Joe Dallesandro's still hanging in there. Despite battling drug addiction and alcoholism, brushes with the law, three failed marriages, and numerous love affairs, as well as the suicide of his only sibling Bob, Dallesandro remains a pioneer of the male sexual revolution and the first film actor to be glorified as a nude sex symbol.
Born Joseph Angelo D'Alessandro III on New Year's Eve in 1948 in Pensacola, Florida, Dallesandro's parents, Joe II and Thelma, were teenagers when he was born. His father was a Navy man stationed in Pensacola, and his mother had a wild streak of her own. After his parents' divorce, Joe and his younger brother Robert were placed into a New York adoption facility. Dallesandro was raised in a series of foster homes, where he became notorious for his delinquent behavior at school, often ignited by his short stature and even shorter temper.
At the age of 15, Dallesandro was caught stealing a car and sentenced to a juvenile rehab facility in New York's Catskill Mountains. During his time there, he started his famous "Little Joe" tattoo body markings. He escaped from the facility and lived a nomadic life in Mexico for a time before returning to the US, where he gained acceptance in the California gay scene. Dallesandro exploited his sulky good looks and smoothly-muscled physique by posing nude for various photographers in the mid-'60s.
Dallesandro's career took off when he was discovered by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey, who cast him in several of their films, including "The Loves of Ondine" (1968) and "Lonesome Cowboys" (1968). Morrissey's film trilogy, which included "Flesh" (1968),"Trash" (1970),and "Heat" (1972),cemented Dallesandro's status as a sex symbol and a counterculture icon.
Dallesandro's success led to numerous film and television appearances, including roles in "The Cotton Club" (1984),"Sunset" (1988),"Cry-Baby" (1990),"Private War" (1988),"Guncrazy" (1992),"L.A. Without a Map" (1998),and "The Limey" (1999). He also made guest appearances on popular TV shows such as "Miami Vice" (1984),"Wiseguy" (1987),and "Matlock" (1986).
In recent years, Dallesandro has been recognized for his contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. He was awarded the Teddy Award in 2009, and a biography, "Little Joe: Superstar" by Michael Ferguson, was released in 2001. A documentary film, "Little Joe," was also released in 2009, with Dallesandro serving as writer and producer. Today, Dallesandro is still active in the entertainment industry, although he has scaled back his acting career.
