Vincent Pastore, a veteran actor who played mobsters and tough guys and was best known for his role opposite James Gandolfini on “The Sopranos,” has died aged 80.
Bob McGowan, who had managed Pastore since his run on “The Sopranos,” said that he learned of his death on Saturday from another client and actor on the show, Vincent Curatola.
He said that he had been found in his home on New York’s City Island after not being heard from for a few days.
McGowan said he’d been trying to reach Pastore about a possible job.
“He was the most loyal client and he always gave to charity,” McGowan said, “and he was the kind of guy who would help anybody, which is rare in my business.”
Pastore appeared in movies dating back to the 1980s and had roles in big movies including “Goodfellas” and “Awakenings,” both in 1990.
He often played gangsters. And it was one of those roles he’s best known for: his 30-episode run as Salvatore Bonpensiero, the friend of Tony Soprano who becomes an FBI informant in “The Sopranos.”
Fellow Sopranos star Michael Imperioli led tributes, writing on Instagram: “Our beloved friend and collaborator Vincent Pastore has passed away.
“This is a hard one for us, it seems like I’ve known Vinny forever. We did lots of work together and travelled all over the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times. Lots of laughs. Vinny was a kind hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. I will miss him always.”
He was born in the Bronx and grew up in suburban New Rochelle, New York. He enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War and later attended Pace University, according to his IMDb biography.
He has a daughter, Renee Pastore.
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