Played by Tony Sirico, Paulie appeared in every season of the show, and was a focal point of some of its most memorable installments, including the immortal “Pine Barrens,” widely regarded by most critics and fans as The Sopranos’ best episode.
As Paulie, Sirico could be terrifying, pathetic, relatable, monstrous, or hilarious — and he was a master of the malapropisms that became one of The Sopranos’ comedic signatures.
In the years after The Sopranos, Sirico appeared in more films and television shows. But there’s no doubt what he will be remembered for.
Sadly, Sirico — whose career stretched back years before and after his most famous work on The Sopranos — died on the morning of July 8.