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Paul Sorvino
Paul Sorvino Shankbone 2010 NYC.jpg
Sorvino at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival
Born
Paul Anthony Sorvino

(1939-04-13)April 13, 1939
New York City, U.S.
Died July 25, 2022(2022-07-25) (aged 83)
Resting place Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Occupation Actor
Years active 1956–2022
Spouse(s)
Lorraine Davis
(m. 1966; div. 1988)
Vanessa Arico
(m. 1991; div. 1996)
Dee Dee Benkie
(m. 2014)
Children 3, including Mira and Michael

Paul Anthony Sorvino ( April 13, 1939 – July 25, 2022) was an American film, television and stage actor. He often portrayed authority figures on both the criminal and the law enforcement sides of the law.

Sorvino was particularly known for his roles as Lucchese crime family caporegime Paulie Cicero (based on real life gangster Paul Vario) in Martin Scorsese's 1990 gangster film Goodfellas and as NYPD Sergeant Phil Cerreta on the second season of the TV series Law & Order. He also played a variety of father figures, including Juliet's father in Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, as well as guest appearances as the father of Bruce Willis' character on the TV series Moonlighting and the father of Jeff Garlin's character on The Goldbergs. He took on additional supporting roles in A Touch of Class (1973), Reds (1981), The Rocketeer (1991), Nixon (1995, as Henry Kissinger), and The Cooler (2003).

Although usually cast in dramatic supporting roles, he had occasional leads in films including Bloodbrothers (1978), and also in comedic roles including his turn as a bombastic Southern evangelist in Carl Reiner's Oh, God! (1977). Sorvino was also nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor for the 1972 play That Championship Season, and later starred in film and television adaptations. He was the father of actors Mira Sorvino and Michael Sorvino.

Early life

Sorvino was born on April 13, 1939, and raised in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. His mother, Angela Maria Mattea (née Renzi; 1906–1991), was a homemaker and piano teacher of Italian (Molisan) descent who was born in Connecticut. His father, Ford Sorvino, was an Italian (Neapolitan) immigrant who worked in a robe factory as a foreman.

Sorvino attended Lafayette High School (where he was a classmate of painter Peter Max) and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

Career

Sorvino began his career as a copywriter in an advertising agency. He took voice lessons for 18 years. While attending The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, he decided to go into the theatre. He made his Broadway debut in the 1964 musical Bajour, and six years later he appeared in his first film, Carl Reiner's Where's Poppa?, starring George Segal and Ruth Gordon. In 1971, he played a supporting role in Jerry Schatzberg's critically acclaimed The Panic in Needle Park, starring Al Pacino and Kitty Winn.

Paul Sorvino Mitzi Hoag We'll Get By 1975
Sorvino with Mitzi Hoag in 1975

Sorvino received critical praise for his performance as Phil Romano in Jason Miller's 1972 Broadway play That Championship Season, a role he repeated in the 1982 film version. He appeared in another George Segal-starring film with a prominent supporting role in the Academy Award-winning romantic comedy A Touch of Class (1973). In It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy (1974), he played Harry Walters, a real estate salesman. He also appeared in the 1976 Elliott Gould/Diane Keaton vehicle I Will, I Will... for Now. He starred in the weekly series We'll Get By (1975, as George Platt), Bert D'Angelo/Superstar (1976, in the title role), and The Oldest Rookie (1987, as Detective Ike Porter). He also directed Wheelbarrow Closers, a 1976 Broadway play by Louis La Russo II, which starred Danny Aiello.

In 1981, Sorvino played the role of Italian-American communist Louis C. Fraina in Warren Beatty's film Reds. He appeared in Larry Cohen's 1985 horror film The Stuff as a reclusive militia leader, alongside future Law & Order co-star Michael Moriarty. Sorvino also helped found the American Stage Company, a group that launched several successful Off-Broadway shows, in 1986.

In 1991, Sorvino took on the role of Sergeant Phil Cerreta (replacing actor George Dzundza in a new role) on the popular series Law & Order. Sorvino initially was excited about the role but left after 29 episodes, citing the exhausting schedule demanded by the filming of the show, a need to broaden his horizons, and the desire to preserve his vocal cords for singing opera. Sorvino's exit from the series came in an episode in which Sgt. Cerreta is shot in the line of duty and transferred to an administrative position in another precinct.

In 1993, Sorvino substituted for Raymond Burr in a Perry Mason TV movie, The Case of the Wicked Wives. He had earlier appeared as Bruce Willis' father in the weekly series Moonlighting and the "Lamont" counterpart in the never-aired original pilot for Sanford and Son. Some of his most notable film roles were caporegime Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990) and Henry Kissinger in Oliver Stone's Nixon (1995). In addition to Goodfellas, Sorvino also played mob bosses Eddie Valentine in The Rocketeer and Tony Morolto in The Firm.

Sorvino founded the Paul Sorvino Asthma Foundation, intending to build asthma centers for children and adults across the United States. In 1998, he narrated the series The Big House for The History Channel. In 1999, he directed and again starred in (albeit playing a different role) a TV version of That Championship Season.

Paul Sorvino
Sorvino in 2008

In Hey Arnold!: The Movie, Sorvino voiced the main antagonist, Mr. Scheck, the CEO of Future Tech Industries, who wants to convert Arnold's neighborhood into a huge shopping mall. From 2000 to 2002, Sorvino had a starring role as Frank DeLucca in the television drama That's Life. He also starred in the comedy Still Standing as Al Miller, father to Bill (Mark Addy). Sorvino filmed The Trouble with Cali in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area of Pennsylvania. He directed and starred in the film, and his daughter Mira also starred in the film.

Sorvino played GeneCo founder Rotti Largo in the 2008 musical film Repo! The Genetic Opera. Working with Repo! director Darren Lynn Bousman again, Sorvino played God in The Devil's Carnival, a short film screened on tour beginning in April 2012.

Personal life

Sorvino lived in Los Angeles and Madison, Indiana. He had three children: Mira, Michael, and Amanda from his first marriage with Lorraine Davis. Mira and Michael are actors.

On January 17, 2007, news reports detailed that he displayed a gun in front of Daniel Snee, an ex-boyfriend of his daughter Amanda, after the man pounded on her hotel room door and made threats. Amanda testified that Snee threatened to kill her at a hotel on January 3 in Stowe, Vermont. She said she locked herself in the bathroom and called both the police and her father. Her 67-year-old father showed up before police, she testified. When police arrived, the young man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, she said. As a deputy sheriff in Pennsylvania, Sorvino was legally authorized to carry a gun in different states. He did not point the gun at Snee or threaten him.

In March 2008, Sorvino and his daughter Amanda lobbied with the Americans Against Horse Slaughter in Washington D.C., for U.S. Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S311/HR503). The Sorvinos run a private horse rescue operation in Gilbert, Pennsylvania.

Sorvino was also an accomplished sculptor, specializing in cast bronze. In December 2008 his sculpture of the late playwright Jason Miller was unveiled in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In addition, he guest-starred on the 2008 album of Neapolitan singer Eddy Napoli, Napulitanata, performing a duet of the song "Luna Rossa".

In 2007, Sorvino launched Paul Sorvino Foods to market a range of pasta sauces. Based on his mother's recipe, the product appeared in supermarkets in the northeastern United States in late 2009. Three years later, Sorvino became part owner in Janson-Beckett Cosmeceuticals.

In an April 2014 interview, Sorvino said, "Most people think I'm either a gangster or a cop or something, but the reality is I'm a sculptor, a painter, a best-selling author, many, many things—a poet, an opera singer, but none of them is gangster, but, you know, obviously I sort of have a knack for playing these things. It's almost my later goal in life to disabuse people of the notion that I'm a slow-moving, heavy-lidded thug, and most people's impression of me IS that—because of the success of Goodfellas and a few other things, but they forget that I was also Dr. Kissinger in Nixon, the deaf lawyer in Dummy, and they forget a lot of things that I've done. It would be nice to have my legacy more than that of just tough guy."

Before screening his film Once Upon a Time in Queens at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando in April 2014, Sorvino revealed that he wrote rhymed and metrical poetry and recited one of his own works as an example.

In December 2014, Sorvino married political pundit Dee Dee Benkie after meeting her on Your World With Neil Cavuto.

Death

Sorvino died at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 25, 2022, aged 83. He was interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1970 Where's Poppa? Owner of 'Gus & Grace's Home'
1971 The Panic in Needle Park Samuels
Cry Uncle! Coughing Cop
Made for Each Other Gig's Father
1972 Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues Taxi Driver
1973 A Touch of Class Walter Menkes
The Day of the Dolphin Curtis Mahoney
1974 The Gambler 'Hips'
1975 Angel and Big Joe Joe 'Big Joe'
1976 I Will, I Will... for Now Lou Springer
1977 Oh, God! Reverend Willie Williams
1978 Bloodbrothers 'Chubby' De Coco
Slow Dancing in the Big City Lou Friedlander
The Brink's Job 'Jazz' Maffie
1979 Lost and Found Reilly
1980 Cruising Captain Edelsen
1981 Reds Louis Fraina
1982 Melanie Walter
I, the Jury Detective Pat Chambers
That Championship Season Phil Romano
1983 Off the Wall Warden Nicholas F. Castle
1985 The Stuff Colonel Malcolm Grommett Spears
1985 Turk 182 as Himself
1986 A Fine Mess Tony Pazzo
1986 ***: A Delicate Matter Gino
1990 Dick Tracy 'Lips' Manlis
Goodfellas Paul Cicero
1991 The Rocketeer Eddie Valentine
Age Isn't Everything Max
1993 The Firm Tommie Morolto Uncredited
1995 Cover Me J.J. Davis
Nixon Henry Kissinger Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1996 Love Is All There Is Piero Malacici
Romeo + Juliet Fulgencio Capulet
1997 American Perfekt Sheriff Frank Noonan
Men with Guns Horace Burke
Money Talks Guy Cipriani
Most Wanted CIA Deputy Director Ken Rackmill
1998 Bulworth Graham Crockett
Knock Off Harry Johanson
2000 Longshot Laszlo Pryce
The Amati Girls Joe
2001 Perfume Lorenzo Mancini
See Spot Run Sonny Talia
Witches to the North Gallio
2002 Ciao America Antonio Primavera
Hey Arnold!: The Movie Alphonse Perrier du von Scheck Voice role
2003 The Cooler Buddy Stafford
Mambo Italiano Gino Barberini
2004 Mr. 3000 Gus Panas
2006 Mr. Fix It Wally
2007 Greetings from the Shore 'Catch' Turner
2008 Last Hour Maitre Steinfeld
Carnera - The Walking Mountain Ledudal
Repo! The Genetic Opera Rotti Largo
2009 The Wild Stallion Nolan
2011 Kill the Irishman Tony 'Fat Tony' Salerno
2012 The Trouble with Cali Ivan
The Devil's Carnival God
For the Love of Money 'Red'
Divorce Invitation Daniel Miller
2013 How Sweet It Is Mike 'Big Mike' Cicero
Once Upon a Time in Queens Joe Scoleri
The Immigrant Yeshiva Principal
2015 Hybrids The Count
Careful What You Wish For Sheriff Jack 'Big Jack'
No Deposit Alfie
Sicilian Vampire Jimmy Scambino
Cold Deck 'Chips'
2016 Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival God
Detours Joe DiMaria
The Bronx Bull Giuseppe LaMotta
The Red Maple Leaf Joseph Palermo
Rules Don't Apply Vernon Scott
A Winter Rose 'Skippy'
2017 Lost Cat Corona Uncle Sam
The Last Poker Game Phil
Undercover Grandpa Giovanni
2018 Acts of Desperation Chief Lassiter
2021 The Birthday Cake Uncle Carmine
TBA Pursued Grandpa Posthumous release
My Jurassic Place Mr. McCormack Posthumous release

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1974 It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy Harry Walters Television film
1975 We'll Get By George Platt Main role, 13 episodes
1976 The Streets of San Francisco Sergeant Bert D'Angelo 1 episode
1976 Bert D'Angelo/Superstar Main role, 11 episodes
1977 Seventh Avenue Dave Shaw Miniseries, 3 episodes
1979 Dummy Lowell Myers Television film
1983 Chiefs Sheriff Skeeter Willis Miniseries, 3 episodes
1985 Surviving: A Family in Crisis Harvey Television film
1985 Wes Craven's Chiller Reverend Penny Television film
1986 Moonlighting David Addison Sr. 1 episode
1987–1988 The Oldest Rookie Detective Ike Porter Main role, 14 episodes
1989 Murder She Wrote Al Sidell 1 episode
1991–1992 Law & Order Sergeant Phil Cerreta Main role, 31 episodes
1993 A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives Anthony Caruso Television film
1994 Star Trek: The Next Generation Nikolai Rozhenko 1 episode
1994 Parallel Lives Ed Starling Television film
1994 Without Consent Dr. Winslow Television film
1996 Escape Clause Lieutenant Gil Farrand Television film
1997 Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way Joe Torre Television film
1997 Duckman President of Variecom 1 episode
1998 Houdini Blackburn Television film
1998 The Big House Narrator 16 episodes
1999 That Championship Season Coach Television film, also director
2000 Cheaters Constantine Kiamos Television film
2000 The Thin Blue Lie Frank Rizzo Television film
2000–2002 That's Life Frank DeLucca Main role, 36 episodes
2004–2006 Still Standing Al Miller 4 episodes
2009 Doc West Sheriff Roy Basehart Television film
2009 Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe Santa Claus Television film
2012 Imaginary Friend Jonathan Television film
2012 Jersey Shore Shark Attack Mayor Palantine Television film
2014 Elementary Robert Pardillo 1 episode
2014 The Goldbergs Ben 'Pop-Pop' Goldberg 1 episode
2016 Grandfathered Jack Martino 1 episode
2017 Bad Blood Nicolo Rizzuto Main role, 6 episodes
2017 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Dr. Dominico Scarpa 1 episode
2019–2021 Godfather of Harlem Frank Costello Main role, 11 episodes

See also

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