Rich Grosso was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and went on to work nationally in the film, television, and commercial industries. His journey in acting began in high school when his English teacher recognized his exceptional singing talent, casting him in the musical Godspell. With no prior experience, Rich stole the show, and that's when the acting bug bit him.
He continued to hone his craft in many small local and regional theatre productions before taking a detour to become a casino dealer in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Freeport, Bahamas. Despite being in his early twenties, Rich was having the adventure of a lifetime.
After his stint in the Bahamas, Rich returned to New Jersey and rejoined his family's cooking business in his cousin's deli. However, he soon found himself seeking a creative outlet, which led him to take acting classes at HB Studios in New York City. It was during this time that he met a friend who introduced him to a new Off-Broadway play that was being cast.
Rich went on to land a role in the hit Off-Broadway show "Slashers: The Splatter Rock Musical," which ran for over two years. He then made the move to Los Angeles in 1988, where he continued to act in various film, theatre, and television roles.
In addition to acting, Rich also pursued writing, producing, and directing for film and television. However, he hit a dry spell in the late 1990s and left acting in 1999. Two years later, he opened a successful Italian restaurant in Los Angeles called Giovanni Ristorante, named after his late father.
Although Rich never thought he'd return to show business, his friend suggested he give acting another try after viewing some of his old work. His friend believed that Rich had grown into a talented character actor who could excel in various roles.
Since returning to the industry, Rich has worked in numerous films, television shows, and national commercials, collaborating with notable actors such as Peter Stomare, Justin Chatwin, Kat Dennings, Scott Baio, Tony Sirico, and Katharine McPhee.
Rich attributes his growth as an actor to his diverse life experiences, including running a successful restaurant and dealing with a wide range of people in his casino days. He believes that these experiences have been the best acting teacher he could have ever asked for.
