Vincent Pastore Biography

Actor. Born in July 14, 1946 in Bronx, New York. Pastore, a nightclub manager and owner, got into acting with the encouragement of actors Matt and Kevin Dillon. He got his first film while in his forties—a bit part in Black Roses (1988). Other small roles followed in Goodfellas and Awakenings in 1990. Pastore kept working, eventually earning more screen time in 1995’s crime comedy The Jerky Boys opposite Alan Arkin.

With his deep voice and hulky size, Pastore has often played the part of a mobster. He had roles on several television crime movies and miniseries, such as Gotti (1996), The Last Don (1997), and Witness to the Mob (1998). But his greatest television role to date was as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on The Sopranos. For two seasons, Pastore played a mafia soldier who gets caught in a jam and reluctantly agrees to help in a federal investigation of the Soprano crime family to avoid jail time.

After leaving The Sopranos, Pastore has continued to work on television and in film. He has appeared on such television series as Law & Order, Queen’s Supreme, and The Practice. Pastore also had a recurring role on the soap opera One Life to Live. Along with his dramatic roles, Pastore hasn’t been afraid to poke fun at his image. He provided the voice for one of the gangster sharks in the 2004 animated film Shark Tale and appeared in the organized crime send-up Corky Romano (2001).  
In 2005, Pastore made news with his personal life. He was arrested in New York City and charged with assault after a fight with his girlfriend. He later pled guilty to a lesser charge and received community service.

Pastore has several film projects in the works, including The Devil’s Dominoes, which expected to be released in 2007. He also hosts a program called Wise Guy Radio on the Sirius Satellite Radio.

© 2006 A&E Television Networks. All rights reserved.