By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-01 21:17:10 | Updated at 2026-08-02 18:42:42
21 hours ago
Actor Vincent Pastore, best known for his iconic portrayal of mobster Salvatore 'Big Pu**y' Bonpensiero on HBO's The Sopranos, has died at age 80.
He had not been heard from for three days before a neighbor discovered his body at his home in the Bronx. An investigation is now underway, according to Deadline.
Pastore was beloved by fans of The Sopranos for his nuanced performance as 'Big Pu**y,' who is ultimately revealed to be an FBI informant and shot.
Born in 1946 to an Italian family in the Bronx, he was often cast in mafia roles, including a bit part in GoodFellas and a larger role in the 1996 HBO film Gotti.
His television career included frequent guest shots on Law & Order, as well as reality shows ranging from Celebrity Apprentice to Dancing with the Stars.
In his later years, he ran a theater company that produced multiple plays a year and reunited him with a number of The Sopranos alumni, including Anthony Ribustello, who featured as the chauffer of James Gandolfini's lead character Tony Soprano.
Actor Vincent Pastore, best known for his iconic portrayal of mobster Salvatore 'Big Pu**y' Bonpensiero on HBO's The Sopranos, has died at age 80; pictured 2006
Pastore was born in the Bronx in 1946 but raised upstate in an Italian neighborhood of New Rochelle, living with his family above the local Foresters club.
'I can still smell the pizza!' he fondly remarked a few years ago to Edge magazine. 'Roller skating every Friday night at the Boys Club. Great memories.'
After serving in the US Navy in the Vietnam War, he began opening bars and clubs, including the 1980s New Rochelle nightspot the Crazy Horse.
