Tony Sirico

Early life

Sirico was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and attended Midwood High School, but did not graduate. Sirico's brother, Robert Sirico, is a Catholic priest and co-founder of the free-market Acton Institute. As a teenager, Sirico was shot in a dispute over a girl. He subsequently served in the United States Army.

Sirico was convicted of several crimes and was arrested 28 times, including for disorderly conduct, assault, and robbery, before taking up acting. In 1967, he served time in prison for the first time as an adult. On February 27, 1970, he was arrested at a restaurant, and found with a .32 caliber revolver on his person. In 1971, he was indicted for extortion, coercion, and felony weapons possession, convicted, and sentenced to four years in prison, of which he served 20 months at Sing Sing.

According to a court transcript at the time of his sentencing, Sirico also had pending charges for criminal possession of a dangerous drug. He appeared in the 1989 documentary The Big Bang by James Toback, in which he discussed his earlier life.

Career

Sirico's first confirmed role in film was as an extra in the 1974 film Crazy Joe, securing the role with the help of Richard Castellano. Michael Gazzo was Sirico's first acting coach. Sirico played gangsters in a number of films, and made-for-TV films, including Goodfellas, Mob Queen, Mighty Aphrodite, Love and Money, Fingers, The One Man Jury, Defiance, The Last Fight, Innocent Blood, Bullets over Broadway, The Pick-up Artist, Gotti, Witness to the Mob, The Search for One-eye Jimmy, Cop Land, Turn of Faith, Hello Again, Mickey Blue Eyes, and Wonder Wheel. He also played policemen in the films Dead Presidents and Deconstructing Harry. Sirico was a close friend of Woody Allen, and appeared in seven of his films.

Sirico's most acclaimed acting job was that of Paulie Gualtieri in David Chase's Emmy award-winning drama The Sopranos. He originally auditioned for the role of Uncle Junior with Frank Vincent, but Dominic Chianese landed the role. David Chase instead offered him the role of Paulie Gualtieri; Sirico agreed under the condition that his character "would not become a rat".

In animation, Sirico provided the voice of "Big Daddy" Fairywinkle in The Fairly OddParents. On Family Guy, he voiced the character of Vinny, who for three episodes in late 2013 was the family's pet dog, replacing Brian Griffin after his death; Brian would later be brought back via time travel. Sirico also made a live-action cameo in the episode "Stewie, Chris, & Brian's Excellent Adventure", where he threatens Stewie, who had insulted Italians, calling them "ridiculous people". Vinny would return in a cameo appearance at the end of the Season 15 premiere, "The Boys in the Band". Sirico would later voice characters on Seth MacFarlane's other animated series American Dad!.

In 2018, he reunited with former Sopranos actors Federico Castelluccio and Vincent Pastore in Sarah Q.

Personal life

Sirico had two children, Joanne and Richard. In 2008, he released a cologne called Paolo Per Uomo.

Death

Sirico died on the afternoon of July 8, 2022, at an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 79. No cause of death was given, but he had been diagnosed with dementia some years before his death. Sirico's funeral mass was held at the Basilica of Regina Pacis, and he was interred at Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

References

1. (July 9, 2022). "'Sopranos' actor Tony Sirico dies at 79".
2. "Tony Sirico Biography". [[The Biography Channel]]/[[A+E Networks]].
3. (July 15, 1990). "A Real Tough Guy: Tony Sirico's rap sheet: 28 arrests and 27 acting jobs". [[Los Angeles Times]].
4. (July 9, 2022). "Tony Sirico, the Brooklyn-born actor who played Paulie Walnuts on The Sopranos, has died".
5. "[https://www.holyfamilyradio.net/mc-events/our-lady-of-fatima-celebrating-a-century-of-her-message-sacred-heart-grand-rapids-mi/ 'Our Lady of Fatima' Celebrating a century of her message]", [[WVHF (AM). Holy Family Radio]]. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
6. Schudel, Matt. (9 July 2022). "Tony Sirico, 'Sopranos' actor who played Paulie Walnuts, dies at 79". [[The Washington Post]].
7. "Artie's Goose Is Coked", ''New York Post'', May 2, 2006
8. (February 25, 2001). "From Sing Sing To Bada Bing!". thesmokinggun.com.
9. [https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2006/03/20/Sopranos-actor-has-real-life-mob-history/82121142906598/ "'Sopranos' actor has real life mob history"], UPI, March 20, 2006.
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12. (August 24, 2015). "How Tony Sirico's Criminal Past Prepared Him To Play Paulie Walnuts On 'The Sopranos'". Christian Long.
13. David Perlmutter. (4 May 2018). "The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows". Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
14. [https://www.eonline.com/news/484172/family-guy-s-shocking-death-boss-reveals-why-they-decided-to-kill-off-spoiler Family Guy's Shocking Death: Boss Reveals Why They Decided to Kill Off (Spoiler)!]
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19. (July 8, 2022). "Tony Sirico, 'The Sopranos' Actor, Dies at 79". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
20. (July 13, 2022). "'Sopranos' star Tony Sirico's funeral in Brooklyn: 'Paulie Walnuts can steal heaven'".
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22. Hamill, Denis. "[https://www.nydailynews.com/man-paulie-walnuts-life-young-hood-sopranos-star-enjoys-role-make-believe-gangster-article-1.867162 The Man Inside Paulie Walnuts: After life as a young hood, 'Sopranos' star enjoys his role as a make-believe gangster]", ''[[New York Daily News]]''. January 16, 2000. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
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24. Garbicz, Adam (2013). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=mWm3DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT365 Kino wehikuł magiczny – Podróż piąta: Przewodnik osiągnięć filmu fabularnego. Podróż piąta: 1974–1981 Wersja uzupełniona i skorygowana]''. Planet RGB Limited. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
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32. [[Leonard Maltin
33. Hamill, Denis. "[https://www.nydailynews.com/hoodfella-couldfella-sopranos-tony-sirico-hits-high-note-checkered-career-article-1.821752 From Hoodfella to Couldfella in Sopranos, Tony Sirico Hits the High Note of His Checkered Career]", ''[[New York Daily News]]''. February 7, 1999. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
34. [[John Kenneth Muir
35. Wilkinson, Joseph. (July 8, 2022). "Tony Sirico, Paulie Walnuts on 'The Sopranos,' dead at 79". New York Daily News.
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38. Wilmington, Michael. "Premise gouges humor from promising 'One-Eye Jimmy'", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. July 12, 1996. Section 7, p. N.
39. Hamill, Denis. "[https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/no-mob-tony-sirico-plays-new-flick-article-1.1093611 No more mob for Tony Sirico; he plays cop in new flick]", ''[[New York Daily News]]''. June 12, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
40. Reid, Beverly M. "[https://www.nj.com/sopranosarchive/2002/09/sopranos_cast_flourishes_with.html 'Sopranos' cast flourishes with late blooming actors]", [[NJ.com]]. September 5, 2002. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
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45. B. Alan Orange. (July 23, 2007). "Tony Sirico and Morgan Fairchild Tend to The Sno Cone Stand, Inc.". MovieWeb.
46. Hu, Brian. (March 14, 2009). "SFIAAFF 2009: An interview with Karma Calling director Sarba Das". [[University of California, Los Angeles]].
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50. Dick, Jeremy. (July 8, 2022). "Tony Sirico, Paulie Walnuts on The Sopranos, Dies at 79".
51. (December 4, 2013). "Sesame Street: The Bert and Ernie Christmas Special with Tony Sirico and Steve Schirripa".
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