Name	Michael Rispoli
Height
Naionality	American
Date of Birth	27 November 1960
Place of Birth	Tappan, New York, New York, USA
Famous for

New York-born and raised Michael Rispoli kicked off his acting career at New York’s prestigious Circle in the Square. He went on to perform with the Steppenwolf Theater and co-founded the Willow Cabin Theater Company (WCTC) in New York in 1987. His theater credits include “Twelfth Night,” “MacBeth,” “Tartuffe,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the revival “Balm in Giliad” (as an understudy).

In 1992, after getting his feet wet in several stage productions, Rispoli made his film acting debut with an uncredited part as a trainer in Night and the City, and the following year he gave a memorable supporting portrayal of heartbreaking Nicky Falconetti in the director Nancy Savoca’s Household Saints, a troubling drama about three generation of Italian-American women (played by Tracey Ullman, Lili Taylor and Judith Malina) attempting to get by in post-World War II New York’s Little Italy. He continued with a strong turn as Jerry in Angie (1994), a touching drama starring Geena Davis, and showed his tough-guy image again in Above the Rim (1994).

However, Rispoli did not deliver breakthrough performance until 1995 when he landed the scene-stealing turn of Joe Jr., Sandra Bullock dogged love struck, in the triumphant romantic-comedy While You Were Sleeping. Also in 1995, he appeared in a lower profile role in Gus Van Sant’s black comedy To Die For, and costarred as an eccentric but valuable lawyer in the short-lived Fox series “The Great Defender,” opposite Karyn Dwyer and Katie Griffin. He returned to series TV in the next year with the role of Sonny DeMarco, the widower with two young sons in the brief CBS sitcom “My Guys.” He offered solid presentations with supporting parts in the Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin starring vehicle The Juror (1996) and Homeward Bound II: Lost In San Francisco (1996).

After the Canadian-made independent comedy His and Hers (1997, starred with Liev Schreiber) and the tragedy film Volcano (1997), Rispoli had high-profile supporting roles in Brian De Palma’s Snake Eyes (1998, as Jimmy George), and John Dahl’s crime/drama Rounders (1998, starred Matt Damon and Edward Norton), which marked Rispoli’s most glamorous work in majority film since 1995’s While You Were Sleeping. He was cast in the smaller role of Det. Lt. Denny Reagan in One Tough Cop, along side Stephen Baldwin, and starred as Sam Bandusky in the direct-to-video police drama Scar City, that same year. On the small screen, Rispoli made guest appearance in such shows as “Law & Order” and “ER” (both 1998).

The actor rounded out the decade with a chillingly dead-on portrayal of a quarter tough looking to take down the serial killer terrifying New York City in the Bronx 1977-set drama Summer of Sam, directed by Spike Lee. With the role, which earned the frequently ignored performer much-merited praise and notice, Rispoli was categorized as one to watch. Still in 1999, he scored a regular role in the short-lived Fox series “Ryan Caulfield: Year One,” playing Officer Susser, a veteran cop joined forces with a rookie, guest starred as Frankie in an episode of “Touched by an Angel” as well as had a recurring role as Jackie Aprile in the HBO acclaimed series “ The Sopranos.”

2000 saw Rispoli soar into leading man territory with the role of a blue collar Italian-American New Yorker named Buddy Visalo in the little-seen but tenderly regarded romantic-drama Two Family House, which handed him a Verona Love Screens Film Festival for Best Actor. Helmed by Raymond De Felitta, the 1956-set indie film won the 2000 Sundance Audience Award. He was invited to replace actor Daniel Baldwin in the romantic-comedy It Had to Be You, that same year. Rispoli then was cast as Swenson in the drama series “Big Apple” (2001), costarred in Hacks (2002), appeared with Robin Williams, Edward Norton, Catherine Keener and Danny DeVito in the DeVito-directed Death to Smoochy (2002) and starred as Michael in the CBS series “Bram and Alice” (2002). Rispoli returned to his recurring role of Jerry Mankowicz in the 1999 series “Third Watch” and was seen as Angelo Amonte in three episodes of “10-8: Officers on Duty” (2003).

Returning to film, Rispoli costarred with Bernie Mac in the comedy movie Mr 3000 (2004), appeared as Max in writer-director Martha Fiennes’ Chromophobia (2005), played Babba in the comedy One Last Thing... (2005) and supported Nicholas Cage in the comedy/drama The Weather Man (2005).

Recently, Rispoli had supporting parts in such films as the drama Black Irish (2006), Todd Robinson’s crime Lonely Hearts (2006), starring John Travolta, and the Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear sport-themed Invincible (2006). Also, Rispoli was seen as Frank Adair in two episode of “Law and Order: CI” (2005, 2006) and is planned to costar with Adam Baldwin the drama series “Talk to Me” (2006-?).

The 41-year-old Rispoli will play supporting role Dominick Sciacca in Made in Brooklyn (2006). The forthcoming comedy/drama will star Luca Palanca, Kathrine Narducci, Richard Portnow and Joe Tabbanella.