Joe Marinelli, the veteran actor known for his memorable roles in The Morning Show, Santa Barbara, and numerous other television series, has passed away at the age of 68. The actor passed away last Sunday following a prolonged battle with stomach and throat cancer, his agent Julie Smith confirmed.
His wife of nearly 34 years, Jean Marinelli, also confirmed the heartbreaking news to The Hollywood Reporter.
A fixture on American television for more than four decades, Marinelli was praised not just for his talent, but for his generosity, warmth, and enduring optimism—qualities that colleagues and friends are now celebrating with an outpouring of tributes.
Filmmaker and co-star Mark Duplass, who worked closely with Marinelli on The Morning Show, offered a moving remembrance:
“We lost a great one. Joe Marinelli lived in rare air. Generous performer, beautiful human, wide-eyed positivist,” Duplass wrote. “We taught classes together. We talked about nothing and everything in between takes. We cut right to the important stuff on Day 1 of meeting. I will miss him dearly. And I will try to live my life a bit more like he lived his. We all should.”
Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne shared his own tribute, recalling Marinelli’s early impact on his career:
“The great Joe Marinelli acted in my very first movie at film school 40 years ago and again in Sideways,” Payne wrote. “Aside from being an extraordinary artist, he was a uniquely magnificent human being with a heart as big as the ocean.”
Marinelli’s career spanned television, film, and stage. He rose to prominence as Bunny Tagliatti in Santa Barbara, appearing in a staggering 171 episodes. He went on to take standout roles as Pauly Hardman in Guiding Light and mobster Joseph Sorel in General Hospital. More recently, he played Donny Spagnoli—the director within the show—in Apple TV’s The Morning Show, acting alongside stars like Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston.
Beyond those signature roles, Marinelli was a prolific presence in Hollywood, with appearances in over 50 TV shows and films, including Sideways (2004), One Last Ride (2004), The West Wing, Desperate Housewives, Lethal Weapon, and NYPD Blue.
Born Joseph Anthony Marinelli on January 21, 1957, in Meriden, Connecticut, he moved to Southern California with his family in 1961. He attended Arcadia High School and Reno High School before graduating from Loyola Marymount University. He later trained at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), refining the craft that would define his lifelong career.
Before stepping into the limelight, Marinelli worked as a carpenter. His big break came when he met Santa Barbara producer Jill Farren Phelps—a meeting that launched him into daytime television stardom.
Joe Marinelli is survived by his wife Jean and their two sons, Vincent and David.
