Sopranos actor Tony Sirico, who performed Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri on the hit HBO present, has died aged 79, his household has introduced.
The actor, who appeared in all six seasons of The Sopranos alongside James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, died on Friday morning at an assisted dwelling facility in Fort Lauderdale, in Florida.
Sirico additionally starred in different gangster movies and exhibits together with Lilyhammer, A Bronx Story and Goodfellas.
An announcement posted on Fb by his brother Robert Sirico thanked followers for his or her condolences and requested for privateness following the information.
“It’s with nice disappointment, however with unimaginable satisfaction, love and a complete lot of fond reminiscences, that the household of Gennaro Anthony ‘Tony’ Sirico needs to tell you of his dying on the morning of July 8, 2022,” the assertion learn.
“The household is deeply grateful for the numerous expressions of affection, prayer and condolences and requests that the general public respect its privateness on this time of bereavement.”
Sirico is survived by his two kids, Joanne Sirico Bello and Richard Sirico, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and plenty of different family.
A Christian burial, celebrated by his brother is because of happen on Wednesday July 13 in Brooklyn, New York.
Memorial donations could also be made in his honour to Wounded Warriors, St Jude’s Hospital and the Acton Institute, to which Sirico was a giant contributor.
Sirico’s supervisor Bob McGowan additionally confirmed the actor’s dying to the PA information company, saying that he “was nothing like his character within the Sopranos”.
“He was a really loyal consumer of 25 years and he’s an ex-army vet and at all times gave to charities,” McGowan advised PA.
“He’s a giant contributor to the Wounded Warriors and would at all times go to kids’s hospitals.
“He was an important man, nothing like his character on the Sopranos.”
Mr McGowan mentioned that the actor had suffered from dementia and in the previous couple of years of his life “couldn’t bear in mind issues”.
Sirico’s Sopranos co-stars, together with Michael Imperioli, Lorraine Bracco and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, paid tribute to the “actually irreplaceable” actor.
Imperioli, who performed Christopher Moltisanti on the present, mentioned he was “heartbroken” and that he was proud to have finished “plenty of my finest work” with Sirico.
“Tony was like nobody else: he was as robust, as loyal and as large hearted as anybody I’ve ever identified,” he posted on Instagram.
“We discovered a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I’m proud to say I did plenty of my finest and most enjoyable work with my expensive pal Tony.
“I’ll miss him endlessly. He’s actually irreplaceable. I ship like to his household, associates and his many many followers.
Bracco, who performed physician Jennifer Melfi, mentioned she had “a lifetime of reminiscences” with Sirico.
“I am keen on Tony Sirico,” she wrote, sharing two footage of the pair collectively.
“A rise up man who at all times had my again and who liked my kids and my mother and father.”
Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who performed Meadow Soprano, mentioned Sirico was “robust and robust, but candy and an actual artist” and that she was “fortunate to have identified” him.
“I’ve by no means been in a position to stroll right into a room that you simply have been in with out you giving me an infinite hug, drenching me in your cologne, and ensuring I knew any man that got here close to me must reply to you first,” she mentioned.
“You have been robust, and robust, but candy and an actual artist. There’ll by no means ever be anybody such as you.”
Sirico was born July 29, 1942 in New York.
Previous to performing he was convicted of a number of crimes and arrested greater than 20 instances.
His previous is reported to have influenced his performing profession and he was well-known for his portrayal of unsavoury characters in movies.
In addition to the Sopranos and Goodfellas, he appeared in Mob Queen, Mighty Aphrodite, Love and Cash, Fingers, The One Man Jury, Defiance, The Final Battle and Harmless Blood, amongst others.
He additionally performed policemen within the movies Lifeless Presidents and Deconstructing Harry.
Extra not too long ago in 2013 he appeared in three episodes of the US cartoon Household Man because the voice of Vinny Griffin, the household’s pet canine, who changed Brian Griffin after his dying.
