Joe Sabatino grew up on New York’s famous Long Island with aspirations of becoming a professional football player.  His life was ruled by sports and rarely did you find him without a football, basketball or baseball in his hands… Sports was where he found solace and balance in his young life.

Acting and the theater were never in the forefront of his mind, and further proof was that by his senior year in high school, his talent on the football field began to show.  College scouts were starting to take notice.

          However, also in his senior year, he was coaxed by a friend into volunteering for a senior class production.  After his participation on that little stage at Commack High School South, the movie and acting bug had bitten.

          Joe graduated high school and attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in pursuit of his academic studies and athletics interests.  Four years later, he graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.

          He still had his dream of professional ball, and tried out for the Washington Redskins, Houston Oilers and New York Jets.  After being released by those teams, he traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and found a home as the Captain of the professional Italian football team, the Jaguars of Torino, Italy.   As a third generation Italian American, he had to learn the Italian language quickly, and soon began to feel at home in Italy.

          After many meals of wonderful pasta and good wine, it was time for Joe to return to the United States, and try to fulfill his second aspiration… acting.  As there were no big studios in his hometown of Commack, he ventured into New York,  the “Big Apple” to see if he could get into this acting thing.

          Slowly, he began with a commercial, small movie part here and there, getting his feet wet with a few day player and recurring roles on daytime dramas such as, “Ryan’s Hope”, “Search for Tomorrow” and “Loving”.

          With a budding acting career just starting to take shape, Joe had time to reflect on where his future career was heading…  On one hand, should he stay in New York, with the cold, blistery winters and limited daytime shows available to work…. Or move to Los Angeles, home of the swimming pools and movie stars…  It didn’t take long for Joe to make up his mind!

          After getting to LA, Joe managed to get three auditions in the first week, and booked them all!   He got a recurring role on “The Young and The Restless”, “General Hospital” and a part in Rocky 5.  He was dumbfounded by this great fortune and thought the road ahead would always be this easy.  Perhaps, beginner’s luck was at play here.

          Once Joe acclimated himself to the LA routine of being an actor, he found out that being an actor was something special.  It was not just the fluff of fame and fortune, but the dedication to the craft, not to mention the many ups and downs that come with pursuing one’s dream.

          Through the years, Joe has done well and his career continues to grow.  Presently, you can see him on a number of national commercials, infomercials and TV shows as well as playing John Mackey on the famed “N.Y.P.D. Blue” or as Joe Pendleton on “The Young and the Restless”.

          His acting resume reflects his success as an actor, and everyday, Joe is grateful that he is able to make his dream a reality, and hopes that everyone who has their own dream has the ability to pursue it and enjoy the process along the way.