'The Sopranos' star Vincent Pastore passes away

New York: Vincent Pastore, the veteran actor best known for playing Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero in the acclaimed HBO series The Sopranos, has died at the age of 80.

Bob McGowan, Pastore's longtime manager since his The Sopranos days, confirmed the news to The Associated Press after learning of the actor's death from fellow cast member Vincent Curatola.

McGowan said Pastore was found dead at his home on New York's City Island after friends and associates had been unable to contact him for several days.

The manager said he had been trying to reach Pastore regarding a potential acting opportunity before learning of his death.

"He was the most loyal client and he always gave to charity," McGowan said, "and he was the kind of guy who would help anybody, which is rare in my business."

Pastore built a decades-long career portraying mobsters, police officers and other tough-guy characters. He appeared in films dating back to the 1980s, including Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas and the Robin Williams-Robert De Niro drama Awakenings, both released in 1990.

His most iconic role came in HBO's The Sopranos, where he portrayed Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, a close friend of Tony Soprano whose secret role as an FBI informant became one of the series' defining storylines. Pastore appeared in 30 episodes of the groundbreaking crime drama.

Born in the Bronx and raised in nearby New Rochelle, New York, Pastore served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War before pursuing an acting career. He later attended Pace University.