James Gandolfini: 1961-2013

Actor James Gandolfini attends the premiere of "Nicky Deuce" in Los Angeles on May 20, 2013.

The actor, best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of a conflicted New Jersey mob boss in the acclaimed HBO series "The Sopranos," died on June 19, 2013, in Italy. He was 51.

Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

James Gandolfini played mob boss Tony Soprano in the groundbreaking series produced by HBO from 1999 to 2007. His performance as the bulky mobster who was a therapy patient, family man and cold-blooded killer was indelible and career-making. He won three Emmy Awards for the role.

"He was a genius," "Sopranos" creator David Chase told The Associated Press. "Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that. He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes. I remember telling him many times, 'You don't get it. You're like Mozart.' There would be silence at the other end of the phone."

Credit: AP Photo/HBO, Barry Wetcher

Gandolfini grew up in New Jersey, the son of a building maintenance chief and a school cafeteria worker. After earning a degree in communications at Rutgers University, Gandolfini moved to New York City, where he worked as a bartender, bouncer and nightclub manager. When he was 25, he joined a friend of a friend in an acting class, which he continued for several years.

Gandolfini's first big break was a Broadway production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" where he played Steve, one of Stanley Kowalski's poker buddies.

His film debut was in Sidney Lumet's "A Stranger Among Us" in 1992 (left). Here, New York City homicide detective Melanie Griffith shows hoods Chris Latta and Gandolfini who's boss.

Credit: Buena Vista Pictures

In "True Romance" (1993), written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Tony Scott, James Gandolfini played a strong-arm man for crime boss Christopher Walken. Here Gandolfini is seen giving Patricia Arquette a hard time.

Tony Scott once praised Gandolfini's talent for fusing violence with charisma, calling him "a unique combination of charming and dangerous."

Credit: Warner Brothers

In Martha Coolidge's 1994 romantic comedy-drama "Angie," Geena Davis played a Brooklyn woman who becomes pregnant, but hesitates to marry the baby's father (played by James Gandolfini).

Credit: Buena Vista Pictures

In "Money for Nothing" (1994), James Gandolfini co-starred as the brother of John Cusack, who found $1.2 million that fell out of an armored truck.

Credit: Hollywood Pictures

James Gandolfini starred in the Charlie Sheen actioner "Terminal Velocity" (1994), which combined Russian spies, parachute stunts and stolen gold.

Credit: Buena Vista Pictures

In Barry Sonnenfeld's "Get Shorty" (1995), based on the Elmore Leonard crime novel, James Gandolfini played Bear, the right hand of the drug dealer played by Delroy Lindo.

Credit: MGM

In Sidney Lumet's 1997 drama, "Night Falls on Manhattan," James Gandolfini and Ian Holm played New York City detectives whose surveillance of a drug dealer leads to a police shootings and a spectacular trial.

Credit: Paramount Pictures

Nicolas Cage and James Gandolfini with Swedish actor Peter Stormare in a scene from the 1999 movie "8MM," directed by Joel Schumacher.

Credit: Getty Images

James Gandolfini and Edie Falco in a scene from HBO's "The Sopranos."

"The love between Tony and Carmela was one of the greatest I've ever known," Falco told The Associated Press upon hearing of Gandolfini's death. "I am shocked and devastated by Jim's passing. He was a man of tremendous depth and sensitivity, with a kindness and generosity beyond words."

"My heart goes out to his family, as those of us in his pretend one hold on to the memories of our intense and beautiful time together."

Credit: HBO

James Gandolfini as mob boss Tony Soprano, in an episode from the first season of the HBO cable television mob series, "The Sopranos."

Credit: AP Photo/HBO, Anthony Neste

James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in a scene from HBO's "The Sopranos."

Actors Lorraine Bracco, as Tony Soprano's psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi, went one-on-one with Gandolfini in their penetrating therapy scenes.

"I had the greatest sparring partner in the world, I had Muhammad Ali," Bracco told the Associated Press. "He cares what he does, and does it extremely well."

Credit: HBO

James Gandolfini, center, as Tony Soprano in "The Sopranos." HBO called the actor a "special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone, no matter their title or position, with equal respect."

Credit: HBO

James Gandolfini in a scene from HBO's "The Sopranos."

Credit: HBO

James Gandolfini holds his Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for "The Sopranos" at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 10, 2000.

Credit: AP Photo

James Gandolfini and Billy Bob Thornton in the Coen Brothers' 2001 film, "The Man Who Wasn't There."

Credit: USA Films

James Gandolfini, left, and Julia Roberts in a scene from the 2001 film, "The Mexican."

Credit: Dreamworks

James Gandolfini, left, and Robert Redford in the 2001 film "The Last Castle."

Credit: Dreamworks

Actor James Gandolfini and his son stand with Spongebob Squarepants at "Nickelodeon's Dream Halloween," benefiting the Children Affected by Aids Foundation (CAAF) at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Oct. 19, 2003, in New York.

Credit: Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Actor James Gandolfini attends HBO's Post Emmy Party at the Pacific Design Centre on Sept. 19, 2004, in Los Angeles.

Credit: Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Ben Affleck is about to get a very special holiday greeting from James Gandolfini in the 2004 comedy, "Surviving Christmas."

Credit: Dreamworks

Actors James Gandolfini and Ben Affleck arrive for the premiere of their movie "Surviving Christmas" on Oct. 14, 2004, in Los Angeles.

Credit: Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

James Gandolfini (with the unfortunate character name of Nick Murder) and Kate Winslet (as a woman with whom he has an affair) were among the ensemble cast of John Turturro's 2005 musical-comedy, "Romance & Cigarettes."

Credit: Icon Film Distribution

Actor James Gandolfini participates in The Comedy Festival's Comedy Cares first annual Celebrity Poker Tournament at the Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace Nov. 18, 2005, in Las Vegas.

Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

James Gandolfini and John Travolta played detectives on the bloody trail of a killer (or killers) of women who respond to "lonely hearts" newspaper ads, in the 2006 film "Lonely Hearts."

Credit: Roadside Attractions

James Gandolfini in the 2006 thriller "Lonely Hearts."

Credit: Roadside Attractions

This 2007 file photo shows James Gandolfini, left, Steven Van Zandt and Tony Sirico, right, members of the cast of the HBO cable television mob drama "The Sopranos."

Credit: AP Photo/HBO,Craig Blankenhorn

This file photo released by HBO in 2007 shows James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in a scene from one of the last episodes of the HBO dramatic series "The Sopranos."

Credit: AP Photo/HBO

Actor James Gandolfini accepts the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series for his work in "The Sopranos" at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Actor James Gandolfini and his wife, Deborah Lin, attend the 2008 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 13, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

James Gandolfini played the Mayor of New York City in the 2009 remake of the crime thriller "The Taking of Pelham 123," about the hijacking of a subway train by armed men demanding $10 million for their hostages.

Credit: Columbia Pictures

Actor James Gandolfini and producer/actor Tom Hanks attend the after party for the "Where The Wild Things Are" premiere at The Museum of Modern Art on Oct. 13, 2009, in New York.

Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images

James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, on-screen husband and wife on "The Sopranos," arrive at the HBO season premiere of the series at the Museum of Modern Art on March 7, 2006, in New York.

Credit: Getty Images

Actors Alec Baldwin, Michael Imperioli, James Gandolfini and Steve Schirripa attend the Exploring the Arts Gala at Cipriani, Wall Street on Sept. 27, 2010, in New York.

Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Actor James Gandolfini, right, wife Deborah Lin and son Michael Gandolfini attend the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival opening night premiere after party for "Shrek Forever After" at MOMA on April 21, 2010, in New York.

Credit: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Actress Diane Lane, left, and actor James Gandolfini arrive at the premiere of HBO Films' "Cinema Verite" at the Paramount Theatre on April 11, 2011, in Hollywood, Calif.

Credit: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

James Gandolfini in a scene from the 2012 film "Zero Dark Thirty."

Credit: Columbia Pictures

Actor James Gandolfini, right, and his wife, Deborah Lin, arrive at the premiere of "Zero Dark Thirty" at the Dolby Theatre on Dec. 10, 2012, in Los Angeles.

Credit: Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP

Actors Brad Pitt, left, and James Gandolfini in 2012's "Killing Them Softly."

Credit: The Weinstein Company

James Gandolfini in the 2009 film "In the Loop."

Credit: IFC Films

From left, Ben Mendelsohn, Vincent Curatola, Brad Pitt, and James Gandolfini attend The Cinema Society with Men's Health and DeLeon hosted screening of The Weinstein Company's "Killing Them Softly" on Nov. 26, 2012, in New York.

Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Steve Carrell as a magician and James Gandolfini as a casino owner in the comedy "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013).

Credit: New Line

Actor James Gandolfini attends "Which Way is the Frontline From Here?" premiere at HBO Theater on April 10, 2013, in New York.

Credit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images

In March 2013, "The Sopranos" cast reunited in Uncasville, Conn., for a private event hosted by the Mohegan Sun casino. It included a Q&A session with Mohegan Sun guests and the show

Credit: Mohegan Sun

Lorraine Bracco sits on James Gandolfini's lap, snapping a photo of themselves with her iPhone at Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville, Conn., in March 2013.

Credit: Mohegan Sun

In March 2013, "The Sopranos" cast reunited in Uncasville, Conn., for a private event hosted by the Mohegan Sun casino. It included a Q&A session with Mohegan Sun guests and the show

Credit: Mohegan Sun