Vincent M. Spano Jr. (born October 18, 1962) is an American film, stage and television actor; he is also a film director and producer.

Early life

Spano was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York to Italian-American parents Vincent Sr. and Theresa.

Career

His career started when he was 14 years old in the Broadway drama ''

The Shadow Box ''The Shadow Box'' is a play written by actor Michael Cristofer. The play made its Broadway debut on March 31, 1977. It is the winner of the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. The play was made into a telefilm, directed ...

''."'The Shadow Box', 1977 listing"
InternetBroadwayDatabase, accessed November 24, 2011 He was originally credited as Vincent Stewart because his first agent felt the name Spano was "too ethnic", and he was even instructed to sign autographs using that stage name. At age 16, in respect for his Italian heritage, Spano began using his real name and has done so ever since then. His debut in ''

'' was in 1977, first at the

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. Fou ...

in New Haven, Connecticut and later on Broadway in New York City. Spano's film debut was at the age of 15 in the mystery ''

The Double McGuffin ''The Double McGuffin'' is a 1979 American mystery film written and directed by Joe Camp. The film stars Ernest Borgnine and George Kennedy. Elke Sommer and NFL stars Ed 'Too Tall' Jones and Lyle Alzado also appear in smaller roles. The film al ...

'', shot in the winter of 1978. Following ''The Double McGuffin'', he shot ''Over the Edge'' in the summer of 1978. Spano subsequently appeared in many Hollywood films, including the romantic-comedy '' Baby, It's You'' (1983), the drama '' City of Hope'' (1991), the drama ''

Rumble Fish ''Rumble Fish'' is a 1983 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the 1975 novel '' Rumble Fish'' by S. E. Hinton, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. The film stars Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Vincent Spa ...

'' (1983), the biographical survival drama ''

Alive Alive may refer to: *Life Books, comics and periodicals * ''Alive'' (novel), a 2015 novel by Scott Sigler * '' Alive: The Final Evolution'', a 2003 shonen manga by Tadashi Kawashima and Adachitoka * '' Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors'', ...

'' (1993), the horror television film '' The Rats'' (2002), the drama '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and the comedy '' Creator'' (1985). In the adventure film ''

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 the only film directed by Robert Dalva. It was produced by Francis Ford Coppola for MGM/UA ...

'' (1983), Spano appeared as a handsome, young, Arabic rider named Raj, who returns home from university to compete in a major horse race and befriends an American boy, Alec Ramsey (

Kelly Reno Kelly Reno (born June 19, 1966) is a former child actor, rancher, and trucker. At age 11, he was cast in the role of Alec Ramsey, the young boy who is marooned on a deserted island along with an Arabian horse, in '' The Black Stallion'' (based on ...

). He also appeared in the Italian drama film '' Good Morning, Babylon'' (1987), and the crime drama film ''

Alphabet City Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names. It is bounded by Houston St ...

'' (1984). He received a

Cable Ace Award The CableACE Award (earlier known as the ACE Awards; ACE was an acronym for "Award for Cable Excellence") is a defunct award that was given by what was then the National Cable Television Association from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in Ame ...

nomination in 1988 for his role as Mark Ciuni in '' Blood Ties ''(also known as ''Il cugino americano'')''.'' He co-starred with

Dylan and Cole Sprouse Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) are American actors. They are twins and are sometimes referred to as the Sprouse brothers or Sprouse Bros. Their first major theatrical film role was in the 1999 comedy '' B ...

in the comedy film '' A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper'' (2007). He appeared on

ION Television Ion Television is an American broadcast television network owned by the Katz Broadcasting subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company. The network first began broadcasting on August 31, 1998, as Pax TV, focusing primarily on family-oriented en ...

with

Lou Diamond Phillips Louis Diamond Phillips ( born Upchurch; February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For ''Stand and Deliver'' (19 ...

in the Western television film '' Lone Rider'' (2008). Spano had a recurring role as FBI Agent Dean Porter on the television series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' since its eighth season in 2006. In the fantasy horror-thriller film '' The Prophecy 3: The Ascent'' (2000), he appeared as Zophael, a handsome angel that was after a young man named Danyeal. Spano starred in the television movie '' Landslide'' (also known as ''Buried Alive'', 2005) as a fireman trapped in a collapsed building with his son. He has also appeared in Italian projects, including the drama television series ''

L'onore e il rispetto ''L'onore e il Rispetto'' is an Italian crime drama broadcast on Canale 5. It is composed of four seasons of six episodes each: the first aired in 2006, the second in 2009 and the third in 2012. The fourth season, initially scheduled for the fi ...

Parte seconda'' (2009) in the role of the mafia boss Rodolfo di Venanzio, and the film ''Caldo Criminale'' (2010) as Police Inspector Lai. He appeared in Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders "Il Mostro" (2017) as Commissario Galterio Conte.

Personal life

Spano has a son, Aljosha Nakszynski (born June 29, 1984) with

Nastassja Kinski Nastassja Aglaia Kinski (; , ; born 24 January 1961) is a German actress and former model who has appeared in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. Her worldwide breakthrough was with ''Stay as You Are'' (1978). She then came to gl ...

, his co-star in ''

Maria's Lovers ''Maria's Lovers'' is a 1984 American drama film directed by Andrei Konchalovsky and starring Nastassja Kinski, John Savage, and Robert Mitchum. The plot follows a soldier returning from World War II who marries the woman of his dreams, but he ...

''.

Filmography

* 1979 ''

'' as Foster Amaway * 1979 '' Over the Edge'' as Mark Perry * 1982 ''

A Stranger Is Watching ''A Stranger Is Watching'' (1977) is a suspense novel by Mary Higgins Clark. Plot summary The main characters in the novel are Steve Peterson, whose wife Nina was murdered two years before, his six-year-old son Neil, who witnessed the murder, a ...

'' as Gas Thief * 1983 ''

Baby It's You "Baby It's You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach (music), Luther Dixon (credited as Barney Williams), and Mack David (lyrics). It was recorded by the Shirelles and the Beatles, and was a hit for both. The highest-charting version of "Baby I ...

'' as Albert 'Sheik' Capadilupo * 1983 ''

'' as Raj * 1983 ''

'' as Steve * 1984 ''

'' as Johnny * 1984 ''

'' as Al Griselli * 1985 '' Creator'' as Boris Lafkin * 1986 '' Blood Ties'' (also known as ''Il cugino americano'') as Mark Ciuni * 1987 '' Good Morning, Babylon'' as Nicola Bonanno * 1988 ''High Frequency'' (aka ''Qualcuno in ascolto'') as Peter * 1988 '' And God Created Woman'' as Billy Moran * 1989 ''Rosso veneziano'' as Carlo Goldoni * 1990 ''Heart of the Deal'' as Mitchell Bryce * 1991 ''

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

'' as Anthony Rossano * 1991 '' City of Hope'' as Nick Rinaldi * 1993 ''

'' as Antonio Balbi * 1993 ''

Indian Summer An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Several sources describe a true Indian summer as not occurring until after the first frost, or more s ...

'' as Matthew Berman * 1994 '' The Ascent'' as Franco Distassi * 1995 '' The Tie That Binds'' as Russell Clifton * 1997 ''No Strings Attached'' as Marc Demetrius * 1997 ''

A Brooklyn State of Mind ''A Brooklyn State of Mind'' is a 1997 American crime drama film written and directed by Frank Rainone. Cast * Vincent Spano: Al Stanco * Maria Grazia Cucinotta: Gabriela * Danny Aiello: Danny Parente * Abe Vigoda: Uncle Guy * Rick Aiello ...

'' as Al Stanco * 1998 ''The Christmas Path'' as Angel * 1998 ''The Unknown Cyclist'' as Frank Cavatelli * 1999 ''Goosed'' as Steven Binder * 2000 '' The Prophecy 3: The Ascent'' as Zophael * 2001 '' Texas Rangers'' as Ed Simms * 2003 ''Silence'' as Detective Steve Banks * 2005 ''The Engagement Ring'' as Tony Di Cenzo * 2007 ''

Nevermore Nevermore was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011, due to personal issues between the band members. In April 2015, lead singer Warrel Dane confirmed that Nevermore had n ...

'' as Devin Bayliss * 2007 '' A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper'' as Miles * 2009 ''Fatal Secrets'' as Scott * 2010 '' Dante's Inferno: Abandon All Hope'' as Speaker: 7th Circle The Murderers * 2011 ''Sangue Caldo'' as Mauro Malaspina * 2011 '' Dante's Inferno Animated'' as Virgil (voice) * 2012 ''Dante's Inferno Documented'' as Speaker, Virgil * 2013 ''Dante's Purgatorio Documented'' as Virgil * 2013 ''This Magic Moment (TV Movie) '' as Roberto Molinez * 2014 ''Dante's Hell Animated (Short)'' as Virgil * 2014 ''April Rain'' as Special Agent Thomas * 2015 ''

Pearly Gates ''Pearly gates'' is an informal name for the gateway to Heaven according to some Christian denominations. It is inspired by the description of the New Jerusalem in : "The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate being made from a single pearl ...

'' as Mayor / Satan * 2015 ''Badlanders'' as Prussian Mercenary * 2018 Bent as Charlie Horvath * 2020 '' The Comeback Trail'' as Joey * 2020 '' Half Brothers'' as Mr. B.

Television work

* 1979 ''

Search for Tomorrow ''Search for Tomorrow'' is an American television soap opera. It began its run on CBS on September 3, 1951, and concluded on NBC, 35 years later, on December 26, 1986. Set in the fictional town of Henderson in an unspecified state, the show fo ...

'' as Jackie Peterson * 1981 '' The Gentleman Bandit'' as Angel Perez * 1980 '' Senior Trip'' as Dick * 1992 '' Afterburn'' as Ted Harduvel * 1993 ''

Environmental Media Awards The Environmental Media Awards have been awarded by the Environmental Media Association since 1991 to the best television episode or film with an environmental message. The Environmental Media Association (EMA) is a non-profit organization cre ...

'' as Himself * 1993 ''

Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...

'' (one episode) as Officer Fine * 1996 ''Downdraft'' as Jack * 1997 ''Medusa’s Child'' as Scott Nash * 1997-2000 ''

Prince Street The Prince Street station is a local station on the BMT Broadway Line of the New York City Subway. Located in SoHo, Manhattan, it is served by the R train at all times except late nights, the W train on weekdays, the N train during late nig ...

'' (six episodes) as Detective Alex Gage * ''The Deadly Look of Love'' as Brett Becker * 2001 ''Jenifer'' as Jack * 2002 '' The Rats'' as Jack Carver * 2003 '' Deathlands: Homeward Bound'' as Ryan Cawdor * 2004 '' North Shore'' (two episodes) as Dan Ralston * 2005 ''Landslide'' as Mark Decker * 2005 ''The Engagement Ring'' as Tony Di Cenzo * 2006 ''Her Fatal Flaw'' as Robert Genaro * 2007 '' Pandemic'' as Troy Whitlock * 2008 '' Lone Rider'' as Stu Croker * 2008 ''

Grave Misconduct ''Grave Misconduct'' is a 2008 thriller television film directed by Armand Mastroianni, starring Fran Bennett and Crystal Bernard. Cast *Crystal Bernard as Julia London *Vincent Spano as Tent Dobson *Roxanne Hart as Margo Lawrence *Dorian Harewo ...

'' as Trent Dodson * 2006-2009 '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (five episodes) as FBI Agent Dean Porter * 2009 ''

'' as Rodolfo Di Venenzio * 2010 ''Caldo criminale'' as Ispettore Lai * 2011 '' House M.D.'' (episode " Perils of Paranoia") as Tommy * 2014 ''

The Mentalist ''The Mentalist'' is an American drama television series that ran from September 23, 2008, until February 18, 2015, broadcasting 151 episodes over seven seasons, on CBS. Created by Bruno Heller, who was also its executive producer, the show f ...

'' (one episode) as Don De Jorio * 2014 '' Castle'' (one episode) as Christopher Carlucci * 2017 '' Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders'' (one episode) as Commissario Galterio Conte

Directing

Television Shows: * 1994 ''

'' (one episode: "Two For The Show") Short Films: * 2002 ''Tony & Bobby'' * 2002 ''High Expectations'' * 2003 ''Bet Runner'' * 2004 ''Me and My Daddy''

Awards

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Spano, Vincent 1962 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Male actors from New York City American male child actors American male film actors Film producers from New York (state) American male stage actors American male television actors Film directors from New York City Living people People from Brooklyn American film directors of Italian descent