Paul Herman death: The Sopranos and The Irishman actor dies aged 76

Star who also appeared in ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ died on his birthday

The Sopranos actor Paul Herman has died at the age of 76.

Herman’s death, on the day of his 76th birthday on 29 March, was confirmed by his former Sopranos castmate, Michael Imperioli.

He wrote on Instagram: “Our friend and colleague PAUL HERMAN has passed away. Paulie was just a great dude. A first class storyteller and raconteur and one hell of an actor...

“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. I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family, friends and community of actors and filmmakers.”

A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Herman played Peter “Beansie” Gaeta in the hit gangster drama, which ran from 1999 to 2007. Beansie was an associate of the DiMeo crime family in the show who laundered mob money through his pizza parlour. He became paralysed after David Proval’s character Richie ran him over in a car.

Paul Herman and James Gandolfini in ‘The Sopranos’ (Moviestore/Shutterstock)

The actor starred in the films The Irishman, Goodfellas, Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle.

Herman, along with his brother Charlie, also ran Manhatten’s Columbus Cafe in the 1990s, a place frequented by actors, ballet dancers, gangsters, as well as FBI and DEA agents.

Actor Demi Mazar, who appeared in Goodfellas alongside Herman, expressed her sadness over his death in the comments section of Imperioli’s tribute: “Noooooo!!! Oh no,” she wrote.

“I have such a long history with Paulie since the early Eighties,” she added, along with a string of sad emojis.