The Legendary Paul Sorvino

Paul Sorvino, who appeared in such movies as Goodfellas (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), and Nixon (1995), and starred on the second and third seasons of Law & Order, died yesterday, July 25 2022, at the age of 83. He had issues with his health for the past several years.

Paul Sorvino was born on April 13 1939 in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. He was drawn to singing from when he was young, and even aspired to become an opera singer. He sang at resorts in the Catskills as a teenager. Paul Sorvino graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn.

Paul Sorvino worked as a copywriter at an advertising agency, and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. It was ultimately his asthma that lead him to pursue acting rather than a career in opera as he wanted. He later founded the Sorvino Children's Asthma Foundation. He wrote the 1985 book How to Become a Former Asthmatic. Paul Sorvino studied acting under Sanford Meisner and William Esper.

Paul Sorvino made his debut on Broadway in Bajour in 1964. In the Sixties he appeared in the Broadway productions Mating Dance and Skyscraper. He made his film debut in Carl Reiner's movie Where's Poppa? in 1970. In the Seventies Mr. Sorvino appeared in Broadway in That Championship Season and An American Millionaire. He directed the Broadway production Wheelbarrow Chasers. On television he starred on the TV shows We'll Get By and Bert D'Angelo/Superstar (a spinoff of The Streets of San Francisco). He guest starred on the shows Great Performances, The Streets of San Francisco, and Insight. He appeared in the mini-series Seventh Avenue. Paul Sorvino appeared in the films The Panic in Needle Park (1971), Cry Uncle (1971), Made for Each Other (1971), Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972), A Touch of Class (1973), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), The Gambler (1974), Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue (1974), I Will...I Will..For Now (1976), Oh God! (1977), Bloodbrothers (1978), Slow Dancing in the Big City (1978), The Brink's Job (1978), Lost and Found (1979), and Cruising (1980).

In the Eighties Paul Sorvino appeared in the films Reds (1981), Melanie (1982), I, the Jury (1982), That Championship Season (1982), Off the Wall (1983), Very Close Quarters (1984), The Stuff (1985), A Fine Mess (1986), Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter (1986), Dick Tracy (1990), Goodfellas (1990), and DMZ (1990). On television he starred on the TV show The Oldest Rookie and the mini-series Chiefs. He guest starred on the shows Today's F.B.I.; Moonlighting; and Murder, She Wrote. He appeared in the TV movies My Mother's Secret Life, With Intent to Kill, Surviving, Chiller, and Almost Partners.

In the Nineties Paul Sorvino starred on the TV shows Law & Order and That's Life. He guest starred on the TV shows Star Trek: The Next Generation and Work with Me. He was a guest voice on the animated series Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man. He appeared in the TV movies Don't Touch My Daughter, The Last Mile, A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives, Parallel Lives, Without Consent, Escape Clause, The Art of the Cigar, Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way, Houdini, That Championship Season, Cheaters, and The Thin Blue Lie. He appeared in the movies The Rocketeer (1991), Age Isn't Everything (1991), The Firm (1993), Backstreet Justice (1994), Cover Me (1995), Nixon (1995), Love is All There Is (1996), Romeo + Juliet (1996), American Pefekt (1997), Money Talks (1997), Men with Guns (1997), Most Wanted (1997), Bulworth (1998), Knock Off (1998), Dead Broke (1998), Harlem Aria (1999), Scriptfellas (1999), and The Amati Girls (2000).

In the Naughts Paul Sorvino continued to appear on the TV show That's Life. He had regular and recurring roles in the TV series Still Standing and Mogli a pezzi. He appeared in the mini-series L'onore e il rispetto. He guest starred on the shows Jack & Bobby. He appeared in the TV movies Mafia Doctor, Doc West, and Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe. He appeared in the movies Perfume (2001), See Spot Run (2001), Plan B (2001), Longshot (2001), Ciao America (2002), The Cooler (2003), Mambo Italiano (2003), Mr. 3000 (2004), Goodnight, Joseph Parker (2004), Mr. Fix It (2005), Greetings from the Shore (2007), Last Hour (2008), Carnera: The Walking Mountain (2008), Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), The Wild Stallion (2009), and Switchback (2010).  He was a voice in the animated movie Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002).

In the Teens Paul Sorvino had roles on the TV shows Bad Blood and Godfather of Harlem. He appeared in the mini-series Airship Dracula. He guest starred on the shows Elementary, The Goldbergs, Grandfathered,  and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. He provided the voice of Augustin Mouchot  in the documentary mini-series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. He appeared in the TV movies Imaginary Friend, Jersey Shore Shark Attack, and Paulie. He appeared in the movies Kill the Irishman (2011), God Don't Make the Laws (2011), The Trouble with Cali (2012), The Devil's Carnival (2012), For the Love of Money (2012), Divorce Invitation (2012), How Sweet It Is (2013), Last I Heard (2013), Immigrant (2013), A Winter Rose (2014), A Place for Heroes (2014), The Hybrids Family (2015), Careful What You Wish For (2015), No Deposit (2015), Sicilian Vampire (2015), Cold Deck (2015), Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival (2016), Kidnapped in Romania (2016), Falling (2016), The Bandit Hound (2016), Chasing Gold (2016), Detours (2016), The Bronx Bull (2016), The Brooklyn Banker (2016), The Red Maple Leaf (2016), Rules Don't Apply (2016), Lost Cat Corona (2017), Abe & Phil's Last Poker Game (2017), Undercover Grandpa (2017), Price for Freedom (2017), Executor (2017), Papa (2018), Acts of Desperation (2018), Beneath the Leaves (2019), Welcome to Acapulco (2019), Bad Impulse (2019), and Most Guys are Losers (2020). His last appearance on film was in The Birthday Cake (2021).

Paul Sorvino was a gifted tenor who not only sang on Broadway, but performed  for the New York Opera at Lincoln Center in 2006. He was also a talented sculptor. Among his works was a sculpture of playwright Jason Miller. He was also a painter.

Paul Sorvino played many gangsters and police officers in his career. Indeed, among his best known roles are gangsters Paul Cicero in Goodfelllas and Eddie Valentine in The Rocketeer. He is also known for playing Detective Phil Cerretta on the TV show Law & Order. While Paul Sorvino was very good at playing gangsters and police officers, he was such a talented actor he could play other sorts of roles with ease. He played the historical figures Henry Kissinger in Nixon and Louis C. Fraina in Reds. He was the protagonist in the TV movie A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives, playing one of the defence attorneys filling Perry Mason's shoes following the death of Raymond Burr. Over the years Paul Sorvino played everything from CEOs to a clergyman to a fashion designer to a CIA Deputy Director.

Beyond being an enormously talented actor and an incredible tenor, Paul Sorvino was also a genuinely good man. I have friends who have had the opportunity to meet him in person. Every single one of them commented on how kind and how sweet he was. I have never heard of a fan who had a bad experience meeting Paul Sorvino. His wife Dee Dee is on Twitter and has taken part in both TCMParty and Svengoolie live tweets. She would sometimes relay something Paul had said, and his niceness would shine through. Paul Sorvino was a remarkable actor, a remarkable tenor, and a remarkable man. The world seems a little dimmer without him.