Joseph Siravo, Who Played Tony Soprano’s Father on ‘The Sopranos,’ Dead at 64
Actor Joseph Siravo — who played Tony Soprano’s father on The Sopranos and also appeared in films like Carlito’s Way and numerous Broadway shows — died Sunday, NJ.com reports. He was 64.
Siravo died after a battle with cancer, having been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2017. He was later diagnosed with colon cancer and had part of his colon removed.
Although not necessarily a series regular, Siravo played a key role on The Sopranos, popping up as Tony’s father, Giovanni Frances “Johnny Boy” Soprano, in memorable flashback scenes scattered throughout the series. Sopranos star Michael Imperioli paid tribute to Siravo on Instagram, writing, “Joe was an excellent actor and a wonderful guy and he will be missed dearly.”
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Siravo was born in Washington D.C. in 1957 and eventually studied acting at New York University. His career began in the theater and he appeared in acclaimed Broadway shows like J.T. Rogers’ Oslo, Herb Gardner’s Conversations With My Father, and a revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys From Syracuse. In 2006, Siravo joined the touring cast of the smash musical Jersey Boys, based on the career of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons; he played Genovese family crime boss Gyp DeCarlo and remained with the production until 2012.
In 1993, Siravo made his film debut in Carlito’s Way, while his other film credits include Maid in Manhattan, The Report, and Motherless Brooklyn. In 2015, he played the infamous mobster John Gotti in Nick Sandow’s The Wannabe, a performance Imperioli praised by saying Siravo “was the best of all the actors who’ve played the Teflon Don.”
Like so many New York-based actors, Siravo appeared numerous times on Law & Order and its spin-offs, including SVU and Criminal Intent. His television work also included Made in Jersey, The Blacklist, and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, in which he played Ron Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman. Despite his cancer diagnosis, Siravo continued to work regularly until this death, earning his final credit with a recurring role in the legal drama, For Life, which aired last year.
Throughout his career, Siravo also taught acting as both a private tutor and as a member of NYU’s Graduate Acting faculty. He often taught Shakespeare and founded the Shakespeare & Beyond workshop to help young actors hone their craft.
