Tony Sirico Biography

Tony Sirico made his acting debut in ‘Crazy Joe,’ which was a film about the life of mobster Joey Gallo, in 1974. He also appeared in ‘Godfather, Part II’ the same year. He had his first speaking role in this movie. He was best known for playing mobsters in groundbreaking gangster films. He has been cast frequently by Woody Allen and James Toback. He has played roles of gangsters in films such as ‘Fingers’ (1978), ‘Love and Money’ (1982), ‘Goodfellas’ (1990), ‘Innocent Blood’ (1992), ‘Mighty Aphrodite’ (1995), ‘Bullets Over Broadway’ (1994), and ‘Mob Queen’ (1998). Tony played the role of a policeman in ‘Dead Presidents’ (1995) and ‘Deconstructing Harry’ (1997).

He made his first TV appearance in ‘Kojak’ in 1977. He continued appearing in series such as ‘Police Squad! (1982) and ‘Miami Vice’ (1989). His most acclaimed TV role has been that of ‘Paul “Paulie Walnuts” Gaultieri’ in the ‘Emmy Award’-winning show ‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007). He played a hilarious and quirky enforcer for the Soprano crime family, with an unforgettable hairdo.

His other TV projects include ‘Cosby’ (1996), ‘The Fairly Odd Parents’ (2005), and ‘Chuck’ (2010). He was part of the ‘Gangster’s Actors Guild,’ a loosely associated group of actors who played every hoodlum and gangster part that was available. Tony Sirico's later works included his roles in ‘Cafe Society’ (2016) and ‘Wonder Wheel’ (2017).

In 2018, he was seen in the movie 'Sarah Q'. His last movie, Respect the Jux (2022), was released after his death. 

He lent his voice to the character ‘Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri’ in the 2006 video game ‘The Sopranos: Road to Respect.’

He, along with the other cast members of ‘The Sopranos,’ won the ‘Screen Actors Guild Award’ for ‘Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series’ in 2000 and 2008.

Tony Sirico was born on July 29, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, US, and grew up in the Bensonhurst area.

He was first arrested at the age of 7 for stealing nickels from a newspaper stand. He spent a lot of his early life amidst mobs. Tony was found guilty of robbing a Brooklyn after-hours club and served a prison sentence of 13 months in 1967.

In 1971, while he was serving 20 months in ‘Sing Sing’ prison, a performance group of ex-cons, known as the ‘Theatre of the Forgotten,’ came to entertain the inmates. It made a huge impact on him, and he decided to try acting. He mostly portrayed gangsters. His criminal past helped him lend some authenticity to his performance, blurring the line between him and the characters he played.

Tony lived with his mother, Marie Sirico, for most of his life. He had two brothers: Carmine Sirico, and Rev. Robert Sirico, who is a Catholic priest.

Tony had a daughter named Joeanna Sirico and a son named Richard Sirico.

In the later years of his life, he was diagnosed with dementia. He died on July 8, 2022, at an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.