Vincent Pastore, a Bronx-born actor known for playing mobsters in film and TV, has died. He was 80.
The veteran actor was found dead in his Bronx residence today by a neighbour and the cause of death is being determined.
Pastore was working as a limo driver when he met actors Matt and Kevin Dillon who went to see him in a community play he was doing. They helped him get his break.
He had small parts in iconic 1990s mob movies like “Goodfellas,” “Carlito’s Way” and “Men of Respect” along with “Gotti”.
He really broke through as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero in HBO’s “The Sopranos”. The character, Tony Soprano’s (James Gandolfini) longtime best friend and mob enforcer turned FBI Informant.
Pastore went on to plenty of film work including “Mickey Blue Eyes,” “Riding in Cars with Boys,” “Shark Tale,” “Money Train,” “Revolver,” “Deuces Wild,” “Serving Sara,” “Bachelor Party Vegas,” “Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn,” “Spinning Gold” and more.
On TV he appeared on series like “Law & Order,” “The Practice,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “The Last Don II,” “Yellowjackets” and daytime soap “One Life to Live”. He was also a reality television fixture on “Dancing With the Stars,” “Shark Tank,” “Celebrity Apprentice” and “Celebrity Family Feud”.
Pastore is survived by his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.
Source: Yahoo
