He died after having a massive heart attack while he was on holiday in Italy
Most of you will know him from his iconic role as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos
The series first aired in 1999 and it centred around the New Jersey based Italian American mobster as he tries to balance family life with the criminal organization that he heads
I didn't watch The Sopranos first time around
I remember it being on at home and my mother loved it but I think I was a bit young to appreciate it
It wasn't until a few years ago that I came across the box set
I was instantly hooked
I'm not ashamed to admit that I watched the whole thing back to back 3 times
And just got better each time
I come from a family that slightly obsessed with gangster movies
Goodfellas, Casino, Scarface, Once upon a time in America, The Godfather, The Departed
These are mostly American but the British have tried their hand too
Lock stock and two smoking barrels and Snatch
I remember watching Snatch the first time around and I thought it was good
But I watched it again recently and it wasn't as good as I remembered
What is it about these characters that we find so fascinating?
Maybe because we get a glimpse in to a murky underworld of crime, drugs, murder all set against the glamorous back drop of money and girls
The Sopranos has so many good characters
From Tony's heroin addicted nephew Christopher who in a memorable show sat on and smothered his girlfriends dog
Carmella, Tony's long suffering wife who is at odds with how Tony makes his money but enjoys all the trappings that it brings
And a motley crew of gangsters and wannabe gansters
We should really have despised Tony
He was a murderer
A thug
A bully
A master manipulator
A serial adulterer who always had at least one 'goumar' on the side
But there was also something very likeable about him
Maybe it was his charisma
His charm
He played the people around him like puppets
I remember the episode when he killed his nephew Christopher
I was outraged
This was cruel even by Tony's standards
When I was using drugs I used to entertain the idea that I was living in a gangsters world
That it was glamorous even
But in reality we just a group of kids from a small town who were in over our heads
These films portray a flash life of money, cars, drugs
But is it really like that in real life?
I'm guessing not
Yes Tony and his family had a beautiful home
Big cars
Anything they wanted
But they paid a high price
Always having to look over their shoulders
The chance of being killed or hurt
Is it worth it
So in memory of James Gandolfini's iconic role, I will leave you with some Tonyisms
On love: When you're married, you'll understand the importance of fresh produce
On psychiatry: This psychiatry shit, apparently what you're feeling is not what you're feeling and what you're feeling is your real agenda
Is this a woman thing? You ask me how I'm feeling. I tell you how I'm feeling and now you're going to torture me with it
On being the boss: All due respect. You got no fucking idea what it's like to be number one
You don'r shit where you eat and you definitely don't shit where I eat
On chicken soup for the soul: You should read tomato sauce for your ass, It's the Italian version
