This is what James Gandolfini was known best for, his portrayal of Tony Soprano in the 6 season run of HBOs The Sopranos'. Tony Soprano was a Mob Boss with the burden of an anxiety disorder. But let me introduce the life and story of James Gandolfini.
Gandolfini was born in Westwood New Jersey. His mother, Santa, a high school lunch lady and was born in the USA of Italian ancestry and raised in Naples Italy. His father, James Joseph Gandolfini, Sr., a native of Borgotaro Italy was a bricklayer and cement mason.
James' parents were devout Roman Catholics and spoke Italian at home. Due to the influence of his parents, Gandolfini developed a strong sense of being Italian and regularly visited Italy.
James grew up in Park Ridge NJ. He went to Park Ridge High and played basketball and was dubbed the *Class Flirt* in the senior yearbook. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University and worked as a bouncer on campus.
Although James Gandolfini didn't want to be always recognized and remembered for his role as the famous Mob Boss Tony Soprano, he will always be dubbed The Mafioso that we've come to love.
The series started in 1999 and ended in 2007. He won three Emmy's for Best Actor in a Drama in which he always questioned his identity and purpose.
Below are the movies that James Gandolfini was in and made
great performances in each and everyone.
James kept his ties open with his hometown of Park Ridge and supports The Octoberwoman Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. He lived in New York City and in 2009 bought a home in Tewksbury Township in New Jersey.
On August 30 2008, James married former model Deborah Lin
in Honolulu Hawaii, they have a daughter Liliana and he has a son Michael. People who knew James Gandolfini say he was a very nice, gentle and caring man who would stop and talk
to anyone. He had much respect for the men and women of the Miilitary and had visited the soldiers a few times.
The last scene of The Sopranos caused the world to talk, as
at the very end, the *Fade to Black, was just that. The scene was filmed at Holstens Ice Cream Parlor in New Jersey. So on June 20th, the day after James Gandolfini's death, the booth has been kept empty in his honor.
James Gandolfini died suddenly on June 19, 2013, in Rome Italy while on vacation and was expected in Sicily on June 22nd to receive an award at the Taormina Film Fest. After a day of sightseeing in Rome sweltering heat, he was found around 10pm in the bathroom of the hotel by his 13yr old son. Michael quickly called the hotel reception, who called the paramedics.The ambulance arrived at 10;40, he was still alive at that point. Further efforts were made when he reached the emergency room, there was nothing they could do and he was dead upon arrival. Debroah Lin and their daughter was in Italy with James.
James Joseph Gandolfini, Jr. (September 18, 1961 – June 19, 2013
