# Frank Pesce

Frank Pesce (December 8, 1946 – February 6, 2022) was an American film and television actor.

## Early life

Born in New York City, Pesce was the son of two working-class Italian parents.

## Career

Pesce started his film career as an extra in The Godfather Part II, and got his first credited role in 1976, in an episode of the television series Police Story. He guest-starred a large number of well-known TV-series, including Knight Rider, Kojak and Matlock, and was a busy character actor in films, notably appearing in Rocky, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop and Flashdance. He wrote the script of the film 29th Street, based on his own autobiographical experiences. He made his last appearance in 2015, in Creed.

## Personal life

A cancer survivor, Pesce died of dementia complications on February 6, 2022, at the age of 75.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | Rocky | Spectator | Uncredited |
| 1977 | Sorcerer | Married Man | Uncredited |
| 1978 | Fingers | Carmine | |
| 1978 | Paradise Alley | Skinny the Hand | |
| 1978 | The One Man Jury | Freddie | |
| 1979 | Tilt | Rock Manager (Carrots) | |
| 1979 | Killer Fish | Warren | |
| 1980 | American Gigolo | Suspect #4 | |
| 1980 | Defiance | Herbie | |
| 1980 | Maniac | T.V. Reporter | |
| 1982 | Young Doctors in Love | Rocco | |
| 1982 | Vigilante | Blueboy | |
| 1983 | Flashdance | Mawby's Regular | |
| 1983 | Eureka | Stefano | |
| 1983 | The Big Score | J.C. | |
| 1984 | Beverly Hills Cop | Cigarette Buyer | |
| 1986 | Top Gun | Bartender | |
| 1986 | Hollywood Harry | Peter the Producer | |
| 1986 | The Messengers | Man 1 | |
| 1987 | Beverly Hills Cop II | Carlotta | |
| 1988 | Maniac Cop | Watchman | |
| 1988 | Cameron's Closet | Ed Wallace | |
| 1988 | Midnight Run | Carmine | |
| 1989 | Hit List | Quigley | |
| 1989 | Lock Up | Johnson | |
| 1989 | Relentless | Marra | |
| 1989 | The Kill Reflex | Pond | |
| 1990 | Maniac Cop 2 | Strip Club M.C. | |
| 1991 | Steel and Lace | Patroni | |
| 1991 | 29th Street | Vito Pesce | |
| 1992 | The Pamela Principle | Eddie Breeding | |
| 1992 | Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence | Tribble | |
| 1993 | South Beach | Jimmy | |
| 1993 | Mirror Images II | Clerk | |
| 1994 | Ice | Mobster | |
| 1994 | The Pamela Principle 2 | Ralph | |
| 1994 | Trapped in Paradise | Caesar Spinoza | |
| 1996 | Original Gangstas | Detective Waits | |
| 1996 | Uncle Sam | Barker | |
| 1997 | Donnie Brasco | Wiseguy | |
| 1997 | Night Vision | Mike Mahoney | |
| 1999 | Black and White | Joey | |
| 2000 | Down 'n Dirty | Kingpin | |
| 2001 | Double Take | Vito | |
| 2002 | On the Edge | Bo | |
| 2004 | The Whole Ten Yards | Policeman #1 | |
| 2009 | Middle Men | Bar Patron | |
| 2011 | Tower Heist | Riker's Prison Guard | |
| 2013 | Grudge Match | Journalist #4 | |
| 2014 | The Expendables 3 | Fight Watcher | |
| 2014 | Reach Me | Frank's Henchman | |
| 2015 | Creed | Mickey's Gym Doorman | |
| 2022 | Beyond the Neon | Strip Club Owner | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | Police Story | Frank | Episode: "Eamon Kinsella Royce" |
| 1977 | The Godfather Saga | Extra | Miniseries |
| 1977, 1978 | Kojak | Jerry Gerson / Spencer | 2 episodes |
| 1983 | Knight Rider | Director | Episode: "Give Me Liberty... or Give Me Death" |
| 1983 | The Greatest American Hero | Bartender | Episode: "Vanity, Says the Preacher" |
| 1983 | Emergency Room | Dusted Man | Television film |
| 1984 | Blue Thunder | Guard / Gunner | Episode: "Payload" |
| 1984 | The Master | Officer Thomas | Episode: "Rogues" |
| 1984 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Valet | Episode: "Ties My Father Sold Me" |
| 1985 | Miami Vice | Benny | Episode: "The Home Invaders" |
| 1985 | Airwolf | Ray | Episode: "The Deadly Circle" |
| 1985–1992 | Who's the Boss? | Various roles | 4 episodes |
| 1986 | Doing Life | Red Hot | Television film |
| 1986 | Cagney & Lacey | Perp | Episode: "Roll Call" |
| 1988 | Matlock | Bailiff | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | The Cover Girl and the Cop | Assistant Director | Television film |
| 1990 | Bar Girls | Joe | Unsold pilot |
| 1991, 1992 | Jake and the Fatman | Barkeep / Jerry | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Reasonable Doubts | Taliaferro | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | In the Shadow of a Killer | Torelli | Television film |
| 1992 | Ring of the Musketeers | Joey Gardner | Television film |
| 1993 | Casualties of Love: The "Long Island Lolita" Story | Rehab Patient | Television film |
| 1993 | Blindsided | Detective | Television film |
| 1994 | Another Midnight Run | Vito | Television film |
| 1993 | North & South: Book 3, Heaven & Hell | Luis | Episode: "Summer 1865 - Autumn 1865" |
| 1997 | The Single Guy | Cabbie | Episode: "Starting Over" |
| 1997 | The Tony Danza Show | Guy | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2000 | Falcone | Bodyguard #1 | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2003–2004 | Karen Sisco | Sonny | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | Jane Doe: Til Death Do Us Part | Rocco Galletta | Television film |
| 2007 | Final Approach | FAA Official Russo | Television film |
| 2009 | Citizen Jane | Virgil Jackman | Television film |
| 2013 | Man Life Crisis | Frank | 5 episodes |