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Paul Greco
Paul Greco
Paul Greco
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Paul Greco (October 21, 1955 – December 17, 2008) was an American actor and musician.

Key Information

Biography

[edit]

Greco is best known for his role as Sully, the leader of the Orphans gang, in the 1979 film The Warriors. He appeared in a number of films throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and also appeared in an episode of Miami Vice in 1986.

He was married to Noelle Pollet and had a son, Phoenix Greco, and two grandchildren. He died from lung cancer on December 17, 2008, aged 53.

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Warriors Sully, Orphans leader
1981 Four Friends Car thief
1984 Broadway Danny Rose Vito Rispoli
1986 Crocodile Dundee New Yorker
1988 The Last Temptation of Christ Zealot
1989 Next of Kin Leo
1989 Elvis Stories Paxton Busby Short
1991 Oscar Schemer
1996 If Lucy Fell Rene
1996 Love Is All There Is Nunzio
1996 The Cable Guy Raul
1997 Henry Fool Concierge
1997 To Die Quietly Karate Boy
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Paul Greco

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Paul Greco (October 21, 1955 – December 17, 2008) was an American actor recognized for his supporting roles in numerous films during the 1970s through 1990s. Born in , Greco began his acting career in the late 1970s with a breakout role as Sully, the leader of the Orphans gang, in Walter Hill's action thriller The Warriors. His early film work also included appearances in Arthur Penn's coming-of-age drama Four Friends (1981) and Woody Allen's comedy (1984), where he portrayed the character Vito Rispoli. Throughout the and , Greco built a steady presence in Hollywood, taking on diverse supporting parts such as a street thug in (1986), a zealot in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Leo in the action film (1989) starring . He continued with roles in comedies like Oscar (1991) and (1996), the romantic drama (1996), and Ben Stiller's (1996), alongside appearances in Hal Hartley's indie film (1998). In addition to acting, Greco pursued music. He resided in Red Hook, New York, at the time of his death from lung cancer at age 53, survived by his wife Noelle Pollet, son Phoenix Greco, brother Michael Greco, and several nieces and nephews.

Early life

Birth and upbringing

Paul Greco was born on October 21, 1955, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., to Alfonso Greco and Mary (née LaBella) Greco. Newark in the 1950s was a bustling industrial hub, renowned for its sector that included factories for goods, jewelry, and machinery, supporting a predominantly working-class population. The city attracted numerous immigrant families, fostering tight-knit ethnic enclaves amid its urban landscape. Greco's family reflected Newark's significant Italian-American heritage, with his parents' surnames indicative of roots in , a common background in the city's North Ward and districts. Growing up in this environment, he experienced the vibrant street life of Newark's neighborhoods, characterized by bustling markets, family-owned businesses, and cultural festivals that defined daily community interactions.

Education and initial interests

Paul Greco spent his formative years in Newark during the 1960s and 1970s, attending local schools that shaped his early development. These educational experiences in Newark's public system provided the foundation for his personal growth amid the city's vibrant, working-class environment. He later graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His early interest in acting led him toward greater exposure in New York City, where the broader performing arts community beckoned.

Acting career

Film roles

Paul Greco made his film debut in the 1979 cult classic The Warriors, directed by Walter Hill, where he portrayed Sully, the aggressive leader of the Orphans, a Coney Island-based gang that confronts the protagonists early in the story. Filmed amid the gritty urban landscape of New York City, Greco's performance captured the raw intensity of street gang dynamics. The film's enduring cult status, bolstered by its stylized violence and ensemble cast, elevated Greco's breakthrough appearance, making Sully a memorable antagonist in a narrative that has influenced generations of action cinema. In 1981, Greco appeared in Arthur Penn's coming-of-age drama Four Friends as a thief, a brief but fitting role that showcased his ability to embody opportunistic, rough-edged characters from working-class backgrounds. This early supporting part aligned with his emerging style of portraying street-wise figures, often reflecting the blue-collar ethos of his roots. Greco's role in Woody Allen's 1984 comedy saw him as Vito Rispoli, one of the mob enforcers who menacingly pursue the titular talent agent's client, adding a layer of comic menace to the film's antics. His tough, no-nonsense demeanor contrasted sharply with the neurotic lead, highlighting Greco's versatility in blending intimidation with humor in ensemble comedies. Throughout the 1980s, Greco took on small but distinctive parts in action and comedy genres, including a New Yorker in (1986), a zealot in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Leo, a hitman, in (1989), roles that consistently emphasized his knack for gritty, urban tough guys. These appearances, often uncredited or minor, underscored his character acting prowess without overshadowing leads, true to his career-long focus on authentic, roots-inspired portrayals. By the 1990s, Greco continued in this vein with a schemer in the farce Oscar (1991), Nunzio in the romantic drama Love Is All There Is (1996), a brief turn as Rene in the romantic comedy If Lucy Fell (1996), Raul in Ben Stiller's The Cable Guy (1996), and the concierge in Hal Hartley's indie film Henry Fool (1998). Overall, Greco's film work exemplified a character actor's dedication to tough, street-smart roles that echoed his Newark origins, prioritizing ensemble support over stardom across genres from action to comedy.

Television appearances

Paul Greco made his television debut in the 1986 episode "The Fix" of the crime drama series , portraying Berlioz, a sleazy pimp and associate of a named Ortega. In this guest spot, Greco's character navigates the seedy underbelly of Miami's criminal world, delivering a performance that echoed the tough, streetwise personas he embodied in films like The Warriors. The role marked an early foray into episodic television, showcasing Greco's ability to bring intensity to brief but memorable supporting parts in high-stakes procedural narratives. Greco's subsequent television appearance came in 1988 on the fantasy drama , where he guest-starred as Joe in the episode "Everything Is Everything." Here, his character is a pragmatic ally in a storyline involving family redemption and urban prejudice faced by a Romani community, adding a layer of gritty realism to the show's blend of supernatural elements and street life. This role further highlighted Greco's versatility in portraying working-class figures entangled in moral dilemmas, complementing the raw, urban edge that defined much of his on-screen presence during the . Greco also appeared in the 1991 pilot episode of the crime drama series as Keyes. Throughout his limited television work in the 1980s and early 1990s, Greco was often typecast in gritty, urban characters that mirrored the tough exteriors he played in cinema, emphasizing his strengths in conveying street-smart resilience and moral ambiguity within episodic formats. These guest appearances, though sparse, reinforced his reputation for authentic portrayals of peripheral figures in crime and drama series, without venturing into more mainstream or recurring roles.

Music career

Musical background

Growing up in Newark, Greco developed early interests in the , which extended to music as a foundational pursuit alongside his emerging acting ambitions. These early experiences shaped his approach to music as a creative outlet, which he later incorporated as a while establishing his acting career.

Notable contributions

Specific recordings and song credits for Paul Greco are scarce in . No major discography exists, and his musical output, if any, remains undocumented in major archives. Note that some sources erroneously attribute soundtrack compositions (such as those in (1999) and Fanboys (2009)) to him, but these credits belong to a different individual named Paul Greco.

Later life and death

Personal life

In his later years, Paul Greco resided in , where he spent time away from the public eye. Greco was married to and had a son, Phoenix. He was the son of Alfonso Greco and Mary LaBella Greco, and was survived by his brother Gerard Greco and members of the extended Greco family. His Newark roots appear to have shaped a grounded lifestyle, though specific details on hobbies or community involvement outside his professional pursuits remain undocumented in available records.

Illness and passing

In the late 2000s, Paul Greco battled cancer in his final years while residing in Red Hook, New York. Greco died from cancer on December 17, 2008, at his home in Red Hook, New York, at the age of 53. A memorial service for Greco was held on December 20, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. at Burnett & White Funeral Home in Red Hook. His death came after a period of reduced public appearances, leaving no major unfinished projects in acting or music, though it prompted reflections among peers on his contributions to cult films like The Warriors.
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