Paul Sorvino was an actor known for his performances as Paulie Cicero in “Goodfellas” and NYPD Sergeant Phil Ceretta in “Law & Order.”
- Died: July 25, 2022 (Who else died on July 25?)
- Details of death: Died at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida of natural causes at the age of 83.
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Acting career
Sorvino got his start as a stage actor, including earning a Tony nomination for his performance in “That Championship Season” in 1972. He continued his stage acting career while also appearing in movies and TV shows, with his early films including “The Panic in Needle Park,” “A Touch of Class,” “The Gambler,” and “Oh, God!” Perhaps his best-known film role came in “Goodfellas,” as he played the quietly terrifying mob boss Paulie Cicero. His many other movie credits included “Reds,” the screen adaptation of “That Championship Season,” “Dick Tracy,” “Romeo + Juliet,” and “Once Upon a Time in Queens.” He had a starring role in seasons two and three of “Law & Order,” playing Sgt. Phil Cerreta, leaving the show due to the constraints of the filming schedule. Sorvino’s other TV appearances include “Moonlighting,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and “The Goldbergs.” Most recently, he starred as crime boss Frank Costello on the TV series “Godfather of Harlem.” Sorvino was also an operatic tenor, and he was the father of actress Mira Sorvino.
Notable quote
“Most people think I’m either a gangster or a cop or something, but the reality is I’m a sculptor, a painter, a best-selling author, many, many things – a poet, an opera singer, but none of them is gangster, but, you know, obviously I sort of have a knack for playing these things.” —from a 2014 interview for Orlando Weekly
Tributes to Paul Sorvino
Full obituary: The New York Times
