Leo Grillo is an American film actor, producer and animal welfare
activist. He is best remembered for founding Dedication and Everlasting
Love to Animals Rescue (D.E.L.T.A. Rescue), a not-for-profit animal
welfare organization based in Acton, California, USA. The refuge has
grown to become the largest care-for-life animal sanctuary of its type
in the world.
Grillo was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to Carmela de Lucia and Leo
Francis Grillo, Sr., both Italian-Americans. As a child actor, Grillo
appeared in the 1972 Television series "Banacek." He majored in theatre
at Emerson College in Boston, MA, and later formed his own theatre
company.
Grillo's theatre work includes three years with the repertory Rosalie
Troupe and two years with the legendary summer stock theatre at The
Hampton Playhouse.
In his early years, Grillo appeared in the Emmy Award-winning
television movie "The Defection of Simas Kudirka," starring Alan Arkin
and in multiple episodes of George Peppard's hit television series,
"Banacek."
In 1977, Grillo moved from Boston to Los Angeles, California, to pursue
a film career. He co-starred in the 1977 John Heard film "Between the
Lines," opposite John Heard and Jeff Goldblum. Grillo studied under the
tutelage of Charles E. Conrad, an acting coach credited with launching
the film careers of Dee Wallace Stone and Diana Ross, both
Academy-award winners.
Grillo was the lead actor in "Dierdre's Party," a feature film he
produced in 1998. Grillo played lead actor, opposite Katherine Heigl
and Tom Sizemore, in the 2006 independent film "Zyzzyx Rd." In 2009,
Grillo co-wrote, produced and starred in "Magic," opposite Sammi
Hanratty, Lori Heuring, Christopher Lloyd and Robert Davi, who directed
the movie.
As an executive producer, Grillo has six projects in development,
including the action-thriller, "All the King's Horses."
Recognized as a world-renowned humanitarian and animal welfare expert,
Grillo and his staff of seventy care for more than 1,500 previously
abandoned animals on a daily basis at the D.E.L.T.A. Rescue sanctuary
located northeast of Los Angeles. Grillo founded Horse Rescue of
America in 1988.
In 2008, Grillo created "Animals on the Edge," a global project that
allows animals from other nations to benefit from Grillo's initiatives.
Grillo co-conceived with wildlife photographer and author Chris Weston
a book by the same name, which was published in 2009. The book
identifies those animals currently living on the front line of
extinction.
A passionate and dedicated animal rescuer and maverick animal welfare
advocate, Grillo is the subject of several documentaries, including
"Pets on Your Plate."
In 2009, Grillo was credited with calling for and receiving a federal
probe into circumstances that led to the Station Fire, the largest
blaze in the history of Los Angeles County.
Also in 2009, Grillo initiated H.R. 3501 (The Happy Act), a
tax-exemption bill that allows consumers to deduct pet-related expenses
from their tax returns. The bill was introduced to Congress by Rep.
Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) and co-sponsored by Congressmen Jared Polis
(D-CO) and Steve Cohen (D-TN).
Grillo is the father of two daughters, Erica Lee and Meguire Elizabeth.
