James Gandolfini James Gandolfini James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. (September 18, 1961 – June 19, 2013) was an American actor best known for his role as Tony Soprano, the Italian-American crime boss in HBO's television series "The Sopranos". He was widely hailed for his performance, winning three Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and one Golden Globe Award. His notable film roles include mob henchman Virgil in "True Romance" (1993), Lt. Bobby Dougherty in "Crimson Tide" (1995), and Mayor of New York in "The Taking of Pelham 123" (2009). Other roles are enforcer and stuntman Bear in "Get Shorty" (1995) and impulsive
The Sopranos the greatest pop-culture masterpiece of its day" by "Vanity Fair" contributor Peter Biskind. Remnick called the show "the richest achievement in the history of television." In 2002, "TV Guide" ranked "The Sopranos" fifth on their list of the "Top 50 TV Shows of All Time," while the series was only in its fourth season. In 2007, Channel 4 (UK) named "The Sopranos" the greatest television series of all time. The first season of the series received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Following its initial airing in 1999, "The New York Times" stated, "["The Sopranos"] just may be the greatest work of American