Turkel was born in Brooklyn on July 15, 1927, to Benjamin Turkel, who was a tailor, and Gazella (née Goldfisher), a homemaker and occasional opera singer. His parents were Polish Jewish immigrants. He had … See more

Turkel's first film appearance was 1948's City Across the River. His other film appearances include Bert I. Gordon's The Boy and the Pirates as Abu the Genie, Tormented as Nick (both 1960), and Village of the Giants (1965) as the sheriff; as a gangster … See more

• City Across the River (1949) – Shimmy Stockton
• Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949) – Bellboy (uncredited)
• Sword in the Desert (1949) – Haganah Soldier (uncredited) See more

Turkel was married to Anita Josephine Cacciatore, with whom he had two sons. When he attended a 2011 rally in Occupy Seattle, he referred to himself as a "liberal progressive See more

• Boucher, Geoff; Crabtree, Sheigh (July 31, 2007). "An Actor's Lessons in Storytelling". Los Angeles Times. p. E5 See more

• Joe Turkel at IMDb
• Joe Turkel discography at Discogs See more