Joe Mantegna
A Chicago-born actor whose grounded, everyman intensity has animated characters from Mamet's gritty stages to the long-running FBI profiler David Rossi.
Born 1947 (age 79)·American actor·Birthday: November 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Joe Mantegna carries the texture of his native Chicago in his voice—a direct, no-nonsense cadence that can convey weary authority or explosive tension. He found his first major stage success in the hard-boiled world of David Mamet, winning a Tony for his role as real-estate hustler Ricky Roma in 'Glengarry Glen Ross,' a performance that cemented his knack for portraying men navigating moral gray areas. This quality served him perfectly in film, where he became a familiar face as cops, gangsters, and fathers, most notably as the stoic detective in 'Searching for Bobby Fischer' and the sinister Joey Zasa in 'The Godfather Part III.' On television, he found his most enduring role as FBI veteran David Rossi on 'Criminal Minds,' bringing a world-weary wisdom to the procedural for over 15 years. Simultaneously, he has lent his distinctive rasp to animation for decades as Springfield's unflappable mobster Fat Tony on 'The Simpsons.' Mantegna's career is a masterclass in consistent, character-driven work across all mediums.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Joe was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Joe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Ricky Roma in David Mamet's 'Glengarry Glen Ross.'
- Starred as FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi on the hit series 'Criminal Minds' for 15 seasons, becoming a central figure of the show.
- Voiced the recurring character Fat Tony on 'The Simpsons' for over 30 years, beginning in 1991.
- Received critical acclaim for his film role as a chess-obsessed father in 'Searching for Bobby Fischer.'
- Portrayed mobster Joey Zasa in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather Part III.'
Did You Know?
He is a passionate baseball fan and has been the voice of the video game 'MLB: The Show' for many years.
He and his 'Criminal Minds' co-star Shemar Moore are both from Chicago and are close friends.
He directed and starred in a film called 'Lakeboat,' based on an early David Mamet play.
He is heavily involved in supporting U.S. veterans and has hosted the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS.
“I've been blessed to have a career where I've never been pigeonholed.”
