Paul Sorvino, an imposing actor who excelled at playing crooks and law enforcement officials such as NYPD sergeant Phil Cerretta on “Law & Order” and Paulie Cicero in “Goodfellas,” has passed away. He was 83.
By natural causes, as per his publicist Roger Neal, he passed away in Indiana on Monday morning.
“Our hearts are broken, there will never be another Paul Sorvino, he was the love of my life, and one of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen and stage,” his wife, Dee Dee Sorvino, said in a statement.
In his more than 50 years in the entertainment industry, Sorvino was a mainstay in movies and television, portraying a mob boss in “The Rocketeer,” Henry Kissinger in Oliver Stone’s “Nixon,” and an Italian American communist in Warren Beatty’s “Reds.” He would frequently claim that although he was perhaps most known for his roles as gangsters, his true loves were opera, poetry, and painting.
Sorvino was musically inclined from a young age and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York where he fell in love with the theatre. He was born in Brooklyn in 1939 to a mother who taught piano and a father who worked as a foreman at a garment factory. In 1964, he made his Broadway debut in “Bajour,” and in 1970, he made his film debut in Carl Reiner’s “Where’s Poppa?”
No matter the medium, Sorvino made an impression with his 6-foot-4-inch height. He acted in “The Panic in Needle Park” with Al Pacino, “The Gambler” with James Caan, “Oh, God!” with Rob Reiner, and “Oh, God!” with the ensemble in William Friedkin’s bank robbery comedy “The Brink’s Job” in the 1970s.
Paul Sorvino – Net Worth
The actor, also known as Paul Anthony Sorvino, was well-known for playing authority figures on both sides of the law. For his roles in Goodfellas, Law & Order, A Touch of Class, Reds, and The Rocketeer, Sorvino was particularly well-known.
Paul’s net worth was assessed by CelebrityNetWorth to be about $10 million. He has made a lot of money from his job in the entertainment sector, even though there aren’t much data available about his assets.
The opera singer began his Broadway career in 1964 with the musical Bajour after working as a copywriter in an advertising agency. In 1970, he made his acting debut in the black comedy Where’s Poppa?, and in 1971, he played a minor role in The Panic in Needle Park.
Paul Sorvino – Spouse and Children
Paul Sorvino’s Wife:
- Lorraine Davis – 1966-1988
- Vanessa Arico – 1991-1996
- Dee Dee Benkie – 2014-2022
Paul Sorvino Children:
- Mira Sorvino
- Amanda Sorvino
- Michael Sorvino
Paul Sorvino – Biography
Paul Sorvino, an American actor who is tall, dark, and intimidating, has carved out a successful career playing authority figures.
In Brooklyn, New York City, he was born. His mother, Angela (Renzi), was of Italian heritage and worked as a piano teacher. His father, Ford Sorvino, was an immigrant from Italy who served as the foreman of a robe factory site. Paul originally intended to pursue a career as an opera singer. While attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, he was introduced to dramatic arts.
To control his severe asthma, Sorvino put a lot of effort into learning different breathing techniques. The best-selling book, “How to Become a Former Asthmatic,” was written by him. Additionally, he established the New York City-based Sorvino Asthma Foundation.
Over the past four decades, Sorvino has made appeared in a variety of movies, TV shows, and theatrical productions. He got critical praise for his performance in the Broadway production of “That Championship Season,” and he played the part of Robert Mitchum and Martin Sheen in the 1981 movie adaptation. Other notable appearances in the 1980s and 1990s include a stressed police chief in Cruising (1980), Mike Hammer’s police partner in I, the Jury (1982), “Lips Manlis” in Dick Tracy (1990) with James Caan, and in a memorable performance as mob patriarch “Paul Cicero” in the blockbuster Goodfellas (1990).
Sorvino has appeared in nearly 50 films in the past decade, including a compelling and underappreciated depiction of Henry Kissinger in Nixon (1995), “Fulgencio Capulet” in the contemporary Romeo + Juliet (1996), and the suspenseful Las Vegas thriller The Cooler (2003).
Sorvino is the proud father of actress Mira Sorvino, who has won an Academy Award.
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