Sopranos Star Vincent Pastore Dead At 80

Vincent Pastore, best known to TV audiences for his role as mobster Salvatore "Big Pu**y" Bonpensiero on HBO's "The Sopranos," has died. He was 80.

According to Deadline, Pastore was found dead at his home in the Bronx on Saturday after a neighbor, concerned that he had not heard from the actor in three days, checked on him. The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation.

TVLine has reached out to Pastore's reps for comment.

Following small roles in the mob films "Goodfellas" (1990), "Men of Respect" (1990), and "Carlito's Way" (1993), plus a supporting turn in "The Jerky Boys" (1995), Pastore landed his first major break as mobster Angelo Ruggiero in HBO's "Gotti" (1996), appearing opposite future "Sopranos" co-stars Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, and Dominic Chianese. But his defining role came three years later, when David Chase cast him as Salvatore "Big Pu**y" Bonpensiero, the lifelong friend of James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano whose shocking reveal as an FBI informant culminated in one of the mob drama's most memorable deaths in the Season 2 finale.

Though killed off after 26 episodes, Pastore returned for four additional guest appearances through the series' sixth and final season.

Following "The Sopranos," Pastore racked up numerous TV guest-star credits, appearing in episodes of "Blue Bloods," "The Curse," "Ed," "Everybody Hates Chris," "General Hospital," "Grounded for Life," "Hawaii Five-0," "Las Vegas," "Less Than Perfect," "The Practice," "One Life to Live," and "Wu-Tang: An American Saga." 

Most recently, he lent his voice to a Season 3 episode of "Yellowjackets."

Pastore also appeared on several reality shows, competing on Season 1 of "Celebrity Apprentice," from which he quit in Week 5. He also became the first celebrity entrepreneur to pitch a product on "Shark Tank," appearing during Season 2 alongside business partner Johnny Gennaro to seek funding for Broccoli Wad, a silicone money clip inspired by the broccoli bands used to hold stacks of cash. Though they accepted an offer from Barbara Corcoran, the deal ultimately never closed.

He also competed on Season 4 of "Celebrity Fit Club" and appeared in a 2008 episode of "Celebrity Family Feud."