James Gandolfini
Biography
James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. (September 18 1961 – June 19 2013) was an American male actor and producer born in Westwood, New Jersey. He is best known for portraying Tony Soprano, the Italian‑American crime boss in HBO’s television series The Sopranos, a performance that earned him three Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and one Golden Globe Award and is widely regarded as one of television’s greatest. Gandolfini’s film work includes the role of Virgil in True Romance (1993), Lieutenant Bobby Dougherty in Crimson Tide (1995), Colonel Winter in The Last Castle (2001) and the Mayor of New York in The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009). His credited career spans 68 acting credits.
Career overview
James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. (September 18 1961 – June 19 2013) was an American actor and producer born in Westwood, New Jersey. Over a career that encompassed more than sixty‑eight credited performances, he achieved international recognition for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian‑American crime boss at the center of HBO’s series The Sopranos. For this role Gandolfini received three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and one Golden Globe Award, and his interpretation of the character has been widely cited as one of the greatest performances in television history.
In addition to his television work, Gandolfini appeared in several notable feature films. He played the mob henchman Virgil in True Romance (1993), Lt. Bobby Dougherty in the naval thriller Crimson Tide (1995), Colonel Winter in the prison drama The Last Castle (2001), and the Mayor of New York in the heist film The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009). These roles demonstrated his versatility across genres, ranging from crime dramas to military and political narratives. Throughout his career, Gandolfini was credited primarily as an actor, with his body of work reflecting a consistent presence in both television and cinema until his death at the age of fifty‑one.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- The Night Of (2016) Executive Producer
- Sopranos Behind-The-Scenes Volume 2 of 2 (2015) as Self
- Sopranos Behind-The-Scenes Volume 1 of 2 (2015) as Self
- The Drop (2014) as Cousin Marv
- The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) as Doug Munny
- Enough Said (2013) as Albert
- Violet & Daisy (2013) as Michael
- Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (2013) as Himself
- Nicky Deuce (2013) as Bobby Eggs
- James Gandolfini: Tribute to a Friend (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) as C.I.A. Director
- Killing Them Softly (2012) as Mickey
- Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012) Executive Producer
- Not Fade Away (2012) as Pat Damiano
- 12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief (2012) as Self
- Cinema Verite (2011) as Craig Gilbert
- Down the Shore (2011) as Bailey
- Welcome to the Rileys (2010) as Doug Riley
- Wartorn: 1861-2010 (2010) as Himself
- Wartorn: 1861-2010 (2010) Executive Producer
- Mint Julep (2010) as Mr. G
- The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) as Mayor
- Where the Wild Things Are (2009) as Carol (voice)
- In the Loop (2009) as Lt Gen. George Miller
- Stories USA (2007) as The Man (segment "Club Soda")
- Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq (2007) as Self
- Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq (2007) Executive Producer
- America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions (2006) as Narrator (voice)
- All the King's Men (2006) as Tiny Duffy
- Lonely Hearts (2006) as Det. Charles Hilderbrandt
- HBO: The Making of 'The Sopranos: Road to Respect' (2006)
- Club Soda (2006) as The Man
- Romance & Cigarettes (2005) as Nick Murder
- The Tony Danza Show (2004) as Self - Guest
- Stories of Lost Souls (2004) as Vincent
- Surviving Christmas (2004) as Tom Valco
- Making "The Man Who Wasn't There" (2002) as Self
- The Last Castle (2001) as Col. Winter
- The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) as Big Dave Brewster
- Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words & Music (2001)
- The Mexican (2001) as Winston Baldry
- Gun: Fatal Betrayal (2000)
- The Sopranos (1999) as Tony Soprano
- 8MM (1999) as Eddie Poole
- A Whole New Day (1999) as Vincent
- Fallen (1998) as Lou
- A Civil Action (1998) as Al Love
- The Mighty (1998) as Kenny Kane
- 12 Angry Men (1997) as Juror 6
- Gun (1997)
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) as Diner Cook #2 (uncredited)
- Dance with the Devil (1997) as Dumas
- Night Falls on Manhattan (1997) as Joey Allegretto
- She's So Lovely (1997) as Kiefer
- The Juror (1996) as Eddie
- Crimson Tide (1995) as Lt. Robert 'Bobby' Dougherty
- Get Shorty (1995) as Bear
- The New World (1995) as Will Caberra
- Angie (1994) as Vinnie
- Terminal Velocity (1994) as Ben Pinkwater
- Italian Movie (1994) as Angelo
- Inside the Actors Studio (1994) as Self
- True Romance (1993) as Virgil
- Money for Nothing (1993) as Billy Coyle
- Mr. Wonderful (1993) as Mike
- A Stranger Among Us (1992) as Tony Baldessari
- The Last Boy Scout (1991) as Marcone's Goon (uncredited)
- Shock! Shock! Shock! (1987) as Orderly
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self / Unidentified New Jersey Resident (uncredited)