Tony Sirico, a one-time jailbird who achieved fame as mobster Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri in HBO‘s “The Sopranos,” died Friday, his brother the Rev. Robert Sirico mentioned on Fb. He was a little bit greater than two weeks in need of his eightieth birthday.
“It’s with nice disappointment, however with unimaginable delight, love and an entire lot of fond recollections, that the household of Gennaro Anthony “Tony” Sirico needs to tell you of his demise on the morning of July 8, 2022,” Father Sirico, president emeritus of the Acton Institute, wrote.
“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,” the priest, who will have fun a July 13 Mass of Christian Burial for the longtime actor, added.
A local of New York Metropolis who grew up in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush and Bensonhurst neighborhoods, Mr. Sirico served 20 months in New York’s infamous Sing Sing jail within the early Seventies. An performing group comprised of ex-convicts visited the ability and impressed him to take up performing.
A collection of movies during which he performed mob-related figures adopted, most notably the function of Tony Stacks in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas.” He additionally had roles in 5 of Woody Allen’s comedies, together with a flip as a cop in “Deconstructing Harry.”
Nevertheless it was his portrayal of “made” mobster Paulie Walnuts in “The Sopranos” that cemented Mr. Sirico’s fame. His character’s hair-trigger mood was seasoned with a mentor-like function to the extra junior Christopher Moltisanti, portrayed by Michael Imperioli.
“Tony was like nobody else: he was as robust, as loyal and as large hearted as anybody i’ve ever recognized,” Mr. Imperioli wrote on Instagram. “I used to be at his facet by a lot: by good instances and unhealthy. However largely good.”
The actor added, “We discovered a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I’m proud to say I did a variety of my greatest and most enjoyable work with my pricey pal Tony. I’ll miss him eternally. He’s actually irreplaceable.”
Father Sirico wrote his brother “is survived by his two beloved youngsters, Joanne Sirico Bello and Richard Sirico, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and plenty of different kinfolk.”
