‘Sopranos’ Actor Paul Herman Dies on 76th Birthday

Paul Herman in Santa Monica, Calif., on Jan. 16, 2014. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Paul Herman, who appeared in “Goodfellas” and “The Sopranos,” died on his 76th birthday, according to fellow “Sopranos” actor Michael Imperioli and a talent agency.

“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,” Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti in the series, wrote in a tribute that confirmed his death. “I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family, friends and community of actors and filmmakers.”

His talent agency confirmed his death on Wednesday, saying he died on Tuesday, his 76th birthday.

“He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and we will always remember the sound of his laughter and bold spirit,” the agency told Entertainment Weekly. “We ask that you respect the privacy of the family at this time.”

On “The Sopranos,” Herman portrayed Peter “Beansie” Gaeta, a mob associate who owned a pizza shop and club.

Actor Tony Danza described Herman as “one of the greatest guys of all time. A great actor and a great friend.“ He added: “If you visited NYC from LA, he was the entertainment director. We will all miss you so much, Paulie.”

Lorraine Bracco, who played psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi on “The Sopranos,” also paid tribute to Herman.

“The one & only. A loving soul with a great sense of humor, Paulie Herman. REST IN PEACE,” she wrote on Twitter.

Herman, a native of Brooklyn, also appeared in a number of other crime and mob movies such as “Once Upon a Time in America,” “Cop Land,” “Analyze That,” “American Hustle,” and “The Irishman.”

According to IMDB, the actor has more than 60 credits to his name.

Herman’s cause of death was not confirmed.