Paul Sorvino, whose calm demeanor often hid the true intentions of his nefarious characters, passed away at 83 yesterday. His distinguished career includes roles in “Goodfellas,” “The Rocketeer,” and “The Firm.” He also had a recurring role on the hit TV show “Law and Order” and even had a guest spot in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Sorvino’s most notable roles might be that of playing gangsters like the aptly-named Paulie in the above-mentioned “Goodfellas,” where he took the fine art of cooking to a whole new level. However, his hobbies in the real world were just as nuanced as his character’s memorable approach to slicing garlic. Sorvino loved painting, opera, and poetry. In 2007, he appeared in the independent film “Greetings from the Shore,” a romantic comedy set in a seaside town in New Jersey, wherein Sorvino’s character, Catch Turner, knows the ins and outs of the illegal operations happening there. He earned acclaim for his portrayal of Henry Kissinger in Martin Scorsese’s “Nixon” and played Juliet’s father, Fulgencio Capulet, in Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo + Juliet.”
In addition to his acting career, Paul Sorvino was a deputy sheriff in Pennsylvania and ran a private horse rescue in Gilbert, PA. He was survived by his wife, Dee Dee Sorvino, and his three children, Michael Sorvino, Amanda Sorvino, and actress Miro Sorvino.
With dozens of roles to his credit, Sorvino was both consistently imposing yet often tender. His many turns in distinguished supporting roles are a testament to his versatility and the fact that he wasn’t just another tough guy.
Photo was cropped, fair use by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en
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