualcuno in ascolto) (1988) as Peter - Rouge Venise (1989) as Carlo Goldoni
- Heart of the Deal (1990) as Mitchell Bryce
- Oscar (1991) as Anthony Rossano
- City of HopeCity of Hope (film)City of Hope is an American drama film written and directed by John Sayles.The film features Vincent Spano, Stephen Mendillo and Chris Cooper....
(1991) as Nick Rinaldi - Alive (1993) as Antonio Balbi
- Indian Summer (1993) as Matthew Berman
- The AscentThe AscentThe Ascent , is a 1977 black-and-white Soviet war film directed by Larisa Shepitko and made at Mosfilm. It was Shepitko's last film before her death in a car accident in 1979...
(1994) as Franco Distassi - The Tie That BindsThe Tie That BindsKent Haruf's [pronounced to rhyme with "sheriff"] novel The Tie That Binds , is the fictitious story of 80 year-old Edith Goodnough of Holt County, Colorado, as told to an unnamed inquirer on a Sunday afternoon in the spring of 1977 by her 50 year-old neighbour, a farmer called Sanders Roscoe...
(1995) as Russell Clifton - No Strings AttachedNo Strings AttachedNo Strings Attached is the second studio album by American boy band 'N Sync, released by Jive Records on March 21, 2000. The album title is a play on the idea of independence from corporate control, with reference to the band's new-found freedom from their former management, Trans Continental...
(1997) as Marc Demetrius - The Christmas Path (1998) as Angel
- A Brooklyn State of Mind (1998) as Al Stanco
- The Unknown Cyclist (1998) as Frank Cavatelli
- Goosed (1999) as Steven Binder
- Texas RangersTexas Rangers (film)Texas Rangers is a 2001 drama/western film directed by Steve Miner. It is about a group of Texas Rangers set in the post-American Civil War era, rated PG-13.- Plot :...
(2001) as Ed Simms - Silence (2003) as Det. Steve Banks
- NevermoreNevermoreNevermore is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1991, they are known to incorporate elements from styles such as thrash, power, progressive, and neo-classical metal into their songs, and also makes use of acoustic guitars and a wide range of vocal styles.-Early years...
(2007) as Devin Bayliss - A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the PauperA Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the PauperA Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper, also known as The Prince and the Pauper: The Movie or simply The Prince and the Pauper, is a 2007 film directed by James Quattrochi and starring Dylan and Cole Sprouse, based on the novel by Mark Twain.The film had a 'sneak peek' showing in Temecula,...
(2007) as Miles - Fatal Secrets (2009) as Scott
- Dante's Inferno: Abandon All Hope (2010) as Speaker: 7th Circle - The Murderers
- Dante's Inferno AnimatedDante's Inferno AnimatedDante's Inferno Animated is a 2D animation film produced and directed by Boris Acosta. The story is based on the first part of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy - Inferno.-Plot:This film has two versions, narrated in English and recited in Italian...
(2011) as Virgil (voice) - Dante's Inferno Documented (2012) as Speaker, Virgil
- Dante's Purgatorio Documented (2013) as Virgil