Vincent Pastore, 'Sopranos' Big Pussy, Dies at 80
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- Vincent Pastore was found dead at his Bronx residence on Aug. 1 by a neighbor after his manager had not heard from him for three days, though the actor's driver said he spoke to him by phone Friday night.
- The death is believed to be from natural causes and is not being investigated by the medical examiner, according to the report.
- Born in the Bronx on July 14, 1946, Pastore served in the Vietnam War and later graduated from Pace University with a drama degree while working as a limo driver — a job that led him to meet Matt and Kevin Dillon, with Kevin Dillon helping him land his first break.
- Pastore's signature role came as mob enforcer turned FBI informant Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos (1999), Tony Soprano's longtime best friend whose murder became one of the series' most memorable scenes alongside James Gandolfini.
- Earlier roles included appearances in Goodfellas, Carlito's Way, the 1996 HBO TV movie Gotti (alongside future Sopranos co-stars Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, and Dominic Chianese), and a wide slate of TV guest spots and reality shows including Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing With the Stars.
- Longtime manager Bob McGowan said "Vinny was a great guy, he would help anyone and was very charitable"; Pastore is survived by daughter Renee, his son-in-law, and a granddaughter.
Why it matters: Pastore was a working character actor into his late 70s, most recently a series regular on Gravesend and a guest on Yellowjackets, meaning his death removes a still-active veteran of Italian-American mob roles from a niche he helped define — with Goodfellas, The Sopranos, and Gotti now serving as the record of his screen work.
