Tony Sirico, the actor known for Paulie in ‘The Sopranos,’ has died at 79

Tony Sirico, the actor known for his role as Paulie in ‘The Sopranos,’ has died at 79

Tony Sirico, who portrayed an aging and wisecracking gangster on the HBO hit show “The Sopranos,” has died, his manager said.The actor died on Friday morning at an assisted living hom

Sirico had a long career of character acting and bit parts, roles with names such as Poker Player, Frankie, and Tough Guy, before the Sopranos debuted in 1999

When he read for the “Sopranos,” he said, he knew it would change his world

When I first read David Chase’s script, I knew this was special,” Sirico told the New York Daily News in 1999. “This is what I’d been looking for all my life.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

“He couldn’t remember things as the years passed, he had been in failing health,” McGowan said

According to his family’s post, Sirico is survived by his two children, Joanne Sirico Bello and Richard Sirico, as well as grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and other relatives

On Facebook, Sirico’s family wrote that they are “deeply grateful for the many expressions of love, prayer and condolences and requests that the public respect its privacy in this time of bereavement.”