James Russo

James Vincent Russo (born April 23, 1953) is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in over 150 films in three decades.

Early life Russo was born in New York City to an Italian father and a German mother. A graduate of the High School of Art and Design and New York University (NYU), he wrote and starred in the prize-winning short film The Candy Store. Before his first break in acting, he drove for a cab company, worked as a construction worker and a gravedigger. That same year he starred in The Cotton Club and played small-time hood Bugsy in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America. Another major role was as a brutal rapist in the 1986 drama Extremities, opposite Farrah Fawcett. and My Own Private Idaho (1991). Russo was a co-lead in Abel Ferrara's Dangerous Game (1993) alongside Madonna and Harvey Keitel. He also had roles in the 1994 Western Bad Girls, the 1997 films The Postman, and Donnie Brasco. In 2009 he had a small role in Michael Mann's Public Enemies as a member of John Dillinger's gang.

In 2003, Russo was reunited with his co-star from The Postman, Kevin Costner, in the Western film Open Range. He made guest appearances in many TV dramas and films, including The Equalizer, Miami Vice, CSI, CSI: Miami, and Las Vegas.

In the summer of 2009, Russo starred in the psychological thriller 7E with Brendan Sexton III, John Savage and Natasha Lyonne. The film was released on December 10, 2013. Russo had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's 2012 film Django Unchained.

In 2011, Russo provided video game voice talent for Rage and provided additional voice work for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

He appeared in the music video for Bastille's 2013 song "Of the Night". In 2024, he appeared in frequent collaborator Kevin Costner’s latest project, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 as store owner Abel Naughton.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 A Stranger Is Watching Ronald Thompson Fast Times at Ridgemont High Robber Vortex Anthony Demmer 1983 Exposed Nick 1984 Once Upon a Time in America Bugsy Beverly Hills Cop Mikey Tandino The Cotton Club Vince Hood 1986 Extremities Joe 1987 China Girl Alby 1988 The Blue Iguana Reno Freeway Frank Quinn 1989 The Belt Vittorio De Simone The Vineyard Teddy We're No Angels Bobby 1990 State of Grace DeMarco 1991 A Kiss Before Dying Dan Corelli My Own Private Idaho Richard Waters Cold Heaven Daniel Corvin Intimate Stranger Nick Ciccini TV movie 1992 In the Shadow of a Killer Charlie Van TV movie Illicit Behavior Bill Tanner 1993 Desperate Rescue: The Cathy Mahone Story Don Feeney TV movie Trauma Capt. Travis Da Vinci's War Mintz Double Deception Jon Kane TV movie Dangerous Game Francis Burns 1994 Bad Girls Kid Jarrett 1995 The Secretary Ted Burke TV movie Panther Rodgers Condition Red Dan Cappelli The Set Up Kliff TV movie 1996 Livers Ain't Cheap Rupert Little American Strays Eddie No Way Home Tommy Small Time Jerry 1997 Donnie Brasco Paulie Laws of Deception Gino Carlucci The Girl Gets Moe Brannagin Under Oath Warren Erickson The Postman Idaho 1998 Butter Juke Box Danny Heist Nick the Stick My Husband's Secret Life Sal Bianculli TV movie Detour Ziggy Rotella Video Fait Accompli Luc Charades Max Targenville 1999 BitterSweet Joe Massa Video Jimmy Zip Otis Campbell The Ninth Gate Bernie Diamonds Damian Paper Bullets John Rourke 2000 Sonic Impact Agent Nick Halton Deep Core Darryl Simmons The Unscarred Mickey Vernon Bad Guys John Tykor Hidden War Matt Forman 2001 Pendulum Edward Mills Double Deception Snake 2002 Shattered Lies Smiler The House Next Door Carl Schmidt Redemption Capt. Grill Video Against All Evidence Mr. Quinn TV movie 2003 Stealing Sinatra Frank Sinatra Short Agent (voice) Short A Good Night to Die Roy Paris Leon King The Box Frank Miles Open Range Marshal Poole 2004 Target Donovan Fallacy - 2005 One Among Us Ryan Brannigan (the Ex-Cop) Come as You Are Benny Confessions of a Pit Fighter Sharkey 2006 All In Dr. Pennington Satanic Eddie Shut Up and Shoot! David Sanchez Blackwater Valley Exorcism The Bishop Video Cut Off Gonzo 2007 Chill Detective Defazio Video Blue Lake Massacre Sheriff Jack Machine Butch The Pink Conspiracy Cox The Hit Mr. Santucci On the Doll Janitor 2008 Kings of the Evening Ramsey Stiletto Engelhart Deadwater Commander Combs Video Break The Father Born of Earth Tom Reeser Shoot First and Pray You Live Bob McGurk Dark World Charlie Little Red Devil Mr. Trundell 2009 Charlie Valentine Rocco Never Surrender Jimmy Public Enemies Walter Dietrich Dreams and Shadows John Brunette 2010 Dark Woods Sheriff Demming Boy Wonder Larry Childs Love Sick Diaries Lorenzo De'mon One in the Gun Jimmy 2011 Good God Bad Dog Peter Elias Short Miss Bala Jimmy Yellow Rock Max Dietrich The Dragon Warrior Claudius 2012 Django Unchained Dicky Speck Revan Stone 2013 Samuel Bleak Charles Bleak Five Thirteen Agent Acevedo Chavez Cage of Glory Tony 7E Sam 2014 Perfect Sisters Steve Bowman Strike One Paul Fairfield 2015 American Justice Agent Cobb Daytona Frank Daytona Short Voiceless Pastor Gil Black Mass Agent Scott Gariola 2016 Vigilante Diaries Mr. Hanover Paid in Full John Desmond Code of Honor Vincent Romano The Bronx Bull Rocky Graziano 1st Strike Paul Fairfield 2017 The Broken Ones Joe Murphy The Fifth Borough Detective Ricci Short 2018 A Dog & Pony Show Banker Pete Melnick Living Among Us Aaron Desolate Duke Stone Not a Stranger Bob Madden The Terrorist Agent Bradley Scott Disorder - Short 2019 The Great Alaskan Race Wild Bill Possession Diaries Father Brien Badland Fred Quaid A Shot for Justice James White 2020 The Big Shot Mr. Langdon Final Kill Bob 5th Borough Det. Ricci A Soldier's Revenge Walsh Woe Uncle Pete Chronicle of a Serial Killer Peter Brown The Penitent Thief Castor Welcome Home Ben Jones 2021 Take Back Schmidt Cerebrum Kirk Davis Flag Day Lead Biker 2022 Pig Killer Rat Starf*cker Carl 2023 Condition of Return Mike Stafford The Allnighter Walter MobKing Don Dominic Sasso Inside Man Garo Balikian Replica Joe Among Wolves Thomas Barclay 2024 Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Abel Naughton Silent Partners Frankie Cutts 2025 Run Eddie

Television Year Title Role Notes 1981 Chicago Story - Episode: "Chicago Story" 1982 McClain's Law Vinny Lo Cicero Episode: "What Patric Doesn't Know" 1985 The Equalizer Police Detective Episode: "China Rain" Miami Vice Frank Sacco Episode: "The Prodigal Son" 1987 Crime Story Nat Martino Episode: "Ground Zero" Un siciliano in Sicilia Giuseppe Main Cast 1988 Friday the 13th: The Series Janos Korda Episode: "Symphony in B-Sharp" 1991 Gabriel's Fire Charles Crowley Episode: "Belly of the Beast" 1997 Dellaventura Tommy Bats Episode: "Above Reproach" C-16: FBI Frank Saretti Episode: "Eight Pounds of Pressure" 2000 Falcone Victor Mura Episode: "Pilot" 2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Sinclair Episode: "Getting Off" Without a Trace Michael Krauss Episode: "Lost and Found" 2005 Joan of Arcadia James Karon Episode: "Trial and Error" 2006 Broken Trail Captain Billy Fender Episode: "Part: 1 & 2" Las Vegas Warren Pemberton Episode: "The Story of Owe" 2006–2008 CSI: Miami Joey Salucci Guest Cast: Season 4 & 7 2008 The Capture of the Green River Killer Jeb Dallas Episode: "Part: 1 & 2" 2009 Numb3rs John Curtis Episode: "12:01 AM" Dark Blue Robert Franzine Episode: "Pilot" 2010 Hawaii Five-0 Frank Salvo Episode: "Malama Ka Aina (Respect the Land)" 2012–2013 Vegas Anthony 'Red' Cervelli Recurring Cast 2014–2015 Chicago Fire Papa Lullo Recurring Cast: Season 3 2017 The Deuce - Episode: "The Principle Is All" 2018 The Neighborhood Crazy Chris Main Cast 2020–2021 Gravesend Crazy Chris Main Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 2025 Tulsa King "Quiet" Ray Renzetti Recurring Cast: Season 3

Video games Year Title Role Notes2011 Rage Voice Talent Star Wars: The Old Republic Additional Voices Grouped under "Additional Voices provided by"

Stage + Off-Broadway Year Title Role 1982 Extremities Raul

Music videos Year Title Artist 2013 "Of the Night" Bastille

Awards Year Association Award Nominated work Result 1983Theatre World Award Extremities 2004 San Diego Film Festival Best Actor The Box