FRANK VINCENT, GANGSTER ACTOR, DEAD AT 78

Former gangster actor, known for two very specific roles has gone to the big casino in the sky. Frank "Vincent" Gattuso passed away in a New Jersey hospital while undergoing a heart procedure.  Frank Vincent had recently suffered a heart attack and was undergoing valve repair surgery when he passed away.

Those familiar with Vincent's body of work will be remember him as "Billy Batts," from Goodfellas and spirited, angry gangster Phil Leotardo from The Sopranos.  While Vincent has a long career as an actor beginning in 1976 alongside Joe Pesci in the  "The Death Collector."  He followed that up with roles in "Raging Bull," "Goodfellas," "Casino,"  "Shark Tale," The Pope Of Greenwich Village," and countless others.

While Vincent wasn't a leading actor, he played the supporting role incredibly well, and everyone whose a fan of mob genre films, knows exactly who Frank Vincent was.  While I disagree that he was "prolific" as some articles have mentioned in the last 24 hours, what I can say is that he was a part of a group that include Tony Sirico, and Vincent Pastore who were at the bare minimum believable.

I never truly was a fan of Frank Vincent, only because I felt that he played into a stereotype too hammy for my own tastes, what I can say is that while Frank Vincent has an impressive body of work, his truly best work was on The Sopranos.  I thought Vincent played the role of cranky, vengeful Phil Leotardo exactly the way "Phil" was on paper, and that's what I will remember him for most.

What fans of this genre will miss most, is his raspy voice, with a "don't fuck with me" attitude.  He made you believe he was who he was protraying, and for an actor that's the greatest compliment one can bestow.  RIP FRANK!!!

Here is Phil's best work!!!

PHIL LEOTARDO