I Was Joe Spinell's Dishwasher

Great post on the old boards, from 2005 by user angel_station:

20 years ago I met Joe Spinell. It's hard to remember exactly when it was but I think it was the fall of 85'. Anyhow, It was the year before I was to start college(film school, no less)and I was working at a dumpy Hotel in of all places Port Credit, Ontario(west of Toronto, on Lake Ontario). Trying to save money for college I was working as the nightshift dishwasher at the Ports Hotel. This hotel was basically deserted, it did have a bar that the locals(the Lakeshore crowd)frequented, bands played etc., it also had a "fine" quizine dining room as well. The owner and manager of this hotel didn't seem overly concerned with the success of the Hotel and rumours had it that they were mafia and were only retaining possession of the hotel for it's potential real estate value. One night as I made my way through the hotel lobby I noticed Joe Spinell. I thought to myself "s**t, it's the guy from that maniac movie I had seen, as I climbed one of the staircase's in the hotel I came across another gentleman, I said to him "hey you better be careful, the guy from that movie maniac is in the building" he replied "yeah, that's my dad". we both laughed.
At this point I should note the connection between the mafia and Joe Spinell staying at a run down hotel in *beep* Ontario. That evening Joe decided to "dine" in our so called fancy restaurant, the order came in to the chef(who was really just a fry-cook)for the most expensive seafood platter on the menu...well the cook s**t himself as all that food was in the deep freezer and how was he going to prep, cook this smorgasboard of food, it was at this time that I revealed to the chef who the man who ordered this buffet of food was, this of course panicked him even more so, sure enough the chef(sorry cook)panicked, tried cooking frozen seafood and sent it off to Joes' table(I should again note that Joe and his son are the only people in the "fine quizine 5b4 " part of the hotel). A minute passed by then we heard some yelling, I don't think Joe was impressed with his meal, the manager came to the kitchen and removed the cook....to meet Joe Spinell....after a lot of yelling the cook returned to the kitchen, very distraught, packed and left. Before he left he told me that Joe had thrown a lobster tail(not cooked properly) at him. Anyhow, I deep fried some wings for Joe and his son and he was content. Later in the evening I did approach the man and asked him for his autograph, he obliged and seemed quite happy that I knew who he was and that I knew about maniac. After washing his dishes we went for beers on the bar side of the hotel, again, he seemed so happy about the fact that someone(being me) had recognized him and was curious about his work. We talked the night away, I really can't recall everything we talked about(though I do remember asking about the shotgun through the windsheild and out the back of the head shot)but I do recall it being an awesome evening. Joe stayed at the Ports Hotel for the week and I did spend more evenings with him and his son..drinking and talking. I won't forget that week back in 85'. Joe Spinell was a stand-up guy, very intelligent, very eccentric...it's too bad he died when he did...he had so many ideas that never came to be. Thanks Joe! wherever you are, your a one of a kind, you MANIAC you.