Frank Vincent, who played the menacing yet charming mob boss Phil Leotardo on The Sopranos, died on Wednesday. He was 80 years old. According to TMZ, the actor “suffered a heart attack last week, and underwent open-heart surgery Wednesday. He died during the surgery.”
While best known for his work on The Sopranos, where he tossed out such classic one-liners as “take your f*ckin’ sorrys and stick ’em in your ass” and “let me tell you a couple of three things,” Vincent also appeared in three of director Martin Scorsese’s finest films: Raging Bull, Goodfellas (as real-life gangster Billy Batts), and Casino. His filmography also includes Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Cop Land, and most importantly, Belly, where he also served as DMX, Nas, and Method Man’s acting coach.
Following the death of Sopranos co-star and dear friend James Gandolfini in 2013, the New Jersey-raised Vincent said, “He was a sweetheart of a man and it’s very tragic that this happened. Jimmy was always a big, healthy, hearty guy. Who knows? 51 years old… They say when you’re young and you get a heart attack, it’s not the best thing in the world. It’s a shock to everybody.”
(Via TMZ)
