Tony Sirico

Tony Sirico, who was best known for portraying Paulie Walnuts on "The Sopranos," died Friday. He was 79.

He continued, “We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. He was member of the wounded warriors.” He made his acting debut as an extra in the 1974 mobster drama “Crazy Joe” alongside Henry Winkler. That film preceded Sirico’s countless later roles as gangsters and criminals, from Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” in 1990 to Woody Allen’s “Bullets Over Broadway” in 1994. His most recent acting appearance was on two episodes of “American Dad” as a mobster named Enzo Perotti. “I was very unstable,” Sirico told the LA Times in 1990 about that time in his life. Virico’s Paulie Walnuts, a bombastic and ferociously funny foot soldier to James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano with one-liners like no one else, was a “Sopranos” scene-stealer from the start.

Actor Tony Sirico, who is best known for playing henchman Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri on HBO's "The Sopranos," has died, according to his manager ...

"Tony Sirico was one of the kindest, fiercely loyal, and heartfelt men that I've ever known," he wrote. He was a phenomenal actor and an even better man." "He was always Uncle Tony to me, and Tony always showed up for me and my family. "I said, 'Give me the bad news.' He said, 'You didn't get Uncle Junior. But I have something in mind. . "I was at his side through so much: through good times and bad. And we had a lot of laughs."

Tony Sirico, best known for his role as Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri in The Sopranos, has died.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated by Sirico’s brother Fr. Robert Sirico at the Basilica of Regina Pacisat 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 13. “Tony was a very loyal client,” Sirico’s manager of 25 years Bob McGowan said. He later voiced characters — including a mobster — in two episodes of another Seth MacFarlane animated comedy, American Dad! The Sopranos would rack up 21 Emmys during its run, though Sirico never was nominated for Supporting Actor. I am Paulie, till I pass,” Sirico said in the same Deadline interview. Belying his hard exterior, Paulie also was something of a mama’s boy.

Actor Tony Sirico, known for his role as Paulie Walnuts on "The Sopranos," died at age 79, his manager confirmed to media outlets.

“In our neighborhood, if you weren’t carrying a gun, it was like you were the rabbit during rabbit-hunting season.” Sirico was a natural fit for the part, having grown up in the Italian mob world himself. “I will miss him forever.”

A familiar face in Woody Allen movies, the actor became widely know for his portrayal of Paulie Walnuts on the hit HBO series.

“I was this 30-year-old ex-con villain sitting in a class filled with fresh-faced, serious drama students,” Mr. Sirico recalled in the Daily News interview. Mr. Sirico followed that with more than a decade of small television and movie roles, capped by his part as the flashy mobster Tony Stacks in “Goodfellas” (1990). He brought at least one admirable lesson from the mob world to “The Sopranos.” He insisted that his character never be portrayed as a rat, someone who would snitch on his crime family. He was a boxing trainer in “Mighty Aphrodite” (1995), an escaped convict in “Everyone Says I Love You” (1996), a matter-of-fact jailhouse cop in “Deconstructing Harry” (1997) and a gun-toting gangster on Coney Island in “Wonder Wheel” (2017). Once “The Sopranos” hit the air in 1999, it became enormously and widely popular. “When I watched them, I said to myself, ‘I can do that,’” he told The Daily News in 1999. When the “Sopranos” cast appeared in a group shot on the cover of Rolling Stone in 2001, Paulie stood with a baseball bat casually slung over his right shoulder. He worked in construction for a while but soon yielded to temptation. Paulie was the kind of guy who would participate in an intervention for a drug addict, and when it was his turn to speak, punch the guy in the face. There was an air about them that was very intriguing, especially to a kid.” He hated being stuck with an almost $900 restaurant check but could appreciate a tasty ketchup packet on a cold night in the Pine Barrens when there was nothing else to eat. He appeared in several of them, beginning with “Bullets Over Broadway” (1994), in which he played the right-hand man of a powerful gangster turned theater producer.

Los Angeles (AP) -- Tony Sirico, who played the impeccably groomed mobster Paulie Walnuts in “The Sopranos” and brought his tough-guy swagger to films ...

What do you remember about casting Tony as Paulie Walnuts? My memory's not so great. I don't remember his audition. He read for Junior, And I do recall the ...

One of Paulie’s tics was to repeat jokes he had just told, just to make sure everyone in the room heard him being funny. That there was a kind of loving exasperation. Was there something about Tony that gave him more latitude with that kind of thing? I think it was a lot, the experiences that he had had. It was because of what he did with that stuff. He would do that with junior people. He was there. He was outrageous! It was strange, whatever he did. Here’s something I just thought of now: Everything that he got, he made his. “He was great. He was always surprising, or outrageous.”

Tony Sirico, who portrayed an aging and wisecracking gangster on the HBO hit show "The Sopranos," has died, his manager said. He was 79.

On "The Sopranos," Paulie Walnuts was a source of street wisdom and keen observation. The Brooklyn native was never a gangster, but he was no stranger to crime. It's the pride thing." " ... It's not just the money. He also had a small role in Martin Scorsese's 1990 film "Goodfellas." "Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone i’ve ever known," Imperioli said.

Turning to acting after a long prison stint, Sirico became a key part of one of the greatest crime dramas of all time.

We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. (Including playing mobster-types alongside both the Muppets and the Fairly OddParents, and appearing in his old co-star Steven Van Zandt’s Lilyhammer.) And, yes, he had a three-episode run on Family Guy, voicing Vinny, the Griffin family’s new dog. Sirico’s career changed forever, though, in 1999, when—after four long auditions, and a failed shot at the role of Junior Soprano—David Chase selected him to play Tony Soprano’s most enduring lieutenant, for a series that no one, at the time, realized would become one of the most influential shows of its generation. I said, ‘I can do that.’ And when I got out I called someone who had been a friend of mine for many years, Richie Castellano, who had played Fat Clemenza in The Godfather. I told Richie I wanted to be an actor.” After Castellano helped Sirico get his first role (in 1974's Crazy Joe), he began steadily working, and didn’t really stop for the next several decades. Born Gennaro Anthony Sirico Jr. in 1942, Sirico spent the first 30 years of his life building up an arrest record nearly as impressive as his eventual acting resumé, ultimately being arrested 28 times on a variety of charges, and serving a total of five years of prison time.

Chase: "He was a main reason for the success of The Sopranos. I will miss him greatly."

“I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. I have a lifetime of memories with Tony–starting with Goodfellas to The Sopranos and way beyond but my God, did we have fun doing the Bensonhurst Spelling Bee. I hope he’s in heaven cracking everybody up now. Meanwhile, Lorraine Braco—who also appeared alongside Sirico in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas— wrote on Twitter, “A stand up guy who always had my back and who loved my children and my parents.

The cast of 'The Sopranos' pays tribute to Tony Sirico, who played Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri in the classic HBO series. The actor died today at 79.

The Sopranos creator David Chase called Sirico a “jewel”. “The way Buddhists refer to a jewel – supernatural and a master. I was just thinking about him yesterday, strangely enough, and was reminded that he was a main reason for the success of The Sopranos. I will miss him greatly, Gennaro. As will the world,” he said. I met him when I was 16, and he made it clear from day one that he was my forever protector, and he was. We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. I send love to his family, friends and his many many fans. “Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone I’ve ever known.

Actor's portrayal of Paulie Walnuts — a no-nonsense mobster with distinctive silver wingtips and a wry sense of humor — made him a beloved figure to fans of the ...

Despite Paulie’s many flaws, Sirico lent a certain depth of humanity to the character, transforming a seemingly unlikeable figure into a complex, multi-faceted figure in the Sopranos universe. Sirico was inspired to pursue acting in the early Seventies while in prison after attending a performance by an acting troupe comprised of ex-criminals. In his portrayal of the eccentric mobster, he effortlessly moved between unrestrained rage to an almost zen-like introspection, often lending advice or providing clarity to other characters in the form of ribald parables. “I got 28 arrests and only two convictions, so you gotta admit I have a pretty good acting record,” he told The Los Angeles Times in 1990. “We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony,” Michael Imperioli, who played young upstart Christopher Moltisanti on the hit TV series, wrote in a post on social media. “It is with great sadness, but with incredible pride, love and a whole lot of fond memories, that the family of Gennaro Anthony ‘Tony’ Sirico Jr. wish to inform you of his death on the morning of July 8, 2022,” a post from Sirico’s brother, Robert Sirico, on Facebook read.

Sirico played a major role in the HBO drama that started in 1999 and became an influential hit early in the era of prestige television.

... I knew right away this was a role to kill for." Sirico often played Italian-American mobsters, including a small part in "Goodfellas," Martin Scorsese's popular and critical hit from 1990. Sirico also took a comic turn voicing the talking dog Vinny on the animated show "Family Guy."

Actor best known for his multi-faceted portrayal of eccentric gangster Paulie Gualtieri on the celebrated TV series died Friday at the age of 79.

“Tony Sirico was one of a kind in all the best ways,” Schirripa told Rolling Stone. “A truly loyal friend with a gift for making people laugh, especially me. He touched many with his gift and my heart goes out to his family, his friends, and all of his fans. “Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone I’ve ever known,” said Michael Imperioli, who played young upstart Christopher Moltisanti — and starred alongside Sirico in the darkly comedic fan-favorite episode “Pine Barrens” — on the hit TV series. “Tony Sirico was an original in every way,” Joe Pantoliano, who played the antagonistic DiMeo crime family member Ralph Cifaretto, said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “How he made me laugh.” Steve Schirripa, who portrayed Robert “Bobby Bacala” Baccalieri Jr., also remembered Sirico’s sense of humor. “Tony Sirico was one of the kindest, fiercely loyal, and heartfelt men that I’ve ever known,” he wrote. Michael Gandolfini, son of Sopranos star James Gandolfini — and who recently portrayed a younger version of the character his late father made famous in The Many Saints of Newark — shared photos of himself alongside the man he lovingly referred to as “Uncle Tony” in an Instagram post.

Tony Sirico, who played the impeccably groomed mobster Paulie Walnuts in The Sopranos and brought his tough-guy swagger to films including Goodfellas, ...

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Actor Genaro Anthony “Tony” Sirico, Jr., famous for his performance as Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri on HBO's “The Sopranos” has died at the age of 79. Sirico ...

On certain days I might say The Russian that Paulie and Christopher couldn’t kill is a top 5 SOPRANOS character. — Steven Hyden (@Steven_Hyden)July 9, 2022 “Fame, money, gossip, parties, openings, charity work for St. Jude’s and Heartshare,” he said all came with the part. — Mike Missanelli (@MikeMiss25)July 9, 2022 — Bryan Hayes (@HayesTSN)July 9, 2022 What a unique actor. Deepest condolences to the family.pic.twitter.com/pAkDnqfLEs Gonna miss you a lot my friend. On the show, Paulie Walnuts was a bombastic and hilarious uncle. He has a great, large, movie-star personality. He hung around Artie's Pool Hall on Ave J. He was a local legend even back then.

Sirico died at an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said his manager, Bob McGowen. There was no immediate information on the cause of ...

And I knew I had the (guts) to stand up and (bull) people,” he told the Times. “You get a lot of practice in prison. I used to stand up in front of these cold-blooded murderers and kidnapers — and make ’em laugh.” “I had both,” he told the Los Angeles Times in a 1990 interview, calling himself ”unstable” during that period of his life. Sirico, born July 29, 1942, in New York City, grew up in the Flatbush and Bensonhurst neighborhoods where he said “every guy was trying to prove himself. Michael Imperioli, who portrayed Christopher Moltisanti on “The Sopranos,” called Sirico his “dear friend, colleague and partner in crime.” LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tony Sirico, who played the impeccably groomed mobster Paulie Walnuts in “The Sopranos” and brought his tough-guy swagger to films including “Goodfellas,” died Friday. He was 79.

Sirico died Friday morning in an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale, his manager Bob McGowan confirmed.

I send love to his family, friends and his many many fans. “Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone i’ve ever known. “I was at his side through so much: through good times and bad.

Paulie was painfully vulnerable, a stone-cold killer, and still got some of the biggest laughs.

“I got somethin’ in mind for you,” Sirico recalled the series creator telling him in a 2019 interview with “Today” for the Emmy-winning drama’s 20th anniversary. We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. “He was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone i’ve ever known. “I hope he’s in heaven cracking everybody up now.” He can also be absolutely hilarious — like when, thanks to a shaky phone connection with Tony in the hysterical “Pine Barrens” episode, he mistakes an ex-commando with Russia’s interior ministry for an “ interior decorator.” Sirico served 20 months in prison at Sing Sing after he was indicted in 1971 on charges including felony weapons possession and extortion. Paulie can be shaken to his core by, say, a vision of the Virgin Mary in a strip club. “I want you on the show. Magnussen modeled his delivery after Sirico’s performance in the series. The actor, who hailed from Brooklyn, played Paulie Walnuts as a man who had long since paid his dues as a loyal Mafia enforcer. Of course, he was always good for a solid one-liner, too. He did not specify a cause of death.