Television actor Joe Marinelli, known for his roles on soap operas “General Hospital” and “Santa Barbara” as well as Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” died Sunday, June 22, at age 68 in Burbank, California.
Marinelli’s wife of 34 years, Jean Marinelli, confirmed his death to multiple outlets. His agent, Julie Smith, indicated that the actor had been battling throat and stomach cancer for several years following his diagnosis a few years ago.
Born January 21, 1957, in Meriden, Connecticut, Marinelli moved to Southern California at age four. He attended Arcadia High School in Los Angeles and Reno High School in Nevada before studying at Loyola Marymount University and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
After returning to the United States, Marinelli performed in local Los Angeles productions while working full-time as a carpenter. By 1984, he began landing television roles on popular series including “Cagney & Lacey,” “Paper Dolls,” “Hill Street Blues” and “L.A. Law.”
Marinelli’s breakthrough role came on NBC’s “Santa Barbara,” where he portrayed cross-dressing mobster Bunny Tagliatti from 1988 to 1990, appearing in more than 170 episodes. The character earned him a Soap Opera Digest Award and became one of his most memorable performances.
In a 2013 interview with Santa Barbara Online, Marinelli reflected on the role’s personal significance, explaining that Bunny allowed him to incorporate his sense of humor, love of creating different characters, and strong moral code. He noted that when the character got hurt emotionally, Bunny would turn to his female persona as a coping mechanism.
Following his departure from “Santa Barbara” when his contract was not renewed, Marinelli continued working steadily in television. He described the next decade as “absolute bliss” as casting directors around town kept him busy with roles.
In 1993, Marinelli played bank robber Pauly Hardman on CBS’s “Guiding Light.” From 1999 to 2001, he appeared as criminal Joseph Sorel on ABC’s “General Hospital,” adding another soap opera credit to his resume.
Throughout his career spanning more than four decades, Marinelli accumulated over 50 film and television credits. His guest appearances included roles on major series such as “ER,” “The King of Queens,” “The West Wing,” “The Practice,” “House,” “Castle,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Parenthood,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “The Offer.”
Marinelli also appeared in films, including Alexander Payne’s 2004 movie “Sideways,” where he was credited as Frass Canyon Pourer. Director Payne described Marinelli as an extraordinary artist and uniquely magnificent human being with a heart as big as the ocean, noting that the actor appeared in his very first film school movie 40 years earlier.
Most recently, Marinelli played UBA director Donny Spagnoli on “The Morning Show” for 22 episodes across the series’ first three seasons from 2019 to 2023. The Apple TV+ series stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon as television news anchors.
Mark Duplass, who plays Chip Black on “The Morning Show,” expressed his admiration for Marinelli, stating that while they did not spend extensive time together, they were spiritually aligned in many ways. The cast was nominated for the ensemble honor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2022.
Following news of his death, longtime friend and “Santa Barbara” castmate Leigh J. McCloskey posted a tribute on Facebook. McCloskey described him as “a sweeter man or a dearer friend you could not find.”
McCloskey characterized Marinelli as a great acting partner, teacher, philosophical friend, passionate believer in people, and storyteller extraordinaire who revealed the human spirit beautifully through laughter and depth. He expressed sadness at losing his old friend and his belief in the goodness and possible greatness of the human adventure.
Marinelli is survived by his wife Jean, a musician, and sons Vincent and David. Musician Finneas, a childhood friend of David’s, told The Hollywood Reporter that at age 14, he benefited from Marinelli’s countless great stories, thoughtful questions, and life lessons, noting that even when he did not fully understand himself, Marinelli always seemed to understand him.
