Vincent Pastore, the Bronx-born actor who became a familiar face on New York-centered crime dramas, has died at 80. The veteran performer was best known for playing Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” a role that made him part of one of television’s most enduring ensembles.
According to TMZ, Pastore was found dead Saturday in his Bronx apartment by a neighbor after he had not been heard from for several days. His death is under investigation, and his family did not know the cause of death at the time of the report. Pastore is survived by his daughter, Renee.
Deadline also reported that a neighbor discovered Pastore at his Bronx residence after roughly three days without contact. The circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately clear.
A Late-Blooming Acting Career Took Him From The Bronx To HBO
Pastore did not arrive in Hollywood as a young leading man. As TV Insider notes, he was born in the Bronx and grew up in New Rochelle before working in the nightclub business and eventually turning toward acting.
He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and earned an acting degree from Pace University, according to TMZ. His first movie role came in “Black Roses” in his early 40s, followed by appearances in mob-associated films including “Goodfellas,” “Carlito’s Way,” “Men of Respect” and “Witness to the Mob.”
‘Big Pussy’ Became His Signature Role
Pastore joined “The Sopranos” in 1999 as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, a trusted member of Tony Soprano’s crew whose secret cooperation with the FBI became one of the show’s most consequential storylines. He appeared in 30 episodes across the series’ seven-season run, Deadline reported.
Beyond “The Sopranos,” his credits included “Shark Tale,” “Spinning Gold,” “Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn,” “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Yellowjackets.” But for New York viewers, especially in the Bronx, Pastore’s most indelible character will remain the big-hearted, compromised mobster who helped give the Soprano family its most painful betrayal.
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