The darkly handsome Vincent Spano came to prominence as the ingratiating misfit nicknamed 'The Sheik', opposite Rosanna Arquette in John Sayles' "Baby, It's You" (1983). He has proved his versatility in a wide variety of films, from Roger Vadim's remake of "And God Created Woman" (1988) to the Taviani Brothers' valentine to the early days of Hollywood, "Good Morning, Babylon" (1987). After appearing in several memorable teen films of the early 80s--Jonathan Kaplan's "Over the Edge" (1979), Francis Ford Coppola's "Rumble Fish" (1983) and Amos Poe's "Alphabet City" (1984)--Spano has opted for a less ostentatious career than many of his contemporaries, contentedly submerging himself in the fabric of his projects in lieu of high profile stardom.
Spano turned in sturdy performances as part of talented ensembles in Sayles' "City of Hope" (1991), "Alive" (1993), the second film about a rugby team's 72-day survival in the Andes Mountains after their plane crashed, and "Indian Summer" (1993). He played a freedom-loving Italian prisoner intent on escape in the World War II drama "The Ascent" (1994) and a father who must protect his adopted daughter from her birth parents in the thriller "The Tie That Binds" (1995). On TV Spano made his directing debut with the "In the Groove" (1994) episode of HBO's "Tales from the Crypt", starred in the Showtime movie thriller "Downdraft" (1996) and appeared ever so briefly as a series regular in NBC's short-lived cop drama "Prince Street" (1997). He also joined a sterling cast, including Christopher Noth, Kevin Dillon and Martin Sheen, in the ABC miniseries "Medusa's Child" (1997).