Joseph R. Gannascoli

Joseph R. Gannascoli (born February 15, 1959) is an American actor and celebrity spokesman most notable for his portrayal of Vito Spatafore on the HBO series The Sopranos. 2Early life Gannascoli was born and raised in Brooklyn. In the 1980s he attended St. John's University for two years, majoring in communications. He began his cooking career at Manhattan Market in 1981 in New York City before leaving to work at Commander's Palace in New Orleans, and then at various restaurants around the country. 2Career Gannascoli's interests then turned to cooking. He learned culinary art and opened a restaurant, Soup As Art Restaurant in Brooklyn. He has worked in New Orleans, Los Angeles and New York, though he dabbled in acting. Gannascoli received his "big break" in acting from Benicio del Toro, whom he met on the set on Money for Nothing. After appearing in Ed Wood, Del Toro later cast Gannascoli in his directorial debut, Submissio