The Italian-American actor Tony Sirico, known for playing the mafioso Paulie ‘Walnuts’ Gualtieri in the historic series ‘The Sopranos’, died this Friday (8), in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA).
The news was shared by Tony’s brother, Father Roberto Sirico, in Facebook. The actor was 79 years old.
“It is with great sadness, but with incredible pride, love and many memories, that the family of Gennaro Anthony ‘Tony’ Sirico inform them of his disappearance on the morning of 8 July 2022”, reads the message. “The family is deeply grateful for the numerous expressions of love, prayer and condolence and asks the public to respect their privacy in this time of pain.”
Of Italian descent, Tony Sirico was born in New York on July 29, 1942. He grew up in Brooklyn and was arrested 28 times in his early adulthood for robbery, assault and disorderly conduct.
In prison, after having witnessed the performance of a troupe of actors, he devoted himself to acting. In 1974 he made his first film appearance, as an extra in Carlo Lizzani’s “Crazy Joe”.
Along with several Italian-American actors of his generation, Sirico appeared in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas”. In the 1990 film, he played gangster Tony Stacks, his biggest movie role.
From there, it got screenings in several Woody Allen films, such as “Shoots on Broadway” (1994), “Deconstructing Harry” (1995), “Mighty Aphrodite” (1995) and “Café Society” (2016).
Cast in “The Soprano Family”
From 1999 to 2007, Sirico played Paul Gualtieri, the “Paulie Walnuts”, in the quintessential HBO series “The Soprano Family”. Originally, he would have been Corrado ‘Junior’ Soprano, Tony’s uncle, but the role went to Dominic Chianese.
Bronco and paranoid, Paulie has become one of the most remembered characters by fans. He started the series as a soldier and later became one caporegime of the DiMeo Mafia family. Always loyal to Tony Soprano, he was an esteemed member of the organization.
Tony Sirico leaves behind two children, Joanne Sirico and Richard, and several “nephews, brothers, nephews, nephews and other relatives”, according to the family. The reason for his death was not disclosed.
with information from indiewire
* Main image credit: Lev Radin / Shutterstock
The post Tony Sirico, Paulie of “Family Soprano”, dies at 79 first appeared on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
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