Paul Sorvino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Sorvino
Sorvino at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival
Born	Paul Anthony Sorvino (1939-04-13)April 13, 1939 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 25, 2022(2022-07-25) (aged 83) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Resting place	Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1956–2022
Spouse(s)	Lorraine Davis ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1988)​ Vanessa Arico ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 1996)​ Dee Dee Benkie ​ (m. 2014)​
Children	3, including Mira and Michael

Paul Anthony Sorvino (April 13, 1939 – July 25, 2022) was an American actor who worked in films, television, and on stage. He was known for playing characters who were in charge, like police officers or even leaders of criminal groups.

Paul Sorvino was especially famous for his role as Paulie Cicero in the 1990 gangster film Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese. He also played Sergeant Phil Cerreta in the TV show Law & Order. He often played father figures, like Juliet's dad in the 1996 movie Romeo + Juliet. He also appeared as the father of Bruce Willis' character in Moonlighting and Jeff Garlin's character in The Goldbergs.

He had many other important roles in movies such as A Touch of Class (1973), Reds (1981), The Rocketeer (1991), Nixon (1995), and The Cooler (2003). Even though he often played serious supporting roles, he also had lead roles and comedic parts, like a funny preacher in Oh, God! (1977). He was nominated for a Tony Award for his acting in the 1972 play That Championship Season. His children, Mira Sorvino and Michael Sorvino, also became actors.

Early Life and Education

Paul Sorvino was born on April 13, 1939, in Bensonhurst, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Angela Maria Mattea, was a homemaker and piano teacher. His father, Ford Sorvino, was an immigrant from Italy who worked as a foreman in a robe factory.

Paul went to Lafayette High School. Later, he studied at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where he decided to pursue a career in theater.

Acting Career Highlights

Sorvino started his career working as a copywriter in an advertising company. He also took singing lessons for 18 years. After studying at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, he chose to work in theater. He first appeared on Broadway in 1964 in the musical Bajour. Six years later, he made his film debut in Where's Poppa? (1970). In 1971, he had a supporting role in The Panic in Needle Park, which starred Al Pacino.

Sorvino with Mitzi Hoag in 1975

Paul Sorvino was highly praised for his acting as Phil Romano in the 1972 Broadway play That Championship Season. He played the same role again in the 1982 movie version. He also had a notable supporting role in the romantic comedy A Touch of Class (1973), which won an Academy Award.

In 1981, Sorvino played Louis C. Fraina, an Italian-American communist, in the film Reds. He also helped start the American Stage Company in 1986, which created many successful Off-Broadway shows.

In 1991, Sorvino joined the popular TV show Law & Order as Sergeant Phil Cerreta. He left the show after 29 episodes because the filming schedule was very demanding. He also wanted to try new things and protect his vocal cords for singing opera. His character left the show after being shot and moving to a different job.

In 1993, Sorvino filled in for Raymond Burr in a Perry Mason TV movie. He also played Bruce Willis' father in Moonlighting. Some of his most famous film roles include Paul Cicero in Goodfellas (1990) and Henry Kissinger in Nixon (1995). Besides Goodfellas, he also played mob leaders in The Rocketeer and The Firm.

Sorvino started the Paul Sorvino Asthma Foundation to help build asthma centers for children and adults. In 1998, he narrated a series called The Big House for The History Channel. In 1999, he directed and acted in a TV version of That Championship Season.

Sorvino in 2008

In Hey Arnold!: The Movie, Sorvino lent his voice to the main bad guy, Mr. Scheck. Mr. Scheck was the CEO of Future Tech Industries and wanted to turn Arnold's neighborhood into a big shopping mall. From 2000 to 2002, Sorvino had a main role as Frank DeLucca in the TV show That's Life. He also appeared in the comedy Still Standing as Al Miller. Sorvino directed and starred in the film The Trouble with Cali, which also featured his daughter Mira.

In 2008, Sorvino played Rotti Largo in the musical film Repo! The Genetic Opera. He later worked with the same director, Darren Lynn Bousman, to play God in The Devil's Carnival (2012).

Other Talents and Interests

Paul Sorvino lived in Los Angeles and Madison, Indiana. He had three children with his first wife, Lorraine Davis: Mira, Michael, and Amanda. Mira and Michael are also actors.

In March 2008, Sorvino and his daughter Amanda worked with Americans Against Horse Slaughter in Washington D.C.. They asked the U.S. Congress to pass a law to prevent horse slaughter. The Sorvinos also ran a horse rescue operation in Gilbert, Pennsylvania.

Sorvino was also a talented sculptor, known for making sculptures from cast bronze. In 2008, his sculpture of playwright Jason Miller was shown in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He also sang a duet on an album by Neapolitan singer Eddy Napoli in 2008.

In 2007, Sorvino started Paul Sorvino Foods to sell pasta sauces based on his mother's recipes. He also became a part-owner in a cosmetics company in 2012.

In an interview in 2014, Sorvino shared that many people thought he was only good at playing tough guys like gangsters or cops. However, he explained that he was also a sculptor, painter, author, poet, and opera singer. He hoped people would remember him for all his different talents, not just his tough-guy roles. He mentioned playing Henry Kissinger in Nixon and a deaf lawyer in Dummy as examples of his diverse acting.

Paul Sorvino also wrote rhymed and metrical poetry. In December 2014, he married political expert Dee Dee Benkie.

Death

Paul Sorvino passed away at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 25, 2022, at the age of 83. He was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Paul Sorvino para niños