Prolific 'Goodfellas' actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83

Famed tough-guy actor Paul Sorvino died Monday at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 83 years old.

No specific cause of death was given, but Sorvino's publicist, Roger Neal, confirmed that the Hollywood legend “had dealt with health issues over the past few years,” according to the New York Times. 

"Our hearts are broken," Dee Dee Sorvino, the actor's wife said in a statement. 

Sorvino, who was also the father of actors Mira Sorvino and Michael Sorvino, "passed away of natural causes and had been dealing with health issues in recent years," the statement reveals.

"There will never be another Paul Sorvino, he was the love of my life and one of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen and stage," Dee Dee said in the statement. 

"I am completely devastated," she added on Twitter. "The love of my life and the most wonderful man who ever lived is gone. I'm heartbroken ❤️❤️❤️❤️."

"My father, the great Paul Sorvino, passed away," tweeted Mira, 54. "My heart is in pieces: a life of love, joy, and wisdom with him ended. He was the most wonderful father. I love him. I send love to you in the stars, Dad, as you ascend."

The actor is best known for his role in "Goodfellas," in which he played Paulie Cicero, and his role as New York police sergeant Phil Cerreta in the television series "Law & Order."

Sorvino was born on April 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the youngest of three sons a robe-factory foreman, who was born in Naples, Italy, but emigrated to New York with his parents in 1907. His mother was a piano teacher. 

He grew up in the Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn with young ambitions sing professionally. Sorvino revered Mario Lanza, the Italian American tenor, and started taking singing lessons when he was only eight years old.

In his early twenties, Sorvino performed at resorts in the Catskills vacation area of New York.

In 1963, he sang in the chorus of musicals “South Pacific” and “The Student Prince” at a local theater in Long Island, and that same year, he started studying drama at the New York based American Musical and Dramatic Academy. 

In 1964, he made his first Broadway performance in the chorus of the musical “Bajour” and in 1965 performed in the “Mating Dance”, which closed on opening night.

To make ends meet, Sorvino funded his acting by working steadily as a New York City waiter and a bartender. He also sold cars, taught acting classes to young people and appeared in commercials for household products.

The rising young actor even penned advertising copy for several months to pay bills after his first child, Mira, was born. 

But Sorvino's luck changed at the turn of the decade. He began getting real roles in Hollywood films like "Where's Poppa" in 1970 and "Made for Each Other" in 1971. In 1977, he performed in the hit comedy, "Oh, God!" and played a Russian revolutionary in the epic classic, "Reds," in 1981. 

But it was criminal justice roles that Sorvino became known for. Sometimes he was on the right side of the law, and other times he played the bad guy in roles that ranged from a crime lord in "The Firm" with Tom Cruise to a detective in the hit television series, "Law & Order." 

The famed actor was also an opera singer, writer, and sculptor. He received a Tony nomination for his performance in Jason Miller's 1972 Broadway play "That Championship Season."

His daughter, Mira, recently paid tribute to her father for his 83rd birthday in April with a black-and-white retrospective image of the two.

"A very happy birthday to my dad Paul Sorvino," the actress wrote. "I miss him so much and hope we'll be together in person very soon!"

Mira is Paul's daughter with his first wife Lorraine Davis, with whom he also shares a son Michael and a daughter Amanda.

According to the release, Paul, who is survived by his wife Dee Dee, whom he married in 2014, his three children, and five grandchildren, will be buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.