Joseph Pilato
Joseph Pilato (March 16, 1949 – March 24, 2019) was an American film and voice actor. He was perhaps best known for his performance as Captain Henry Rhodes in the post-apocalyptic zombie horror film Day of the Dead (1985).
Also recorded as Joe Pilato
Joseph Pilato
Stefan Borggraefe · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Birth Name
- Josef Francis Anthony Pilato Jr.
- Born
- 16 March 1949
- Died
- 24 March 2019
- Birthplace
- Fitchburg, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
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Joseph Pilato (March 16, 1949 – March 24, 2019) was an American film and voice actor. He was perhaps best known for his performance as Captain Henry Rhodes in the post-apocalyptic zombie horror film Day of the Dead (1985).
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wikidata · Q1368224 · wikipedia · Joseph Pilato
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Birth Name — Josef Francis Anthony Pilato Jr. • Born — 16 March 1949 • Died — 24 March 2019 • Birthplace — Fitchburg, Massachusetts, U.S. • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Other Names — * Joe Palato • Josef Piato • Joe Pilato • Josef Pilato • Joseph F. Pilato • Joe Pilot • Joseph Rhodes • Joey Pal • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1978–2019
Early life
Early life
Josef Francis Anthony Pilato Jr. was born on March 16, 1949, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts to an Italian-American family. His father was a professional trombonist with the Les Brown Orchestra. Joseph was enrolled into Catholic school and became an altar boy, where his talent for acting was developed.
Day of the Dead and success
Day of the Dead and success
In 1984, six years after the release of Dawn of the Dead (1978), director George A. Romero was planning a new zombie film called Day of the Dead (1985). Pilato had appeared as a cameo in Dawn of the Dead as a police officer, which had been his first feature film role. Pilato was selected to play United States Army Captain Henry Rhodes. He was best known for this performance, and the film, along with its predecessors, have become classics.
Later career and other projects
Later career and other projects
Pilato later voiced Vexor in Big Bad Beetleborgs under the alias of "Joey Pal" and worked in the English dub of Digimon Adventure and Digimon Adventure 02 voicing MetalGreymon. He would later land minor roles in such films as Pulp Fiction (1994), Wishmaster (1997), Digimon: The Movie (2000), and Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn (2015).
Personal life
Personal life
Joseph Pilato had one daughter, Gianna Pilato, who was born in 1994.
Death
Death
Joseph Pilato died in his sleep on March 24, 2019, eight days after his 70th birthday. Day of the Dead co-star Lori Cardille cited alcoholism as contributing to his death.
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Role • 1995 — WarHawk: The Red Mercury Missions — Kreel • 1996 — Angel Devoid: Face of the Enemy — Dr. Garnett / Mayor Waterford • 1997 — Star Trek: Starfleet Academy — Emdervoss / Klingon Spokesman • 2002 — Might and Magic IX — Additional voices • 2003 — Lords of EverQuest — Additional voices
Identity
Identity
Joseph Pilato is recorded as actor.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2019
Joseph Pilato died at Los Angeles.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Boston.
Birth place
Los Angeles.
Death place
Television and film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1978 — Dawn of the Dead — Officer at Police Dock • 1980 — Effects — Dominic • 1981 — Knightriders — Disgruntled Fair Worker • 1985 — Day of the Dead — Captain Henry Rhodes • 1986 — Gung Ho — Union Member • 1989 — Shooters — Sergeant Plato • 1990 — Alienator — Tech #2 • Empire of the Dark — Guy Zupan • 1993 — The Evil Inside Me — Fulvio • 1994 — Pulp Fiction — Dean Martin Impersonator — Credited as "Josef Pilato" • Married People, Single Sex — Artie • Witch Hunt — Uncredited role • 1995 — The Demolitionist — "Boxer" — Credited as "Josef Pilato" • 1996 — Visions — NSA Agent • Neon Signs — Boto • Big Bad Beetleborgs — Vexor (voice) — Credited as "Joey Pal" • 1997 — Wishmaster — Mickey Torreli • 1998 — Music from Another Room — Carlo • 1999 — The Last Seduction II — Marvin Dishman • Digimon Adventure — MetalGreymon (voice: English dub) — Recurring role • 2000 — Digimon: The Movie — MetalGreymon (voice: English dub) • Digimon Adventure 02 — MetalGreymon (voice: English dub) — Recurring role • 2003 — The Ghouls — Uncredited role • 2009 — Someone's Knocking at the Door — Dr. Ottie • 2010 — Underground Entertainment: The Movie — Himself • 2014 — 9am — Bernie — Short • 2014 — Shhhh — "Red" Harling • 2015 — Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn — Harry Cooper (voice) • 2016 — Ilhailed • 2016 — Parasites — Wilde • 2016 — The Chair — Security Guard • 2018 — Attack in LA — Wilde — Final film role
Literature
Scholarly footprint
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Citations
References
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reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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