Nicolella began his career working as an assistant director on the Ivan Passer-directed film Born to Win (1971).
Other films soon followed, the Paul Newman-directed film The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972), Crazy Joe (1974) starring Peter Boyle, Sweet Revenge (1976) starring Stockard Channing and Sam Waterston and Time Square (1980).
He was also as a production manager on the films Saturday Night Fever (1977), Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) and co-produced Easy Money starring Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Nicolella's other directorial television credits include M.A.N.T.I.S., Crime Story, Leg Work, Gabriel's Fire, Dark Justice, Melrose Place, Key West, Marker and Super Force.
He is survived by his wife, Patti Kent Nicolella, daughters Jennifer, Cynthia and Sofia, a son, Nicholas and sister Loretta Bruccoleri.