Alex Rocco Quotes, born Alessandro Federico Petricone Jr. on February 29, 1936, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was an American actor with a distinctive gravelly voice, best known for playing Moe Greene in The Godfather (1972) and earning a Primetime Emmy for his role in The Famous Teddy Z (1989–1990). A former member of Boston’s Winter Hill Gang, Rocco turned his life around after moving to Hollywood in 1962, studying acting under Leonard Nimoy and Jeff Corey. His extensive career spanned films like Get Shorty (1995) and TV shows including The Simpsons (as Roger Meyers Jr.) and The Facts of Life. He died of pancreatic cancer in 2015 at age 79. These 15 quotes—sourced from interviews, films, and web sources—reflect his thoughts on acting, his past, humor, and resilience, capturing his tough yet charismatic persona.
15 Alex Rocco Quotes
- “Playing gangsters is great. They usually dress you sharp. And you have a license to pretty much bully anybody. I mean, I wouldn’t dare do that at home. My wife will give me a back hander.” (Quotes.net, n.d.)
- “I’m Moe Greene! I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders!” (The Godfather, 1972)
- “You don’t buy me out, I buy you out, you know who I am? I’m Moe Greene!” (The Godfather, 1972)
- “I’m Italian. I wouldn’t know how to play a Jew.” (WiseFamousQuotes.com, n.d.)
- “You study all your life, you work really hard to do your best work onstage and onscreen, and then you make your best money playing an ant.” (WiseFamousQuotes.com, n.d.)
- “With Peter O’Toole, you just had nothing but fun.” (WiseFamousQuotes.com, n.d.)
- “I saw a bakery truck go by with the name ‘Rocco’ on it, and that’s when I decided to become Alex Rocco.” (WiseFamousQuotes.com, n.d.)
- “Some people go to acting classes to learn. I just kind of went for the dates.” (WiseFamousQuotes.com, n.d.)
- “I don’t mean you have to be overbearing, but you have to stay on top of things—read the trades, know what’s going on in the town. I call it ‘dare to be stupid.’ The worst thing they can say is, ‘We got nothing for you.’” (BrainyQuote.com, n.d.)
- “I worked in this bar called the Raincheck Room in the ’60s; it used to be over on Santa Monica Boulevard, and, y’know, it was a pretty hip place. Lots of actors hung out there.” (BrainyQuote.com, n.d.)
- “I had to get out of Boston, so I flipped a coin and said ‘Heads, Miami, tails, California.’” (Wikipedia, 2015)
- “I was never afraid of taking a chance in this business. You gotta hustle to make it.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “Acting lets you live a hundred lives without ever leaving the set.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “You can’t run from your past, but you can build a new future.” (Bookey, 2023)
- “The best roles are the ones where you get to chew the scenery and still feel real.” (Bookey, 2023)
Alex Rocco’s quotes are a gritty blend of humor, hustle, and hard-won wisdom, inspiring fans to embrace opportunity, reinvent themselves, and bring authenticity to every role. Which one’s got you ready to channel your inner Moe Greene? Drop it in the comments and keep his larger-than-life legacy alive!
Emma Thompson
Hi, I'm Emma Thompson, founder of MyLittleDesire. I share relationship advice, love quotes, and thoughtful gift ideas to help you express your feelings and strengthen your bonds. Let's celebrate love together!
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