Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80.
Pastore was found dead in his Bronx residence on Saturday by a neighbor after he had not been heard from for three days, according to a report from Deadline.
The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation.
Pastore was born on July 14, 1946, in New York City to an Italian American family and grew up in New Rochelle.
Before becoming a well-known actor, Pastore served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War era and later earned a degree in drama from Pace University.
Pastore built a long career specializing in tough-guy and mobster roles.
Early credits included small parts in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and Brian De Palma’s Carlito’s Way.
In the mid-1990s, Pastore scored bigger roles in The Jerky Boys: The Movie and the HBO film Gotti, where he appeared alongside future Sopranos colleagues.
His defining performance came as “Big Pussy,” Tony Soprano’s longtime friend and crew member who becomes an FBI informant.
Pastore’s work on The Sopranos helped earn the cast a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series.
The actor was previously married to Nancy Berke and is survived by their daughter, Renee.
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