Paul Sorvino: 1939 - 2022

Actor Paul Sorvino has passed away at the age of 83. 

 

Born Paul Anthony Sorvino in Brooklyn, NY, in 1939, Sorvino began his career as a copywriter in an advertising agency. He took 18 years of voice lessons, and would make his Broadway debut in 1964 in the musical BAJOUR. 

 

His big-screen debut would come in 1970 in the black comedy WHERE’S POPPA alongside George Segal. In 1973 he would re-unite with Segal with a prominent supporting role in the Oscar-winning romantic comedy A TOUCH OF CLASS. In 1984, he would star in his friend Jason Miller’s adaptation of his own play, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON…a play that Sorvino had acted in as far back as 1972. 

 

His most famous role came in 1990 when he appeared as caporegime Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s mob drama GOODFELLAS. Sorvino would later play mobsters in DICK TRACY (1990), THE ROCKETEER (1991), and THE FIRM (1993). He would also play Henry Kissinger in Oliver Stone’s NIXON (1995). 

 

Other notable film roles included Carl Reiner’s OH, GOD! (1977), Warren Beatty’s REDS (1981), Baz Luhrman’s ROMEO AND JULIET (1996), BULWORTH (1998), MR. 3000 (1994), and KILL THE IRISHMAN (2011). 

 

He crossed over to television often, and played Sergeant Phil Cerretta on LAW AND ORDER for 31 episodes. He also appeared on MOONLIGHTING, MURDER SHE WROTE, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, another version of THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, and THE GOLDBERGS. 

 

He was an accomplished sculptor, painter, author, and opera singer. His daughter Mira Sorvino is an Oscar-winning actress. 

 

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Paul Sorvino was one of those actors who always carried a huge presence in every film or TV show he did. In GOODFELLAS, his character did not move fast or say very much, but when he did…everyone listened and listened good. He seemed to carry that over to every screen appearance, and he never wasted a second. He was the quiet giant, and a good fella.