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James Russo

Highest Rated: 100% The Allnighter (2023)

Lowest Rated: 0% The Blue Iguana (1988)

Birthday: Apr 23, 1953

Birthday:

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

One of Hollywood's most prolific character actors, James Russo specializes in playing thugs, gangsters and villains in everything from straight-to-video thrillers to major studio films. Following small but memorable turns in movies like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982), Russo gained notoriety in the Eddie Murphy action-comedy, "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984), and the adaptation of the off-Broadway play "Extremities" (1986) opposite Farrah Fawcett. Following character parts in "My Own Private Idaho" (1991) and "Bad Girls, he gained well-deserved critical acclaim for his role as the vicious, street-wizened gangster Paulie in the award-winning film "Donnie Brasco" (1997) starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, while increasingly making more appearances on popular TV shows like "Without a Trace" (CBS, 2002-09) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 2000-15). After joining Kevin Costner for "Open Range" (2003) and Robert Duvall for "Broken Trail" (AMC, 2006), Russo reunited with Depp in the epic gangster movie "Public Enemies" (2009), in which he had a small but pivotal role in the movie's jarring opening sequence. While Russo did not gain the mainstream recognition that other supporting players received, his reputation as a dependable tough guy performer was well known within the industry for the duration of his long and venerable career.

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Highest rated movies

100% 92% The Allnighter
Watchlist
88% 89% Donnie Brasco Watchlist
88% 63% Miss Bala
Watchlist
83% 0% Woe
Watchlist
82% 82% Beverly Hills Cop Watchlist 80% 80% My Own Private Idaho Watchlist
79% 84% Open Range
Watchlist
78% 80% Fast Times at Ridgemont High Watchlist
73% 57% Kings of the Evening
Watchlist
68% 59% Public Enemies
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
51% 70% Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 Abel Naughton (Character) $29.0M 2024
67% 89% Condition of Return Mike Stafford (Character) - 2023
100% 92% The Allnighter Walter (Character) - 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murder Motel Joe (Character) - 2023
No Score Yet 98% MobKing The Don Dominic Sasso (Character) - 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Starf*cker 'Daddy' / Carl (Character) - 2022
20% 20% Take Back Schmidt (Character) - 2021
No Score Yet 71% Cerebrum Kirk Davis (Character) - 2021
83% 0% Woe Uncle Pete (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Penitent Thief Castor (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet 20% Chronicle of a Serial Killer Peter Brown (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet 21% Final Kill Bob (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bullet Ride Mr. Langdon (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fifth Borough Det. Ricci (Character) - 2019
50% 44% Badland Fred Quaid (Character) - 2019
20% 84% The Great Alaskan Race Wild Bill (Character) - 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Possession Diaries Father Brien (Character) - 2019
No Score Yet 8% Desolate Duke Stone (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet 79% The Broken Ones Joe Murphy (Character) - 2018
14% 68% Living Among Us Aaron (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Dog and Pony Show Banker Pete Melnick (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Disorder Unknown (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Actor Agent Bradley Scott (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Not a Stranger Bob Madden (Character),
Director,
Executive Producer
- 2016
No Score Yet 46% Voiceless Pastor Gil (Character) $412.5K 2016
17% 67% Vigilante Diaries Mr. Hanover (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet 27% Code of Honor Romano (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Paid in Full John Desmond (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet 39% The Bronx Bull Rocky Graziano (Character) - 2015
No Score Yet 8% American Justice Agent Cobb (Character) - 2014
25% 39% Perfect Sisters Bowman (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet 50% Chavez: Cage of Glory Tony (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet 96% 7E Sam (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2013
No Score Yet 33% Five Thirteen Agent Acevedo (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Dragon Warrior Claudius (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 31% Samuel Bleak Charles Bleak (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 22% Yellow Rock Max Dietrich (Character) - 2011
88% 63% Miss Bala Jimmy (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 40% 1 in the Gun Jimmy (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good God Bad Dog Peter Elias (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dreams and Shadows John Brunette (Character) - 2010
57% 62% Boy Wonder Larry Childs (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 22% Dark Woods Sheriff Demming (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 34% Charlie Valentine Rocco (Character) - 2009
68% 59% Public Enemies Walter Dietrich (Character) $97.0M 2009
No Score Yet 17% Never Surrender Jimmy (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet 20% Break The Father (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Red Devil Mr. Trundell (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet 22% Born of Earth Tom Reeser (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet 48% Shoot First and Pray You Live (Because Luck Has Nothing to Do With It) McGurk (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet 19% Stiletto Engelhart (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet 20% Dark World Charlie (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet 44% On the Doll Janitor (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet 8% Deadwater Commander Combs (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Blue Lake Massacre Sheriff Jack (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 8% Machine Butch (Character) - 2007
73% 57% Kings of the Evening Ramsey (Character) $98.7K 2007
No Score Yet 43% The Pink Conspiracy Cox (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 8% Chill Detective Defazio (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 11% All In Dr. Pennington (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 13% The Hit Mr. Santucci (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hit Unknown (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 18% Satanic Eddie (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 19% Blackwater Valley Exorcism Unknown (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 9% Cut Off Gonzo (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 68% Shut Up and Shoot! David Sanchez (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 40% Come As You Are Benny (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 14% Confessions of a Pit Fighter Sharkey (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Target Donovan (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet 50% Paris Leon King (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 64% A Good Night to Die Roy (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 23% Stealing Sinatra Frank Sinatra (Character) - 2003
79% 84% Open Range Sheriff (Character) $58.3M 2003
No Score Yet 33% The Box Frank Miles (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet First Degree Unknown (Character) - 2002
20% 12% Pendulum Edward Mills (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 13% The House Next Door Carl Schmidt (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Against All Evidence Mr. Quinn (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Shattered Lies Smiler (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 0% Redemption Capt. Grill (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Double Deception Snake (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 21% Sonic Impact Agent Nick Halton (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 5% Deep Core Darryl Simmons (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Unscarred Mickey Vernon (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 22% BitterSweet Joe Massa (Character) - 1999
43% 58% The Ninth Gate Bernie (Character) $18.7M 1999
No Score Yet 38% Jimmy Zip Otis Campbell (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Paper Bullets John Rourke (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Felons Max Targenville (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 14% Detour Ziggy Rotella (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 27% Fait Accompli Luc (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Husband's Secret Life Sal Bianculli (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 0% Laws of Deception Gino Carlucci (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Girl Gets Moe Brannagin (Character) - 1997
14% 51% The Postman Idaho (Character) $17.6M 1997
88% 89% Donnie Brasco Paulie (Character) $42.0M 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Heist Nick the Stick (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Under Oath Warren Erickson (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Smalltime Jerry (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 64% American Strays Eddie (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 51% No Way Home Tommy (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 60% Condition Red Dan Cappelli (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 15% The Set Up Kliff (Character) - 1995
25% 75% Panther Rodgers (Character) $6.3M 1995
No Score Yet 59% The Secretary Ted Burke (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Livers Ain't Cheap Rupert Little (Character) - 1995
13% 40% Bad Girls Kid Jarrett (Character) $15.2M 1994
50% 41% Trauma Capt. Travis (Character) - 1993
31% 45% Snake Eyes Francis Burns (Character) $121.8K 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Desperate Rescue: The Cathy Mahone Story Don Feeney (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet DaVinci's War Mintz (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Double Deception Jon Kane (Character) - 1993
60% 19% Cold Heaven Daniel Corvin (Character) $17.2K 1992
No Score Yet 40% Illicit Behavior Bill Tanner (Character) - 1991
36% 32% A Kiss Before Dying Dan Corelli (Character) $14.7M 1991
80% 80% My Own Private Idaho Richard Waters (Character) $6.4M 1991
No Score Yet 0% Intimate Stranger Nick Ciccini (Character) - 1991
48% 41% We're No Angels Bobby (Character) $10.0M 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet La cintura Unknown (Character) - 1989
0% 44% The Blue Iguana Reno (Character) $114.9K 1988
No Score Yet 18% Freeway Frank Quinn (Character) $106.0K 1988
No Score Yet 50% China Girl Alby (Character) $918.1K 1987
36% 64% Extremities Joe (Character) $12.2M 1986
82% 82% Beverly Hills Cop Mikey Tandino (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 53% Exposed Nick (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet 21% A Stranger Is Watching Ronald Thompson (Character) - 1982
78% 80% Fast Times at Ridgemont High Robber (Character) - 1982

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 59% Gravesend Crazy Chris (Character) 2020 2023
No Score Yet 88% Chicago Fire Papa Lullo (Guest Star) 2014-2015
67% 62% Vegas Anthony 'Red' Cervelli (Guest Star) 2012-2013
No Score Yet 69% Hawaii Five-0 Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
38% No Score Yet Dark Blue Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 93% Numb3ers Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 65% CSI: Miami Unknown (Guest Star) 2006 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Capture of the Green River Killer Unknown (Character) 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Las Vegas Unknown (Guest Star) 2006
96% 73% Joan of Arcadia Unknown (Guest Star) 2005
No Score Yet 75% Without a Trace Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet 81% CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Sinclair (Guest Star) 2004
59% No Score Yet Falcone Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
43% No Score Yet C-16 Frank Saretti (Guest Star) 1997
0% No Score Yet Dellaventura Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 70% Friday the 13th: The Series Unknown (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Equalizer Police Detective (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Chicago Story Unknown (Guest Star) 1982