A popular actor arguably most famous for his character portrayals in gangster movies and TV shows has passed away.
Paul Herman, perhaps best known for his roles in the movie “Goodfellas” and the TV show “The Sopranos,” died on Tuesday from an undisclosed cause, The Daily Caller reported.
Ironically, the day of his death was also the same day that Herman was to celebrate the day of his birth 76 years ago.
Mourned by his “Sopranos” co-stars
The New York Post reported that Herman’s most recent recognizable claim to fame was his role on the HBO series “The Sopranos,” in which he portrayed a former heroin dealer-turned-pizza shop and club owner named Peter “Beansie” Gaeta.
Indeed, some of his co-stars from that hugely popular program expressed their grief at the news of his passing, including Michael Imperioli.
In an Instagram post that confirmed the news of Herman’s death, Imperioli wrote, “Our friend and colleague PAUL HERMAN has passed away. Paulie was just a great dude.”
“A first class storyteller and raconteur and one hell of an actor. Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America, The Irishman and of course The Sopranos are some highlights,” he continued.
“Paulie lived around the corner from me the last few years and [I] am glad we got to spend some time together before he left us. I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family, friends and our community of actors and filmmakers,” Imperioli added.
Storied and award-winning acting career
According to Herman’s IMDb page, he was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1946, and, according to his extensive list of at least 64 credited appearances in films or TV shows, his noted acting career took off in 1982.
While many of those credited appearances were bit parts or a supporting role, he was part of productions that were nominated for at least six different awards, winning at least two of them.
Further, while the preponderance of his work was in gangster or mobster-related productions, he also appeared in several comedies, and IMDb noted that he had a tendency to frequently be cast for roles in films directed by Martin Scorcese and Woody Allen.
“Paulie Herman — Beloved by All. From the old NYC days at Cafe Central & Columbus to the West Coast nights at Ago, Paulie always had a smile and a table,” actress Frances Fisher said of her late friend, according to the Post. “Decades of memories in every conceivable haunt and hamlet. An actor, a horseman, a man about town, a bit of a health nut, a bottom line trusted friend.”
