Tony Sirico, Actor Who Brilliantly Portrayed Paulie Walnuts On "The Sopranos", Dies At 79

Tony Sirico, a wise guy-turned-actor who gifted us with one of the most iconic TV performances this century, died today at the age of 79. A Brooklyn native, Sirico knew the ins and outs of the criminal lifestyle he would later portray having been arrested 28 times and doing a pair of bids. During his last time in the joint, he watched an acting troupe made up of ex-cons and caught the acting bug. After two decades of small parts including his first speaking role as one of the Rosato brothers in THE GODFATHER PART II, the intimidating Italian with the patented gray-sided coif landed the role of a lifetime when he was cast as Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri on the game-changing mob drama "The Sopranos". He initially auditioned for the Junior Soprano role. 

Paulie Walnuts was a malapropism-spouting mafia soldier with a hair-trigger temper that became an instant fan favorite and remained one for the show's duration. Though he was a bona fide psychopath you really didn't want in your orbit, Sirico's charismatic performance disarmed viewers who found themselves rooting for a lunatic who strangles an old lady to death (among many other misdeeds during the course of the show). He was a good portion of show's comic relief while also serving as one of its most menacing characters. 

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Sirico played Tony Stacks in GOODFELLAS and also appeared in COP LAND, 29TH STREET, DEAD PRESIDENTS as well as several other movies and TV shows. But he'll forever be known for the role he unknowingly prepared for decades ahead of time, the dangerous and daffy Paulie Walnuts. Sirico is survived by his two children, Joanne Sirico Bello and Richard Sirico, as well as grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and other relatives. Farewell to the legend.

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