The Heartbreaking Death Of Sopranos Actor Paul Herman
Fans of "The Sopranos" are mourning the loss of Paul Herman, who passed away at the age of 76 on his birthday. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
The actor played Beansie Gaeta on the popular HBO mob drama, and former co-star Michael Imperioli confirmed Herman's death on his Instagram page. "Paulie was just a great dude. A first class storyteller and raconteur and one hell of an actor," he wrote, adding, "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."
During his time on "The Sopranos," Herman shared scenes with Imperioli, as well as the late James Gandolfini. His character also showed up in the show's prequel movie, "The Many Saints of Newark," with Spenser Granese playing a young Beansie Gaeta and Michael Gandolfini, James' son, fittingly taking on the role of Tony Soprano.
Herman frequently acted opposite Robert De Niro in films including "Goodfellas," "Silver Linings Playbook," and "Analyze That." Herman's most recent film work was in "The Irishman" and "Once Upon a Time in America," and he also played Vincent Chase's accountant, Marvin," in "Entourage" (per IMDb). In addition to performing, Herman ran New York City's Columbus Cafe with his brother during the 1990s. According to the Independent, the establishment was frequented by actors, dancers, gangsters, and law enforcement — and Herman also owned a small stake in it.
Paul Herman's friends and co-stars are mourning his death
Once news of Paul Herman's passing became public, a slew of tributes from famous friends and costars came pouring in on social media."The one and only. A loving soul with a great sense of humor, Paulie Herman. REST IN PEACE," Lorraine Bracco, who appeared in "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos" with Herman wrote on Instagram. "Paul (Paulie) Herman was one of the greatest guys of all time. A great actor and a great friend," added Tony Danza. "If you visited NYC from LA, he was the entertainment director. We will all miss you so much, Paulie."
Debi Mazar, who had a role in "Goodfellas," also expressed her condolences, explaining that she and Herman had "a long history" with one another, per New York Post. Frances Fisher called the actor's passing "the end of an era."
While Herman kept a relatively low-profile offscreen, he was reportedly married to his wife, Abigail Margulis, since 2005, and leaves behind two children.