My Story
About Joseph Rocco Cervasio:
BAD NEWS ON THE DOORSTEP, the novel from which a screenplay and movie is adapted, is the barely disguised story of events from Joe Cervasio’s own youth. Indeed, the movie will take you deeper on a journey into the late fifties. Joe grew up in Belleville, New Jersey. He attended the very school that competed in the legendary Mud Bowl of 1957. He knew the goodfellas and what they were up to, first hand. But he was drawn to a different vision, which is what his book and film is about—the possibilities of grace in everyday life, allowing for resultant success, peace, and prosperity.
Mr. Cervasio achieved outstanding results in the classroom and in athletics at Belleville (NJ) High School and at Cornell University. He is a member of his high school’s Hall of Fame for football, and their Fence of Fame for baseball. A two-year letter winner in college, in his senior year he led the football team in kickoff returns and was third in all-purpose yardage. He is still the only athlete from his high school to play varsity football in the Ivy League. After Cornell he was invited by the Cleveland Browns to play for the Jersey Jays, their Continental Football League affiliate. Instead, Joe chose to continue his education at the NYU Stern School of Business. For the next forty years Joe enjoyed an award-winning career in resort real estate sales
and marketing. The culmination of his business life was being named President of the Bluegreen Institute, and internal learning organization within a mid-cap public company. Consulting work in a variety of industries followed. Today Joe writes and gives motivational talks about life, sports, and the beauty of the Italian-American experience. Several of his essays, “A Symbol of Hope”, “Forty-Four De Camp Bus to New York City”, and “A Quarter to Five” received “Legacy” awards in his home of Essex County, New Jersey. It should be noted that all three essays were based upon the lives of several characters that were fictionalized in the novel Bad News on the Doorstep, and in the resulting screenplay and movie by the same title. In 2011 he was named the Grand Marshal of one of the largest Columbus Day Parades in the USA and Unican of the Year for Nutley Unico National in 2018.
Joe has been married to his high school sweetheart, Maria Corino Cervasio, for over 50 years. His daughter Tina Cervasio McKearney is an eight-time Emmy Award winner for her sports broadcasting in the New York City market. His younger daughter Corrine Cervasio Micklos is Vice President of Global Business Development for an international provider of patient information software and mother of his two grandchildren, Josetta and Caleb.
what people are saying
"Growing up in northern New Jersey, I had always heard stories about the Nutley "Mud Bowl." Bad News on the Doorstep really brought me to the time period. It was a compelling story and I'm eager to see the film adaptation."
Jim C. - Verona, NJ
"Growing up in an Italian-American family, I know all about the Sunday dinners, big holiday parties and any small little thing can become a huge deal! This book really gave me a window unto my parents' era growing up."
Christina T. - Denville, NJ
Behind the scenes
Actors' Cerina Vincent as "Marietta" &
Scarlet Verdi as "Donna" on the set
Cerina Vincent "Marietta", talking with writer Joe Cervasio about her character
Federico Castelluccio, who plays "Rocky," filming a scene on set
Joe on set watching the filming of "Bad News on the Doorstep"
On location filming "Uncle Pete's" Diner
NFL Star Rob Gronkowski, who plays coach Popalinski on set with Director & Co-Writer Tom DeNucci
Acting legend Chazz Palminteri as "Sneaks" filming a scene
Joe on set with Robert Picardo, who plays his Uncle Pete
Joe on set with Cerina Vincent & Federico Castelluccio who portray his parents, Marietta & Rocky