Media outlets are reporting the death of “The Sopranos” actor and Bronx Walk of Fame inductee Vincent Pastore, who was reportedly found dead early on Saturday, Aug. 1, by a neighbor on City Island in The Bronx.

 

According to an article on Deadline.com, who broke the story, Pastore had not been heard from in three days when a neighbor discovered his body. According to the movie-related website, imdb.com, Pastore was born in The Bronx on July 14, 1946. In May 2016, as he was being inducted onto The Bronx Walk of Fame, he told Norwood News he grew up in New Rochelle, NY.

 

Deadline.com also reported that Pastore fought in the Vietnam War before graduating from Manhattan’s Pace University with a degree in drama.

 

“The Sopranos” star, Vincent Pastore, recalls how he encountered John Gotti in real life. Video courtesy of uInterview via YouTube.

Pastore’s longtime manager, Robert Altman, told People Magazine, “Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever
known.”

 

Speaking at great length during his Bronx Walk of Fame induction ceremony in 2016, Pastore fondly recalled visiting his grandparents’ home in Belmont. He also talked about the “bad business decisions’ he made when he opened a bar / restaurant that left him bankrupt, and how his move to The Bronx at age 40 changed his life forever. “I was kind of like down and out,” Pastore said. “I moved to The Bronx in 1987 and I took the 6 train into the City and I went on auditions.”

 

Pastore shared how he first settled in the Morris Park section of the borough, landing some commercials, and imdb.com reported that his first big gig was a Pepsi commercial in 1999, which reportedly led to at least four guest appearances on the hit legal show “Law & Order.” Recalling his first film role in “True Love,” which premiered in 1989, and in which Pastore played the role of Angelo, Pastore said the movie was also filmed in Morris Park neighborhood.

 

He added that the role also led to subsequent film roles like in “Goodfellas,” which premiered in 1990, and in which he played the Man with the Coatrack, “Awakenings,” with Robin Williams, which also premiered in 1990, and in which Pastore played a patient, and “The Godfather Part lll,” which also premiered in 1990.

 

A plot summary of “True Love,” a RomCom, on imdb.com reads, “In The Bronx, during the late 1980s, marriage-minded Donna (Annabella Sciorra) is engaged to the immature, commitment-phobic Michael (Ron Eldard).”

 

Pastore was reportedly so skilled at playing a typical gangster, he was later selected for the role of Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, best friend to Tony Soprano in the hit HBO series, “The Sopranos.” The lead character was, of course, played by another since deceased actor James Gandolfini. For his efforts in the show, Pastore won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2000 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Ten years ago, at The Bronx Walk of Fame induction ceremony in 2016 held outside Bronx Borough Hall, Pastore beamed with pride as he said in part, “To be able to say to my family: ‘Hey! I’m on The Bronx Walk of Fame on the Grand Concourse!'” After “The Sopranos” wrapped, Pastore turned to reality TV with appearances on such shows as “Celebrity Apprentice,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Shark Tank.”

 

With his success, Pastore purchased a home on City Island and was often spotted walking across East 187th Street or Arthur Avenue as he
visited the meat market or bakeries in The Bronx’s “Little Italy” neighborhood.

 

Reacting to news of the actor’s passing on Saturday, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said, “We are saddened by the news of the passing of actor and Bronx Walk of Fame inductee, Vincent Pastore. Vincent leaves behind a lasting legacy through his remarkable career and the unforgettable characters he brought to life. His contributions to film and television, along with his connection to The Bronx, will always be remembered. Please join us in sending prayers of strength and healing to Vincent’s family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.”

 

Back at the 2016 Bronx Walk of Fame ceremony, on life in the borough, Pastore said, “I’m just really, really proud to be a part of the best borough because, and I’ve said this before, we’re a melting pot.” After the cover was pulled off the street sign with his name on it, Pastore was asked what role he was most proud of. “My best character was in ‘Gotti,’ because I played Angelo Ruggiero and I was able to study his walk and his persona, and I worked opposite Anthony Quinn and (Armand) Assante,” he said of the 1996 movie.

An imdb.com description of “Gotti” reads, “John Gotti rises to head the powerful Gambino crime family before being convicted in 1992 of racketeering and murder.” Pastore concluded, “I mean I love ‘The Sopranos,’ but I was featured more in ‘Gotti’ and it was my breakthrough role.”

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.