Bio
Joseph Mascolo is an American actor and soap opera veteran, best known for his roles on two major soap operas: as Stefano DiMera on Days Of Our Lives (1982 to 1985, returning briefly in 1988, and from 1993 to 2001); and as Massimo Marone on The Bold And The Beautiful, from August 2001-July 2006.
He also appeared in the soapies Santa Barbara, Where The Heart Is, From These Roots and General Hospital.
Mascolo was born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut. From his early years, he seemed headed for a brilliant career as a classical musician.
He never considered acting until a music scholarship took him to the University of Miami, where a drama coach heard his hearty basso voice.
Although Mascolo really wanted to conduct operas in Milan, his curiosity about acting had been tweaked and he was recommended to Stella Adler, who took him under her wing. While studying acting and auditioning, Mascolo played clarinet for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
He was first seen Off Broadway in a production of The Threepenny Opera, followed by an appearance in A View from the Bridge, where he succeeded Robert Duvall as Eddie Carbone and joined an ensemble including co-star Jon Voight and assistant director Dustin Hoffman.
Mascolo's Broadway debut came in Dinner at Eight, mounted by theatre legend Tyrone Guthrie.
Mascolo's feature film debut came in Diary of a Mad Housewife, followed by appearances in Sharkey's Machine and Heat with Burt Reynolds.
Other films include Jaws II, Shaft's Big Score, and Yes Giorgio!, in which Mascolo confronted the challenge of singing a duet with his friend Luciano Pavarotti.
On television, Mascolo appeared in a wide range of classic shows such as Kojak, Hill Street Blues, Lou Grant and The Garry Shandling Show.
His appearance in The Gangster Chronicles was noticed by the head writer at Days Of Our Lives, who created the role of Stefano DiMera for Mascolo and persisted after him until he accepted their offer.
He became a fan favourite on that show and stayed on for 18 years, before Bradley Bell found an opportunity to make him an offer to join the cast of The Bold And The Beautiful.
When not on set, Mascolo enjoys spending time at the dream home he designed in Lake Arrowhead. His favourite activities include gardening, playing tennis, reading and listening to music.
Mascolo currently resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife, long-time entertainment publicity maven and one-time NBC Television executive, Patricia Schultz.