Alex Rocco

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Alex Rocco (born Alexander Federico Petricone, February 29, 1936, Somerville, Massachusetts) is an American actor. His roles have ranged from comedy to playing gangsters in Mafia movies, the latter fitting in with his reported connections to mob organizations.

[edit] Biography

Known by the nickname "Bobo" as a young man, Petricone had connections to the Winter Hill Gang in the early 1960s (despite his Italian-American background, a mostly Irish gang). An incident in which George McLaughlin of a rival gang tried to pick up on Petricone's girlfriend helped start the Irish Mob Wars of the early 1960s in Boston.

Petricone was a suspect in the October 1961 murder of Bernie McLaughlin, but was never charged. He then moved to California, began using the name Alex Rocco, and got into Hollywood.

He played the part of Moe Greene, a Las Vegas casino owner, in the film The Godfather. He also played a gangster in the film The Friends of Eddie Coyle about the Boston Irish Mob, a part very close to his own life. Other notable movies in which Rocco has appeared include The Wedding Planner, as Salvatore.

He also has a recurring part in the long running animated series The Simpsons as the head of Itchy and Scratchy Studios, Roger Meyers, Jr., as well as an episode of Family Guy. He is also known for having played Charlie Polniaczek, Jo's father on The Facts of Life.

From 1989 to 1990, Rocco was a regular on the television comedy series The Famous Teddy Z in which he played "Al Floss", a slick cheesy Hollywood talent agent and foil to Jon Cryer in the title role, an ex-mailroom clerk turned superagent. Rocco received an Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this role.

After moving to Los Angeles he became a member of the Bahá'í Faith.