Hollywood mourns the loss of beloved character actor Joe Marinelli, a familiar face to millions from his iconic roles on General Hospital and Santa Barbara, who passed away Sunday, June 22, in Burbank after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 68. Marinelli's wife of nearly 34 years, musician Jean Marinelli, confirmed his passing to The Hollywood Reporter, emphasizing their unwavering bond: "We never had a fight." His agent, Julie Smith, also confirmed to CNN that Marinelli had faced throat and stomach cancer for several years.
Fans across social media are sharing their fond memories of Marinelli's captivating performances, particularly his memorable turn as the cross-dressing mobster Bunny Tagliatti on Santa Barbara from 1988 to 1990. His portrayal earned him a 1990 Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Comic Actor. Later, he took on the role of bank robber Pauly Hardman on Guiding Light in 1993, and terrorized Port Charles as criminal Joseph Sorel on General Hospital from 1999 to 2001.
Leigh McCloskey, who played Ethan Asher on Santa Barbara, shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, echoing the sentiments of many who knew and admired Marinelli. "A sweeter man or a dearer friend you could not find than Joe Marinelli," McCloskey wrote. "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. 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."
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Marinelli's career spanned over five decades and boasted more than 50 film and television credits. Beyond his celebrated soap opera work, he graced screens in critically acclaimed films like Alexander Payne's 2004 hit "Sideways," and most recently appeared in Apple TV+'s The Morning Show as Director Donny Spagnoli. Payne also paid tribute, saying, "The great Joe Marinelli acted in my very first movie at film school 40 years ago and again in Sideways. Aside from being an extraordinary artist, he was a uniquely magnificent human being with a heart as big as the ocean.”
Marinelli's extensive resume also includes guest-starring roles on popular primetime series such as NYPD Blue, ER, The King of Queens, The West Wing, House, Castle, Desperate Housewives, and Ray Donovan.
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