Joe Catalano "Joey Cat" grew up in a predominately Italian neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey where his grandfather and uncles were fruit and vegetable peddlers. Joey lived a "Bronx Tale", but actually a "Newark Tale", where he and his friends imitated all the wise-guys in front of the Italian clubs and bookie joints on all the corners "down neck". His mom, Rosie, always said he was a natural and should pursue a career in acting. After graduating high school from Newark Eastside, Joey went down to the Jersey shore to work for the casinos in Atlantic City as a craps and blackjack dealer. After a number of years missing his hometown and family, Joey came back home to work for the Ports of Newark with a later career change to the Newark Public Schools. As part of his Italian heritage, he grew up watching and learning from his grandma in the kitchen, giving him a passion for cooking and led him to open his own restaurant in the Ironbound on Chestnut Street, called Catalucci's. Recently retired in 2016, Joe has now decided to pursue his dream of becoming an actor, landing his first role as a bookie/wise guy shooting a scene that took 14 hours with fellow actor Ray Liotta in The Many Saints of Newark, the upcoming Sopranos prequel (2020). The scene was set in Newark, New Jersey in the late 60's where Joey was taking action and cash for the mob. Joe has 2 sons and now lives with his wife in Bergen County.
