Contents:
- AS A NFLICTED GAY HMAN, JAM GANDOLFI OWNS THE OFFBEAT EDY THE MEXIN
- JAM GANDOLFI WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN TONY SOPRANOFOR THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMMY WNER’S UNTIMELY PASSG, WE SPOKE TO MORE THAN TWO DOZEN OF HIS STARS, LLABORATORS, AND IENDS—CLUDG EDIE FAL, JULIA LOUIS-DREYF, TONY DANZA, LORRAE BRAC, JULIANNA MARGULI, STEVEN VAN ZANDT, AND MORE—ABOUT THE “BIG, GENTLE, BETIFUL, WARM HUMAN” THEY KNEW AND LOVED.BY JASON BAILEYJUNE 19, 2023BY FRED R. CONRAD/THE NEW YORK TIM/RX. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEHE WAS KNOWN FOR PLAYG TONY SOPRANO—A BTISH, SELFISH, ABIVE THUG, A CRIMAL AND PHILANRER AND LD-BLOOD KILLER. BUT THERE WERE OF REAL TATE BETWEEN JAM GANDOLFI AND THE CHARACTER THAT MA HIM FAMO, AS ANYONE WHO KNEW GANDOLFI ULD TELL YOU.SO ON THIS, THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HIS UNTIMELY AND UNEXPECTED PASSG, WE SPOKE TO MORE THAN TWO DOZEN OF HIS STARS, LLABORATORS, AND IENDS, TO GET A BETTER PICTURE OF THE REAL JAM GANDOLFI. THEY AGREED ON MANY THGS: HIS WARMTH, HIS GENEROSY, HIS SENSE OF HUMOR, HIS TENSY AS AN ACTOR. THE ONLY THG THEY REALLY SPL ON WAS WHAT TO LL HIM.SAN ASTON (LONGTIME ACTG PARTNER AND ACH): IT’S FUNNY, BEE YOU N TELL WHEN SOMEBODY MET HIM BY WHAT THEY LL HIM. WHEN I MET HIM, HE WAS JAM, AND HE DIDN’T START GOG BY JIM TILL LATER.KAREN DUFFY (ENTERTAMENT JOURNALIST AND HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE): YEAH, WAS JIMMY, BUCKY, AND JAM.DREA MATTEO (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): I LLED HIM JIM OR JIMMY. YEAH. JAM? NO. [LGHS]VCENT CURATOLA (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): I THK HIS SISTERS LLED HIM JAMIE.JULIA LOUIS-DREYF (STAR, ENOUGH SAID): I LLED HIM JIM.EDIE FAL (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, I ASKED HIM, “WHAT DO I LL YOU?” AND HE SAID, “WHATEVER YOU WANT,” WHICH WAS NO HELP AT ALL! BUT I LLED HIM JIM.JAKE STT (DIRECTOR, WELE TO THE RILEYS): HIS APPEARANCE AND HIS SIZE WAS IMPOSG. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU APPROACHED HIM UTLY. BUT HE WAS A BIG, GENTLE, BETIFUL, WARM, LOVG HUMAN. SO YOU FELT YOU EARNED THE RIGHT TO LL HIM JIM OR JIMMY.MYKELTI WILLIAMSON (STAR, 12 ANGRY MEN): I’D SEEN HIS WORK. BUT WE GOT TO THE STAGE AT PARAMOUNT, AND HE’S JT THE OLT, DOWN-TO-EARTH, NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK–TYPE PERSONALY. HE WAS JT A SWEETHEART OF A GUY—BUT YOU ULD TELL THAT THERE’S A SHARP EDGE ON THE OTHER END OF THAT THG TOO.JOHN MAGARO (STAR, NOT FA AWAY AND DOWN THE SHORE): WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, YOU KNOW, ’S HIM, AND HE’S TIMIDATG. HE JT HAS A PRENCE ABOUT HIM. HE WAS A BIG GUY. AND HE’S NOT SUPER TALKATIVE, HE’S NOT SUPER JOKEY. BUT THEN ONCE YOU CRACK THE OUTER SHELL, YOU UNRSTAND THAT JIM IS HILAR, LIK TO GOOF AROUND.MIMI KENNEDY (STAR, IN THE LOOP): I JT FELT LIKE I WAS FIFTH GRA WH HIM. HE WAS THE ET ACTOR THAT I’VE EVER WORKED OPPOSE, BEE OF THAT 11-YEAR-OLD ENERGY OF JT, “YEAH, WE’RE THIS. THEY THK WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS, BUT I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LGH.” AND I ALWAYS WOULD LGH.DE MATTEO: THE ONGOG JOKE WE ED TO—OH, THIS IS SO FUCKED UP, I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD BE DIVULGG THIS KD OF RMATN—BUT MY IEND GGER, WHO WAS A PA ON THE SHOW AT THE TIME…WE ED TO WALK AROUND AND MAKE, LIKE, THE SOUND OF A FCET GOG. MEANG, LIKE, WE NEED A LD SHOWER, EVERY TIME WE WALKED BY JIM. WHO KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE CSH ON THIS BIG, HULKG, BALDG, MIDDLE-AGED MAN?ROSANNA ARQUETTE (STAR, GUN): HE HAS THOSE VERY PASSNATE, EMPATHETIC EY. WHEN YOU NNECT WH SOMEBODY’S EY, AS AN ACTOR, YOU REALLY N NNECT THAT WAY IMMEDIATELY.TONY DANZA (STAR, 12 ANGRY MEN): HE HAD A DIFFERENT LOOK THAN ANYBODY ELSE. HE WASN’T WHAT YOU EXPECTED FOR AN ITALIAN LEADG MAN. AND HE HAD A REAL…HE HAD SUCH AN EASE OF LIVERY. THE GUY WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDEDIE FAL AND GANDOLFI DURG THE HBO GOLN GLOBE PARTY 2001.BY JEFF KRAVZ/FILMMAGIC. “THE VALUE MEISNER IS, YOU KNOW, LISTENG AND PAYG ATTENTN AND LOOKG AT SOMEBODY, AND WHEN THEY GO, JT GOG WH THEM. ” —GANDOLFI ON HIS METHOD (2004)STEVEN VAN ZANDT (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): YOU DID A SCENE WH JIMMY, AND YOU WALKED AWAY A BETTER ACTOR.JULIANNA MARGULI (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): IT’S LIKE TENNIS—WHEN YOU PLAY WH A BETTER PLAYER, YOUR GAME IMPROV. IT’S JT HOW IS; YOU JT PLAY BETTER. YOU DON’T HAVE TO H THE BALL VERY HARD BEE THEY’RE HTG SO HARD. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PUT YOUR RACKET OUT.LORRAE BRAC (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): HE WAS A GREAT PG-PONG PLAYER WHEN ME TO ACTG.STEVE SCHIRRIPA (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): HE WOULD SAY TO YOU, “YOU WANT ANOTHER TAKE? YOU’RE OKAY WH THAT? YOU’RE GOOD?” HE WAS EPLY NCERNED THAT YOU WERE OKAY.VCENT PASTORE (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): JIMMY WOULD SAY, “ARE YOU HAPPY?” AND I SAID I DUNNO, AND HE TURNED AROUND TO ONE OF THE GUYS BEHD THE MERA AND SAYS, “GIVE HIM ANOTHER TAKE.”MARCIA GAY HARN (STAR, GOD OF CARNAGE): THE CREAM SHOULD RISE TO THE TOP, EVEN IF MEANS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. AND HE LOOKS OUT FOR EVERYBODY AROUND HIM. HE’S LOOKG OUT ON THE 360 FOR EVERYBODY AROUND HIM. AND I WAS REALLY IMPRSED BY THAT. BEE OBVLY NOT EVERYBODY OF HIS STATURE DO THAT.GEOFEY FLETCHER (DIRECTOR, VLET & DAISY): HE HAS A MONOLOGUE LATE OUR FILM THAT IS PERFORMED SO SENSIVELY AND IMAGATIVELY. AFTER SEEG THE FILM FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SHOCKED ME WHEN HE SUGGTED THAT HIS MONOLOGUE MIGHT BE A LTLE LONG. HE WAS MORE NCERNED ABOUT THE MOVIE’S OVERALL RHYTHM THAN THE MONOLOGUE THAT HE HAD MASTERED. HIS IA SPIRED AN UNUAL B OF TERCUTTG THAT REALLY WORKED. HE WAS SUCH AN TELLIGENT ARTIST.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDASTON: I’VE HEARD HIM TALK SOMETIM LIKE HE JT LEARNED HIS L AND TRI NOT TO BUMP TO FURNURE, THE SPENCER TRACY THG. BUT THAT WASN’T TE. THAT WAS A BIG FAT LIE.SCHIRRIPA: JIM WAS VERY SER ABOUT HIS WORK. VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY SER. HE THOUGHT THGS OUT.ASTON: WE WOULD LEAVE THE SET. HE WOULD GO HOME AND SHOWER, I WOULD GO HOME, AND THEN I WOULD E BACK OVER TO HIS APARTMENT AT MIDNIGHT TO WORK THE NEXT DAY’S SCEN. I MEAN, WE WERE JT MADMEN. NOBODY SLEPT. IT WAS CRAZY.SCHIRRIPA: HE WOULD SAY TO ME, BEFORE THE SEASON, “LET’S GO DOWN TO LTLE ITALY, HAVE DNER. I WANT TO JT BE AROUND, KD OF GET TO FEEL THAT THG AGA.” BEE JIM WAS NOT TONY SOPRANO. YOU KNOW, HE WAS A BIRKENSTOCK-WEARG, MIC-LOVG GUY. HE WAS KD OF A HIPPIE. HE WAS NOT THAT GUY AT ALL.FAMKE JANSSEN (STAR, DOWN THE SHORE): I WAS STCK MOSTLY BY HIS LOVABLE ENERGY, NOT AT ALL WHAT ONE WOULD EXPECT, OBVLY. AND THEN READG WH HIM, WHAT I WAS STCK BY WAS HIS UNPREDICTABILY AS AN ACTOR. AND THAT’S WHAT MA HIM SO FANTASTIC TO WATCH.KATHLEEN QULAN (STAR, A CIVIL ACTN): HE HAD THIS CREDIBLE ABILY TO MAKE ALL VERY REAL THAT MOMENT. AND THAT REALLY STCK ME BEE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIM AS ACTORS, WE N SEE THE ACTORS WORKG THE WORDS. AND I ULDN’T REALLY SEE THAT.FAL: HE DIDN’T LET HIMSELF GET BOSSED AROUND BY A LOT OF THE THGS THAT I LET WALK ME AROUND—THIS GOOD-STUNT MENTALY. I ALWAYS HAD TO GET THE L JT RIGHT AND DO THE BLOCKG EXACTLY THE SAME EVERY TIME. AND I WOULD WATCH HIM, AND HE WAS FOLLOWG SOMETHG…BIGGER. AND EPER. IF HE HAD AN IMPULSE TO SAY SOMETHG A LTLE DIFFERENT, OR TO CHANGE THE BLOCKG, HE JT DID . AND I WAS JEALO THAT HE HAD SOMEHOW GOTTEN PERMISSN OM HIMSELF TO DO THAT KD OF THG.DANZA: I WATCHED HIM WORK WH JACK. WHEN YOU’RE WORKG WH JACK LEMMON, FOR CHRISSAK, YOU’VE GOT TO—FIRST OF ALL, MAK YOU BETTER, BEE HE’S SO GOOD. BUT AT SOME POT…I LOOK AT EVERYTHG LIKE A FIGHT FOR SOME REASON, I GUS BEE OF MY BACKGROUND. AND HE WAS HOLDG HIS OWN. YEAH, HE WAS HOLDG HIS OWN.FAL: WHEN HE SHOWED UP ON SET, ’S KD OF…YOU’VE GOT TO BE PRENT. YOU N’T DO THE WAY YOU REHEARSED YOUR BATHROOM, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND WHAT ULD POSSIBLY BE MORE FUN THAN THAT, OM A PERFORMANCE POT OF VIEW?WILLIAMSON: YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNEW A GUY LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW?SCHIRRIPA: JAMIE-LYNN SIGLER TOLD ME AN CREDIBLE STORY. IT WAS EARLY ON, AND THEY WERE THE R TOGETHER. IT WAS, I THK, THE LLEGE EPISO. AND SHE WAS A LTLE NERVO, AND JIM SAID, “JT LOOK ME THE EY AND TALK TO ME. JT LOOK ME THE EY AND TALK TO ME.” HE HAD A WAY OF MAKG YOU FEEL LM.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDNILE HOLOFCENER (DIRECTOR, ENOUGH SAID): HE WAS REALLY ATTENTIVE TO PEOPLE SMALLER ROL AND THE CREW, REALLY ATTENTIVE. THERE’S ALWAYS A PA OR AN AD THAT HANGS AROUND THE TRAILERS JT TO TAKE RE OF THE ACTORS, AND WHAT THEY NEED, AND WALK THEM TO THE SET. AND THERE WAS THIS ONE WOMAN WHO WAS STG OUT THERE THE SUN, DAY AFTER DAY, AND HE SHOWED UP WH A CHAIR AND AN UMBRELLA FOR HER. WHOUT ASKG.MARGULI: THEY HAD ME THE REALLY HIGH HEELS, AND I KEPT HAVG TO N UP AND DOWN STAIRS. AND I SAT DOWN AND I WAS VERY QUIET ABOUT . BUT HE SAW , AND HE GO, “YOUR FEET ARE KILLG YOU, AREN’T THEY?” I WAS LIKE, “SHHHH, ’S REALLY PAFUL!”AND HE WAS LIKE, “C’MERE, I’M REALLY GOOD AT THIS.” AND HE MASSAGED MY FEET ON SET, AND WAS SO SWEET AND KD ABOUT . NOT A PERVERTED WAY. IT WAS JT ACTOR TO ACTOR, LIKE, “I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU WOMEN DO THIS.”STEVEN VAN ZANDT AND GANDOLFI AT THE HARD ROCK CAFE NYC.KMAZUR/GETTY IMAG. SCHIRRIPA: I WAS JT EPISO-TO-EPISO THAT FIRST SEASON. AND I REMEMBER, I WAS JT WAG FOR MY RI BACK, AND HE WAS LEAVG HIS R WH HIS DRIVER. AND HE HAD THE WDOW DOWN. I SAID, “I’LL SEE YOU, JIM.” AND HE HAD THE GUY BACK THE R ALL THE WAY UP AND GOT OUT, AND HE SAID, “I’LL SEE YOU AGA.”I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY NICE: THE STAR OF THE SHOW, THIS HUGE STAR, G BACK. I WAS A NOBODY. I WAS A DAY PLAYER.JOE PANTOLIANO (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): MY FIRST DAY ON THE JOB WAS A SCENE BETWEEN HIM AND ME OUTSI OF A PIZZERIA NEW JERSEY, AND WE HAD OUR NICETI. AND BETWEEN TAK, HE LOOKED ME THE EYE AND HE SAID, “LISTEN, ’S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE WORKG WH YOU.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDIT’S VERY HARD FOR AN ACTOR G TO A SHOW—A LOT OF ACTORS ARE DAY PLAYERS, OR THEY’RE ON AN EPISO WH TWO SCEN. BUT HE ALWAYS WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS FORTABLE.PASTORE: THE WHOLE THG ABOUT JIMMY IS, WE WERE FAY ON AND OFF THE MERA.“MY PARENTS WORKED HARD, WERE HONT, WERE GOOD PEOPLE. AS I’VE SAID BEFORE, I’M STANDG ON THEIR SHOULRS HERE BEE THEY WORKED SO HARD AND ENABLED ME TO GO TO LLEGE, AND THE ARE THE KD OF PEOPLE THAT I LOVE. AND THE ARE THE KD OF PEOPLE THAT I WANT TO SHOW MOVI, BEE I THK THEY’RE GETTG SCREWED. IF I HAVE ANY POWER AS AN ACTOR, THAT’S WHERE OM.” —GANDOLFI ON WHAT DRIV HIM (2004)LOUIS-DREYF: HE WAS A VERY TENRHEARTED, THOUGHTFUL MAN.DANZA: THE THG THAT ALWAYS TOUCHED ME WAS THAT HE WAS SO GIVG…. ONCE YOU WERE HIS IEND, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE HIS IEND.ROD LURIE (DIRECTOR, THE LAST CASTLE): THERE WAS NO SUCH THG AS BRGG A WALLET TO ANY RTRANT YOU WENT WH JAM GANDOLFI TO. THERE’S NO SUCH THG. HE FELT EMBARRASSED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HE WAS MAKG, I THK. AND HE WANTED TO SHARE .LOUIS-DREYF: I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS TE, BUT I THK HE WAS ALMOST EMBARRASSED TO BE AN ACTOR. I THK HE WAS SORT OF AT ODDS WH HIMSELF THAT SENSE.PATORE: JIMMY DIDN’T WANT TO BE A STAR. HE WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR.VAN ZANDT: I REMEMBER, THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SEND-SEASON WRAP PARTY, WHEN WE REALLY HAD BEE SUPER BIG. WE’RE PLANNG THE PARTY, AND I SAID, “YOU REALLY NEED A VIP SECTN.” AND HE WAS LIKE, “OH, I DON’T WANT A VIP SECTN.” I SAID, “JIMMY, TST ME ON THIS, OKAY.”HE’S LIKE, “NAH, NO, NO, NO, NO.” SO WE PUT THE VIP SECTN UP ANYWAY, AND AT FIRST HE WOULDN’T GO THERE—AND OF URSE, HE GOT ATTACKED BY A THOAND PEOPLE. ABOUT AN HOUR TO THE THG, HE STUMBL TO THE VIP SECTN SAYG, “OKAY, OKAY, I GET NOW! I GIVE UP!”ASTON: I THK HE GOT ED TO NICE THGS, BUT HE WAS HAPPY A VERY MOST APARTMENT WH, YOU KNOW, THE SAME OLD LEATHER JACKET, BROWN LEATHER JACKET, AND JEANS AND T-SHIRTS.VAN ZANDT: I MEAN, THE FIRST TIME HE GOT A BIG RAISE, HE SPL UP AMONGST THE ST. UNBELIEVABLE.PASTORE: THE MA PEOPLE GOT A BON THAT HIS PRODUCTN PANY SENT . WHO DO THAT?DE MATTEO: HE PULLED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS TRAILER DURG WORK ONE DAY AND GAVE ALL A CHECK. I REMEMBER, I THK, WAS FOR $36,000.SCHIRRIPA: HE HAND EVERYBODY A CHECK AND SAID, “THANKS FOR STICKG BY ME.” THAT’S ALL HE SAID.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDDE MATTEO: AND I WAS LIKE, “JIM, I’M NOT TAKG THIS CHECK. ARE YOU SANE, DU?” HE’S LIKE, “EVERYONE’S TAKG , AND IF YOU DON’T TAKE , ’S GOG THE GARBAGE. SO YOU MAY AS WELL TAKE .”PANTOLIANO: HE WROTE CHECKS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN’T HAVE THE POWER TO GET THE RAIS. SO HE WAS EXTRAORDARY THAT WAY.DE MATTEO: I THK HE FELT LIKE HE HAD H THE JACKPOT, AND HE JT WANTED TO FUCK’ SHARE WH EVERYBODY. HE WAS JT A DIFFERENT…HE’S JT A DIFFERENT BREED. A PLETELY DIFFERENT BREED.GANDOLFI WH NILE HOLOFCENER AND JULIA LOUIS-DREYF ON THE SET OF ENOUGH SAID. © FOX SEARCHLIGHT/EVERETT COLLECTN.“I FOUND THIS SILLY WAY OF LIVG THAT ALLOWS ME TO OCSNALLY STAND UP FOR [WORKG PEOPLE] A LTLE B. AND MOSTLY MAKE SOME GOOD MONEY AND ACT LIKE A SILLY FOOL." —GANDOLFI ON HIS JOB (2004)BRAC: HE WAS A PA MY ASS [LGHS]. WHAT HAPPENED WAS, HE WOULD DO HIS SIS FIRST BEE HE WAS THE PRECURSOR OF THE STORY. THEN WHEN HE WAS FISHED, HE WAS RELAXED AND DONE WH . HE DIDN’T RE, WAS OVER FOR HIM, EXCEPT WE HAD TO TURN AROUND AND DO MY PART. HE WOULD DANCE…HE WAS CRAZY! MOONG OCCURRED. HE HAD AN ASS THE SIZE OF STATEN ISLAND!MAGARO: I THK HE SAW HIMSELF AS MORE OF A JACKIE GLEASON THAN HE DID A TONY SOPRANO.BRAC: HE WAS A BIG TEDDY BEAR.STT: JIMMY, IF HE SAID , HE MEANT . YOU KNOW, NO BULLSH. HE NEVER LIED, HE DIDN’T. HE WAS AN HONT BOY.ARQUETTE: I LOVED HIM. HE WAS JT A PLEASURE, A WONRFUL, SWEET HUMAN BEG TO WORK WH.*“IT’S LIKE SHOWG EMOTN HAS BEE A BAD THG. LIKE THERE’S SOMETHG WRONG WH YOU, AND YOU’RE REALLY LOVE OR REALLY ANGRY AND YOU SHOW . LIKE IF YOU FEEL THOSE POWERFUL EMOTNS AND YOU EXPRS THEM, STEAD OF KEEPG THEM SI OR EXPRSG YOURSELF POLELY, THEN YOU MT BE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THERAPY, OR PROZAC. THAT’S THE WORLD WE’RE RIGHT NOW.” —*GANDOLFI ON HIS OPENNS (1999)MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDJON ALPERT (DIRECTOR, THE GANDOLFI-PRODUCED DOCUMENTARI ALIVE DAY MEMORI AND WARTORN: 1861-2010): THERE WAS A REAL SCERY. LISTEN, I’VE BEEN DOG THIS TYPE OF WORK FOR A HALF CENTURY. I’M REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO ; I’M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE MYSELF. BUT I’VE SEEN PRACTNERS OF THIS WHO THROW ON A SWCH AND PRETEND THAT THEY RE, AND ’S ALMOST LIKE AN EXSANGUATN—THEY SUCK THE BLOOD OUT OF YOU FOR THEIR TERVIEW, AND THEN THEY’RE OFF TO THE NEXT ONE.JIM WAS NOT LIKE THAT. AND HE DID NOT HAVE TO ACT. ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS OPEN UP THE DOOR OF HIS OWN SOUL, WHICH HE ALWAYS SHARED WH THE PEOPLE THAT HE WAS TERVIEWG.KENNEDY: HE HAD A MORAL RIGHTEONS SI HIM, AND WHEN YOU TICKED HIM OFF THOSE TERMS, SOMETHG THAT HE DIDN;T THK WAS THE RIGHT THG TO DO, YOU ULD FEEL .FLETCHER: HE PLAYED TOUGH GUYS SO PELLGLY THAT I THK PEOPLE WOULD BE ASTONISHED BY HIS TELLECT. AT DNER BEFORE A SCREENG AT THE SAVANNAH FILM FTIVAL, HE SPOKE ABOUT THE DIMISHG SIZE OF THE CRABS PARTS OF NEW JERSEY AND S GREATER IMPLITNS WHILE SOUNDG LIKE A MARE BLOGIST AND CLIMATOLOGIST.GAY HARN: I ED TO GO TO HIM FOR RELATNSHIP ADVICE, BEE HE WAS SO REALLY, ACTUALLY HONT OF THE HEART. IT WASN’T JT HIS JOKEY WAY OR A SEXUAL WAY. IT WAS JT OUR RELATNSHIP. THE TWO OF WOULD S AND TALK ABOUT TST AND LOVE AND MEN AND ANTHROPOLOGY AND WOMEN, AND JT ALL OF . AND HE ALWAYS JT SPOKE OM THE HEART AND SPOKE SO GENEROLY.MARGULI: I WAS 38 AT THE TIME, AND I WAS SGLE AND VERY HAPPY. AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, “NO KIDS FOR YOU?” AND I SAID, “NO, I DON’T THK I’M TO KIDS.”AND HE SAID, “THEY’RE THE BIGGT JOY OF MY LIFE. HAVE A KID.” AND HE GOT SO GENTLE AND SOFT AND MHY ABOUT HIS KIDS. IT WAS JT BETIFUL. AND I NEVER THOUGHT OF HIM AS THAT KD OF GUY UNTIL HE STARTED TALKG ABOUT HIS CHILDREN AND THEN TRYG TO SELL ME ON THE IA OF HAVG KIDS. LIKE, “JULIANNA, I’M TELLG YOU, WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE. YOU’LL BEE A BETTER ACTOR, YOU’LL BEE A BETTER HUMAN BEG.”LURIE: I REMEMBER JT THIS IMAGE, THIS BETIFUL IMAGE: I’M UP THE WARN’S OFFICE, WHICH WE BUILT, AND LOOKG DOWN ON THE YARD. IT’S JT THIS VAST PRISON YARD. AND THIS GIANT MAN IS WALKG ACROSS THE YARD WH HIS, I THK, TWO-YEAR-OLD SON. THE KID N BARELY WALK, AND HE’S HOLDG HIS HAND. AND WAS JT THIS BETIFUL IMAGE.JANSSEN: IT WAS BETIFUL, JT SEEG HIM AS A DAD. JT TO WNS THE BETY OF THAT RELATNSHIP WH THE TWO OF THEM AND HOW MUCH MICHAEL LOOKED UP TO HIM. YEAH, WAS A BETIFUL THG. AND I’VE SEEN [MICHAEL] OVER THE YEARS, AND HE’S DOG SO WELL. JIM WOULD BE SO PROUD.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDGANDOLFI WH HIS SON MICHAEL AT THE CONTENTAL ARENA EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY 2007.JAM DEVANEY/GETTY IMAG. LURIE: THE OTHER THG THAT WAS DICHOTOMO ABOUT HIM WAS, HE ALSO HAD—PLEASE QUOTE THIS QUALIFIER I’M PUTTG WH THIS NOW—HE HAD A WONRFUL EGO. HE WAS PROUD THAT HE WAS AN ATHLETE, RIGHT? EVEN IF HE WAS A LTLE HEAVY. AND THERE IS A SCENE THE MOVIE WHERE THE WARN IS OUTSI PLAYG BASKETBALL WHILE ALL THE MAT ARE SI AND NNOT GO OUT TO THE YARD. AND HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE MISSG BASKETS. BUT JIMMY SAID, “I DON’T MISS BASKETS.” AND I SAID, “YEAH, BUT COLONEL WTER DO.” SO WE GET OUT THERE. AND I YELL ACTN, AND I SWEAR TO YOU, HE MAK 20 BASKETS A ROW BEFORE HE SAYS, “OKAY, NOW I’LL BE COLONEL WTER.” AND THEN HE MISS THE BASKETS.FAL: WE WERE DOG A SCENE WHERE HE’S EATG ICE CREAM THE MIDDLE OF THE SCENE. AND THEN WE HAD TO DO AGA. AND WE HAD TO DO AGA. AND EVERY TIME, EVEN WHEN THEY SAID CUT, HE NTUED TO EAT THE ICE CREAM. AND THEY PUT MORE , AND THEY PUT MORE , AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD KD OF LOOK AT ME TO SAY HIS LE…AND HE WASN’T HOME. HE WAS , LIKE, A FULL-BLOWN SUGAR A. JT OM—HE LOOKED LIKE A GIANT TODDLER.AND HE KD OF LOOKED AT ME, AND I REALIZED, HOLY CRAP, HE DON’T REMEMBER HIS L. SO ANYWAY, WE HAD TO WRAP THE SCENE AND RHOOT ANOTHER DAY BEE HE HAD TOO MUCH ICE CREAM.DUFFY: ONE OF THE THGS THAT IS SO BETIFUL, THAT GETS ME REALLY CHOKED UP, IS THAT…JIM WENT ON A ROCKET RI, BEG ON THE SOPRANOS. AND AT EVERY ONE OF THOSE EVENTS, HE BROUGHT OUR HIGH SCHOOL LLECTN OF MUGS. THE KNUCKLEHEADS THAT WE GREW UP WH WERE NOW GROWN MEN, BUT HE HAD HIS HIGH SCHOOL BT IENDS. THEY WERE THE ON THAT HE HAD WALK ON THE RED RPET WH HIM AND ATTEND THE PARTI. I DON’T KNOW. I JT LOVE THAT. THAT SHOWS YOU WHO HE IS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDALPERT: HE WAS SO EXCED ABOUT DOCUMENTARI, AND HE JOED OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AND, YOU KNOW, WAS REALLY OL TO HAVE JIM GANDOLFI AT THE BOARD MEETGS. BUT HE REALLY WAS MOST ENTHIASTIC ABOUT HELPG THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT E HERE. THAT’S A SI TO HIM THAT NOBODY EVER SAW, EXCEPT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE PROGRAMS THAT HE ED TO E AND HELP.SCHIRRIPA: SOME FAY NTACTED HIM. THIS GUY WAS—HE’D PASSED AWAY. HE WAS A RETIRED P, OR A P. HE DIDN’T DIE THE LE OF DUTY, BUT HE WAS A HUGE FAN. AND SOMEHOW THE FAY GOT TO JIM AND NTACTED HIM, AND JIM WENT TO THE GUY’S FUNERAL. HE DIDN’T KNOW ANYONE. HE WENT BY HIMSELF, DROVE HIS R NEW JERSEY, AND WENT AND MET THE FAY AND GAVE THEM A HUG, AND WENT TO THIS POLICEMAN’S FUNERAL.CURATOLA: HE LLED ME ON CHRISTMAS MORNG, I THK WAS 2010. AND HE LLED ME UP: “MERRY CHRISTMAS, BAH BAH, LET ME SAY HI TO MREEN.” I SAID, “JIM, I’M ON MY WAY TO THE HOSPAL. WE PUT HER THE HOSPAL TWO DAYS AGO. SHE HAS SOMETHG GOG ON WH VISN. SHE’S AT HACKENSACK HOSPAL, NEW JERSEY.”“I’M G.”“NO, JIM. NO, NO, ’S CHRISTMAS MORNG. DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.” “NO, I’M G. FUCK YOU. I’M GONNA BE THERE.” “JIMMY, STOP!”HE SHOWS UP AT THE HOSPAL WH HIS WIFE, DEBORAH [L], SAT THE ROOM. WE WERE THERE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. WE ORRED FFEE, DOUGHNUTS, WHATEVER. AND THIS WAS CHRISTMAS DAY.MY WIFE WAS GREAT THREE DAYS AFTER THAT, BUT SHE HAD TO SPEND CHRISTMAS THERE. AND JIMMY ME.LOUIS-DREYF: I WISH HE WAS STILL ALIVE. I MISS THAT GUY.BRAC: HE WAS A LIC GUY. HE REALLY WAS.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)JASON BAILEY
AS A NFLICTED GAY HMAN, JAM GANDOLFI OWNS THE OFFBEAT EDY THE MEXIN
Instead, he chose, at the height of the show’s populary, to play a gay hman this offbeat edy—not kg the character for easy lghs, but habg him wh the same volnic pth of feelg that ma Tony so memorable. Rather than lazily answer the qutn “What if Tony Soprano were gay? It had somethg to do wh his stertoro, slightly nasal-breathy way of speakg: a vol tic to pare wh De Niro or played agast type as the gay hman Leroy The Mexin (2001) and there was some fascatn seeg Gandolfi – the classilly threateng tough guy – playg a weirdly flirtat scene a ffee shop wh Julia Roberts, on supremely arch form as she asks him: "Are you gay?
JAM GANDOLFI WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN TONY SOPRANOFOR THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMMY WNER’S UNTIMELY PASSG, WE SPOKE TO MORE THAN TWO DOZEN OF HIS STARS, LLABORATORS, AND IENDS—CLUDG EDIE FAL, JULIA LOUIS-DREYF, TONY DANZA, LORRAE BRAC, JULIANNA MARGULI, STEVEN VAN ZANDT, AND MORE—ABOUT THE “BIG, GENTLE, BETIFUL, WARM HUMAN” THEY KNEW AND LOVED.BY JASON BAILEYJUNE 19, 2023BY FRED R. CONRAD/THE NEW YORK TIM/RX. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEHE WAS KNOWN FOR PLAYG TONY SOPRANO—A BTISH, SELFISH, ABIVE THUG, A CRIMAL AND PHILANRER AND LD-BLOOD KILLER. BUT THERE WERE OF REAL TATE BETWEEN JAM GANDOLFI AND THE CHARACTER THAT MA HIM FAMO, AS ANYONE WHO KNEW GANDOLFI ULD TELL YOU.SO ON THIS, THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HIS UNTIMELY AND UNEXPECTED PASSG, WE SPOKE TO MORE THAN TWO DOZEN OF HIS STARS, LLABORATORS, AND IENDS, TO GET A BETTER PICTURE OF THE REAL JAM GANDOLFI. THEY AGREED ON MANY THGS: HIS WARMTH, HIS GENEROSY, HIS SENSE OF HUMOR, HIS TENSY AS AN ACTOR. THE ONLY THG THEY REALLY SPL ON WAS WHAT TO LL HIM.SAN ASTON (LONGTIME ACTG PARTNER AND ACH): IT’S FUNNY, BEE YOU N TELL WHEN SOMEBODY MET HIM BY WHAT THEY LL HIM. WHEN I MET HIM, HE WAS JAM, AND HE DIDN’T START GOG BY JIM TILL LATER.KAREN DUFFY (ENTERTAMENT JOURNALIST AND HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE): YEAH, WAS JIMMY, BUCKY, AND JAM.DREA MATTEO (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): I LLED HIM JIM OR JIMMY. YEAH. JAM? NO. [LGHS]VCENT CURATOLA (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): I THK HIS SISTERS LLED HIM JAMIE.JULIA LOUIS-DREYF (STAR, ENOUGH SAID): I LLED HIM JIM.EDIE FAL (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, I ASKED HIM, “WHAT DO I LL YOU?” AND HE SAID, “WHATEVER YOU WANT,” WHICH WAS NO HELP AT ALL! BUT I LLED HIM JIM.JAKE STT (DIRECTOR, WELE TO THE RILEYS): HIS APPEARANCE AND HIS SIZE WAS IMPOSG. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU APPROACHED HIM UTLY. BUT HE WAS A BIG, GENTLE, BETIFUL, WARM, LOVG HUMAN. SO YOU FELT YOU EARNED THE RIGHT TO LL HIM JIM OR JIMMY.MYKELTI WILLIAMSON (STAR, 12 ANGRY MEN): I’D SEEN HIS WORK. BUT WE GOT TO THE STAGE AT PARAMOUNT, AND HE’S JT THE OLT, DOWN-TO-EARTH, NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK–TYPE PERSONALY. HE WAS JT A SWEETHEART OF A GUY—BUT YOU ULD TELL THAT THERE’S A SHARP EDGE ON THE OTHER END OF THAT THG TOO.JOHN MAGARO (STAR, NOT FA AWAY AND DOWN THE SHORE): WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, YOU KNOW, ’S HIM, AND HE’S TIMIDATG. HE JT HAS A PRENCE ABOUT HIM. HE WAS A BIG GUY. AND HE’S NOT SUPER TALKATIVE, HE’S NOT SUPER JOKEY. BUT THEN ONCE YOU CRACK THE OUTER SHELL, YOU UNRSTAND THAT JIM IS HILAR, LIK TO GOOF AROUND.MIMI KENNEDY (STAR, IN THE LOOP): I JT FELT LIKE I WAS FIFTH GRA WH HIM. HE WAS THE ET ACTOR THAT I’VE EVER WORKED OPPOSE, BEE OF THAT 11-YEAR-OLD ENERGY OF JT, “YEAH, WE’RE THIS. THEY THK WE’RE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS, BUT I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LGH.” AND I ALWAYS WOULD LGH.DE MATTEO: THE ONGOG JOKE WE ED TO—OH, THIS IS SO FUCKED UP, I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD BE DIVULGG THIS KD OF RMATN—BUT MY IEND GGER, WHO WAS A PA ON THE SHOW AT THE TIME…WE ED TO WALK AROUND AND MAKE, LIKE, THE SOUND OF A FCET GOG. MEANG, LIKE, WE NEED A LD SHOWER, EVERY TIME WE WALKED BY JIM. WHO KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE CSH ON THIS BIG, HULKG, BALDG, MIDDLE-AGED MAN?ROSANNA ARQUETTE (STAR, GUN): HE HAS THOSE VERY PASSNATE, EMPATHETIC EY. WHEN YOU NNECT WH SOMEBODY’S EY, AS AN ACTOR, YOU REALLY N NNECT THAT WAY IMMEDIATELY.TONY DANZA (STAR, 12 ANGRY MEN): HE HAD A DIFFERENT LOOK THAN ANYBODY ELSE. HE WASN’T WHAT YOU EXPECTED FOR AN ITALIAN LEADG MAN. AND HE HAD A REAL…HE HAD SUCH AN EASE OF LIVERY. THE GUY WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDEDIE FAL AND GANDOLFI DURG THE HBO GOLN GLOBE PARTY 2001.BY JEFF KRAVZ/FILMMAGIC. “THE VALUE MEISNER IS, YOU KNOW, LISTENG AND PAYG ATTENTN AND LOOKG AT SOMEBODY, AND WHEN THEY GO, JT GOG WH THEM. ” —GANDOLFI ON HIS METHOD (2004)STEVEN VAN ZANDT (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): YOU DID A SCENE WH JIMMY, AND YOU WALKED AWAY A BETTER ACTOR.JULIANNA MARGULI (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): IT’S LIKE TENNIS—WHEN YOU PLAY WH A BETTER PLAYER, YOUR GAME IMPROV. IT’S JT HOW IS; YOU JT PLAY BETTER. YOU DON’T HAVE TO H THE BALL VERY HARD BEE THEY’RE HTG SO HARD. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PUT YOUR RACKET OUT.LORRAE BRAC (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): HE WAS A GREAT PG-PONG PLAYER WHEN ME TO ACTG.STEVE SCHIRRIPA (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): HE WOULD SAY TO YOU, “YOU WANT ANOTHER TAKE? YOU’RE OKAY WH THAT? YOU’RE GOOD?” HE WAS EPLY NCERNED THAT YOU WERE OKAY.VCENT PASTORE (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): JIMMY WOULD SAY, “ARE YOU HAPPY?” AND I SAID I DUNNO, AND HE TURNED AROUND TO ONE OF THE GUYS BEHD THE MERA AND SAYS, “GIVE HIM ANOTHER TAKE.”MARCIA GAY HARN (STAR, GOD OF CARNAGE): THE CREAM SHOULD RISE TO THE TOP, EVEN IF MEANS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. AND HE LOOKS OUT FOR EVERYBODY AROUND HIM. HE’S LOOKG OUT ON THE 360 FOR EVERYBODY AROUND HIM. AND I WAS REALLY IMPRSED BY THAT. BEE OBVLY NOT EVERYBODY OF HIS STATURE DO THAT.GEOFEY FLETCHER (DIRECTOR, VLET & DAISY): HE HAS A MONOLOGUE LATE OUR FILM THAT IS PERFORMED SO SENSIVELY AND IMAGATIVELY. AFTER SEEG THE FILM FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SHOCKED ME WHEN HE SUGGTED THAT HIS MONOLOGUE MIGHT BE A LTLE LONG. HE WAS MORE NCERNED ABOUT THE MOVIE’S OVERALL RHYTHM THAN THE MONOLOGUE THAT HE HAD MASTERED. HIS IA SPIRED AN UNUAL B OF TERCUTTG THAT REALLY WORKED. HE WAS SUCH AN TELLIGENT ARTIST.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDASTON: I’VE HEARD HIM TALK SOMETIM LIKE HE JT LEARNED HIS L AND TRI NOT TO BUMP TO FURNURE, THE SPENCER TRACY THG. BUT THAT WASN’T TE. THAT WAS A BIG FAT LIE.SCHIRRIPA: JIM WAS VERY SER ABOUT HIS WORK. VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY SER. HE THOUGHT THGS OUT.ASTON: WE WOULD LEAVE THE SET. HE WOULD GO HOME AND SHOWER, I WOULD GO HOME, AND THEN I WOULD E BACK OVER TO HIS APARTMENT AT MIDNIGHT TO WORK THE NEXT DAY’S SCEN. I MEAN, WE WERE JT MADMEN. NOBODY SLEPT. IT WAS CRAZY.SCHIRRIPA: HE WOULD SAY TO ME, BEFORE THE SEASON, “LET’S GO DOWN TO LTLE ITALY, HAVE DNER. I WANT TO JT BE AROUND, KD OF GET TO FEEL THAT THG AGA.” BEE JIM WAS NOT TONY SOPRANO. YOU KNOW, HE WAS A BIRKENSTOCK-WEARG, MIC-LOVG GUY. HE WAS KD OF A HIPPIE. HE WAS NOT THAT GUY AT ALL.FAMKE JANSSEN (STAR, DOWN THE SHORE): I WAS STCK MOSTLY BY HIS LOVABLE ENERGY, NOT AT ALL WHAT ONE WOULD EXPECT, OBVLY. AND THEN READG WH HIM, WHAT I WAS STCK BY WAS HIS UNPREDICTABILY AS AN ACTOR. AND THAT’S WHAT MA HIM SO FANTASTIC TO WATCH.KATHLEEN QULAN (STAR, A CIVIL ACTN): HE HAD THIS CREDIBLE ABILY TO MAKE ALL VERY REAL THAT MOMENT. AND THAT REALLY STCK ME BEE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIM AS ACTORS, WE N SEE THE ACTORS WORKG THE WORDS. AND I ULDN’T REALLY SEE THAT.FAL: HE DIDN’T LET HIMSELF GET BOSSED AROUND BY A LOT OF THE THGS THAT I LET WALK ME AROUND—THIS GOOD-STUNT MENTALY. I ALWAYS HAD TO GET THE L JT RIGHT AND DO THE BLOCKG EXACTLY THE SAME EVERY TIME. AND I WOULD WATCH HIM, AND HE WAS FOLLOWG SOMETHG…BIGGER. AND EPER. IF HE HAD AN IMPULSE TO SAY SOMETHG A LTLE DIFFERENT, OR TO CHANGE THE BLOCKG, HE JT DID . AND I WAS JEALO THAT HE HAD SOMEHOW GOTTEN PERMISSN OM HIMSELF TO DO THAT KD OF THG.DANZA: I WATCHED HIM WORK WH JACK. WHEN YOU’RE WORKG WH JACK LEMMON, FOR CHRISSAK, YOU’VE GOT TO—FIRST OF ALL, MAK YOU BETTER, BEE HE’S SO GOOD. BUT AT SOME POT…I LOOK AT EVERYTHG LIKE A FIGHT FOR SOME REASON, I GUS BEE OF MY BACKGROUND. AND HE WAS HOLDG HIS OWN. YEAH, HE WAS HOLDG HIS OWN.FAL: WHEN HE SHOWED UP ON SET, ’S KD OF…YOU’VE GOT TO BE PRENT. YOU N’T DO THE WAY YOU REHEARSED YOUR BATHROOM, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND WHAT ULD POSSIBLY BE MORE FUN THAN THAT, OM A PERFORMANCE POT OF VIEW?WILLIAMSON: YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNEW A GUY LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW?SCHIRRIPA: JAMIE-LYNN SIGLER TOLD ME AN CREDIBLE STORY. IT WAS EARLY ON, AND THEY WERE THE R TOGETHER. IT WAS, I THK, THE LLEGE EPISO. AND SHE WAS A LTLE NERVO, AND JIM SAID, “JT LOOK ME THE EY AND TALK TO ME. JT LOOK ME THE EY AND TALK TO ME.” HE HAD A WAY OF MAKG YOU FEEL LM.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDNILE HOLOFCENER (DIRECTOR, ENOUGH SAID): HE WAS REALLY ATTENTIVE TO PEOPLE SMALLER ROL AND THE CREW, REALLY ATTENTIVE. THERE’S ALWAYS A PA OR AN AD THAT HANGS AROUND THE TRAILERS JT TO TAKE RE OF THE ACTORS, AND WHAT THEY NEED, AND WALK THEM TO THE SET. AND THERE WAS THIS ONE WOMAN WHO WAS STG OUT THERE THE SUN, DAY AFTER DAY, AND HE SHOWED UP WH A CHAIR AND AN UMBRELLA FOR HER. WHOUT ASKG.MARGULI: THEY HAD ME THE REALLY HIGH HEELS, AND I KEPT HAVG TO N UP AND DOWN STAIRS. AND I SAT DOWN AND I WAS VERY QUIET ABOUT . BUT HE SAW , AND HE GO, “YOUR FEET ARE KILLG YOU, AREN’T THEY?” I WAS LIKE, “SHHHH, ’S REALLY PAFUL!”AND HE WAS LIKE, “C’MERE, I’M REALLY GOOD AT THIS.” AND HE MASSAGED MY FEET ON SET, AND WAS SO SWEET AND KD ABOUT . NOT A PERVERTED WAY. IT WAS JT ACTOR TO ACTOR, LIKE, “I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU WOMEN DO THIS.”STEVEN VAN ZANDT AND GANDOLFI AT THE HARD ROCK CAFE NYC.KMAZUR/GETTY IMAG. SCHIRRIPA: I WAS JT EPISO-TO-EPISO THAT FIRST SEASON. AND I REMEMBER, I WAS JT WAG FOR MY RI BACK, AND HE WAS LEAVG HIS R WH HIS DRIVER. AND HE HAD THE WDOW DOWN. I SAID, “I’LL SEE YOU, JIM.” AND HE HAD THE GUY BACK THE R ALL THE WAY UP AND GOT OUT, AND HE SAID, “I’LL SEE YOU AGA.”I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY NICE: THE STAR OF THE SHOW, THIS HUGE STAR, G BACK. I WAS A NOBODY. I WAS A DAY PLAYER.JOE PANTOLIANO (STAR, THE SOPRANOS): MY FIRST DAY ON THE JOB WAS A SCENE BETWEEN HIM AND ME OUTSI OF A PIZZERIA NEW JERSEY, AND WE HAD OUR NICETI. AND BETWEEN TAK, HE LOOKED ME THE EYE AND HE SAID, “LISTEN, ’S AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE WORKG WH YOU.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDIT’S VERY HARD FOR AN ACTOR G TO A SHOW—A LOT OF ACTORS ARE DAY PLAYERS, OR THEY’RE ON AN EPISO WH TWO SCEN. BUT HE ALWAYS WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS FORTABLE.PASTORE: THE WHOLE THG ABOUT JIMMY IS, WE WERE FAY ON AND OFF THE MERA.“MY PARENTS WORKED HARD, WERE HONT, WERE GOOD PEOPLE. AS I’VE SAID BEFORE, I’M STANDG ON THEIR SHOULRS HERE BEE THEY WORKED SO HARD AND ENABLED ME TO GO TO LLEGE, AND THE ARE THE KD OF PEOPLE THAT I LOVE. AND THE ARE THE KD OF PEOPLE THAT I WANT TO SHOW MOVI, BEE I THK THEY’RE GETTG SCREWED. IF I HAVE ANY POWER AS AN ACTOR, THAT’S WHERE OM.” —GANDOLFI ON WHAT DRIV HIM (2004)LOUIS-DREYF: HE WAS A VERY TENRHEARTED, THOUGHTFUL MAN.DANZA: THE THG THAT ALWAYS TOUCHED ME WAS THAT HE WAS SO GIVG…. ONCE YOU WERE HIS IEND, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE HIS IEND.ROD LURIE (DIRECTOR, THE LAST CASTLE): THERE WAS NO SUCH THG AS BRGG A WALLET TO ANY RTRANT YOU WENT WH JAM GANDOLFI TO. THERE’S NO SUCH THG. HE FELT EMBARRASSED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HE WAS MAKG, I THK. AND HE WANTED TO SHARE .LOUIS-DREYF: I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS TE, BUT I THK HE WAS ALMOST EMBARRASSED TO BE AN ACTOR. I THK HE WAS SORT OF AT ODDS WH HIMSELF THAT SENSE.PATORE: JIMMY DIDN’T WANT TO BE A STAR. HE WANTED TO BE AN ACTOR.VAN ZANDT: I REMEMBER, THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SEND-SEASON WRAP PARTY, WHEN WE REALLY HAD BEE SUPER BIG. WE’RE PLANNG THE PARTY, AND I SAID, “YOU REALLY NEED A VIP SECTN.” AND HE WAS LIKE, “OH, I DON’T WANT A VIP SECTN.” I SAID, “JIMMY, TST ME ON THIS, OKAY.”HE’S LIKE, “NAH, NO, NO, NO, NO.” SO WE PUT THE VIP SECTN UP ANYWAY, AND AT FIRST HE WOULDN’T GO THERE—AND OF URSE, HE GOT ATTACKED BY A THOAND PEOPLE. ABOUT AN HOUR TO THE THG, HE STUMBL TO THE VIP SECTN SAYG, “OKAY, OKAY, I GET NOW! I GIVE UP!”ASTON: I THK HE GOT ED TO NICE THGS, BUT HE WAS HAPPY A VERY MOST APARTMENT WH, YOU KNOW, THE SAME OLD LEATHER JACKET, BROWN LEATHER JACKET, AND JEANS AND T-SHIRTS.VAN ZANDT: I MEAN, THE FIRST TIME HE GOT A BIG RAISE, HE SPL UP AMONGST THE ST. UNBELIEVABLE.PASTORE: THE MA PEOPLE GOT A BON THAT HIS PRODUCTN PANY SENT . WHO DO THAT?DE MATTEO: HE PULLED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS TRAILER DURG WORK ONE DAY AND GAVE ALL A CHECK. I REMEMBER, I THK, WAS FOR $36,000.SCHIRRIPA: HE HAND EVERYBODY A CHECK AND SAID, “THANKS FOR STICKG BY ME.” THAT’S ALL HE SAID.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDDE MATTEO: AND I WAS LIKE, “JIM, I’M NOT TAKG THIS CHECK. ARE YOU SANE, DU?” HE’S LIKE, “EVERYONE’S TAKG , AND IF YOU DON’T TAKE , ’S GOG THE GARBAGE. SO YOU MAY AS WELL TAKE .”PANTOLIANO: HE WROTE CHECKS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN’T HAVE THE POWER TO GET THE RAIS. SO HE WAS EXTRAORDARY THAT WAY.DE MATTEO: I THK HE FELT LIKE HE HAD H THE JACKPOT, AND HE JT WANTED TO FUCK’ SHARE WH EVERYBODY. HE WAS JT A DIFFERENT…HE’S JT A DIFFERENT BREED. A PLETELY DIFFERENT BREED.GANDOLFI WH NILE HOLOFCENER AND JULIA LOUIS-DREYF ON THE SET OF ENOUGH SAID. © FOX SEARCHLIGHT/EVERETT COLLECTN.“I FOUND THIS SILLY WAY OF LIVG THAT ALLOWS ME TO OCSNALLY STAND UP FOR [WORKG PEOPLE] A LTLE B. AND MOSTLY MAKE SOME GOOD MONEY AND ACT LIKE A SILLY FOOL." —GANDOLFI ON HIS JOB (2004)BRAC: HE WAS A PA MY ASS [LGHS]. WHAT HAPPENED WAS, HE WOULD DO HIS SIS FIRST BEE HE WAS THE PRECURSOR OF THE STORY. THEN WHEN HE WAS FISHED, HE WAS RELAXED AND DONE WH . HE DIDN’T RE, WAS OVER FOR HIM, EXCEPT WE HAD TO TURN AROUND AND DO MY PART. HE WOULD DANCE…HE WAS CRAZY! MOONG OCCURRED. HE HAD AN ASS THE SIZE OF STATEN ISLAND!MAGARO: I THK HE SAW HIMSELF AS MORE OF A JACKIE GLEASON THAN HE DID A TONY SOPRANO.BRAC: HE WAS A BIG TEDDY BEAR.STT: JIMMY, IF HE SAID , HE MEANT . YOU KNOW, NO BULLSH. HE NEVER LIED, HE DIDN’T. HE WAS AN HONT BOY.ARQUETTE: I LOVED HIM. HE WAS JT A PLEASURE, A WONRFUL, SWEET HUMAN BEG TO WORK WH.*“IT’S LIKE SHOWG EMOTN HAS BEE A BAD THG. LIKE THERE’S SOMETHG WRONG WH YOU, AND YOU’RE REALLY LOVE OR REALLY ANGRY AND YOU SHOW . LIKE IF YOU FEEL THOSE POWERFUL EMOTNS AND YOU EXPRS THEM, STEAD OF KEEPG THEM SI OR EXPRSG YOURSELF POLELY, THEN YOU MT BE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THERAPY, OR PROZAC. THAT’S THE WORLD WE’RE RIGHT NOW.” —*GANDOLFI ON HIS OPENNS (1999)MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDJON ALPERT (DIRECTOR, THE GANDOLFI-PRODUCED DOCUMENTARI ALIVE DAY MEMORI AND WARTORN: 1861-2010): THERE WAS A REAL SCERY. LISTEN, I’VE BEEN DOG THIS TYPE OF WORK FOR A HALF CENTURY. I’M REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO ; I’M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE MYSELF. BUT I’VE SEEN PRACTNERS OF THIS WHO THROW ON A SWCH AND PRETEND THAT THEY RE, AND ’S ALMOST LIKE AN EXSANGUATN—THEY SUCK THE BLOOD OUT OF YOU FOR THEIR TERVIEW, AND THEN THEY’RE OFF TO THE NEXT ONE.JIM WAS NOT LIKE THAT. AND HE DID NOT HAVE TO ACT. ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS OPEN UP THE DOOR OF HIS OWN SOUL, WHICH HE ALWAYS SHARED WH THE PEOPLE THAT HE WAS TERVIEWG.KENNEDY: HE HAD A MORAL RIGHTEONS SI HIM, AND WHEN YOU TICKED HIM OFF THOSE TERMS, SOMETHG THAT HE DIDN;T THK WAS THE RIGHT THG TO DO, YOU ULD FEEL .FLETCHER: HE PLAYED TOUGH GUYS SO PELLGLY THAT I THK PEOPLE WOULD BE ASTONISHED BY HIS TELLECT. AT DNER BEFORE A SCREENG AT THE SAVANNAH FILM FTIVAL, HE SPOKE ABOUT THE DIMISHG SIZE OF THE CRABS PARTS OF NEW JERSEY AND S GREATER IMPLITNS WHILE SOUNDG LIKE A MARE BLOGIST AND CLIMATOLOGIST.GAY HARN: I ED TO GO TO HIM FOR RELATNSHIP ADVICE, BEE HE WAS SO REALLY, ACTUALLY HONT OF THE HEART. IT WASN’T JT HIS JOKEY WAY OR A SEXUAL WAY. IT WAS JT OUR RELATNSHIP. THE TWO OF WOULD S AND TALK ABOUT TST AND LOVE AND MEN AND ANTHROPOLOGY AND WOMEN, AND JT ALL OF . AND HE ALWAYS JT SPOKE OM THE HEART AND SPOKE SO GENEROLY.MARGULI: I WAS 38 AT THE TIME, AND I WAS SGLE AND VERY HAPPY. AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, “NO KIDS FOR YOU?” AND I SAID, “NO, I DON’T THK I’M TO KIDS.”AND HE SAID, “THEY’RE THE BIGGT JOY OF MY LIFE. HAVE A KID.” AND HE GOT SO GENTLE AND SOFT AND MHY ABOUT HIS KIDS. IT WAS JT BETIFUL. AND I NEVER THOUGHT OF HIM AS THAT KD OF GUY UNTIL HE STARTED TALKG ABOUT HIS CHILDREN AND THEN TRYG TO SELL ME ON THE IA OF HAVG KIDS. LIKE, “JULIANNA, I’M TELLG YOU, WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE. YOU’LL BEE A BETTER ACTOR, YOU’LL BEE A BETTER HUMAN BEG.”LURIE: I REMEMBER JT THIS IMAGE, THIS BETIFUL IMAGE: I’M UP THE WARN’S OFFICE, WHICH WE BUILT, AND LOOKG DOWN ON THE YARD. IT’S JT THIS VAST PRISON YARD. AND THIS GIANT MAN IS WALKG ACROSS THE YARD WH HIS, I THK, TWO-YEAR-OLD SON. THE KID N BARELY WALK, AND HE’S HOLDG HIS HAND. AND WAS JT THIS BETIFUL IMAGE.JANSSEN: IT WAS BETIFUL, JT SEEG HIM AS A DAD. JT TO WNS THE BETY OF THAT RELATNSHIP WH THE TWO OF THEM AND HOW MUCH MICHAEL LOOKED UP TO HIM. YEAH, WAS A BETIFUL THG. AND I’VE SEEN [MICHAEL] OVER THE YEARS, AND HE’S DOG SO WELL. JIM WOULD BE SO PROUD.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDGANDOLFI WH HIS SON MICHAEL AT THE CONTENTAL ARENA EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY 2007.JAM DEVANEY/GETTY IMAG. LURIE: THE OTHER THG THAT WAS DICHOTOMO ABOUT HIM WAS, HE ALSO HAD—PLEASE QUOTE THIS QUALIFIER I’M PUTTG WH THIS NOW—HE HAD A WONRFUL EGO. HE WAS PROUD THAT HE WAS AN ATHLETE, RIGHT? EVEN IF HE WAS A LTLE HEAVY. AND THERE IS A SCENE THE MOVIE WHERE THE WARN IS OUTSI PLAYG BASKETBALL WHILE ALL THE MAT ARE SI AND NNOT GO OUT TO THE YARD. AND HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE MISSG BASKETS. BUT JIMMY SAID, “I DON’T MISS BASKETS.” AND I SAID, “YEAH, BUT COLONEL WTER DO.” SO WE GET OUT THERE. AND I YELL ACTN, AND I SWEAR TO YOU, HE MAK 20 BASKETS A ROW BEFORE HE SAYS, “OKAY, NOW I’LL BE COLONEL WTER.” AND THEN HE MISS THE BASKETS.FAL: WE WERE DOG A SCENE WHERE HE’S EATG ICE CREAM THE MIDDLE OF THE SCENE. AND THEN WE HAD TO DO AGA. AND WE HAD TO DO AGA. AND EVERY TIME, EVEN WHEN THEY SAID CUT, HE NTUED TO EAT THE ICE CREAM. AND THEY PUT MORE , AND THEY PUT MORE , AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD KD OF LOOK AT ME TO SAY HIS LE…AND HE WASN’T HOME. HE WAS , LIKE, A FULL-BLOWN SUGAR A. JT OM—HE LOOKED LIKE A GIANT TODDLER.AND HE KD OF LOOKED AT ME, AND I REALIZED, HOLY CRAP, HE DON’T REMEMBER HIS L. SO ANYWAY, WE HAD TO WRAP THE SCENE AND RHOOT ANOTHER DAY BEE HE HAD TOO MUCH ICE CREAM.DUFFY: ONE OF THE THGS THAT IS SO BETIFUL, THAT GETS ME REALLY CHOKED UP, IS THAT…JIM WENT ON A ROCKET RI, BEG ON THE SOPRANOS. AND AT EVERY ONE OF THOSE EVENTS, HE BROUGHT OUR HIGH SCHOOL LLECTN OF MUGS. THE KNUCKLEHEADS THAT WE GREW UP WH WERE NOW GROWN MEN, BUT HE HAD HIS HIGH SCHOOL BT IENDS. THEY WERE THE ON THAT HE HAD WALK ON THE RED RPET WH HIM AND ATTEND THE PARTI. I DON’T KNOW. I JT LOVE THAT. THAT SHOWS YOU WHO HE IS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT… PREPAR FOR ITS LAST SUPPERBY CHRIS MURPHYRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, LOSG LISA MARIE, AND INHERG GRACELANDBY BRT HENNEMUTHTHE TV MOVIE IS MAKG A WEIRD, WONRFUL COMEBACKBY DAVID CANFIELDALPERT: HE WAS SO EXCED ABOUT DOCUMENTARI, AND HE JOED OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AND, YOU KNOW, WAS REALLY OL TO HAVE JIM GANDOLFI AT THE BOARD MEETGS. BUT HE REALLY WAS MOST ENTHIASTIC ABOUT HELPG THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT E HERE. THAT’S A SI TO HIM THAT NOBODY EVER SAW, EXCEPT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE PROGRAMS THAT HE ED TO E AND HELP.SCHIRRIPA: SOME FAY NTACTED HIM. THIS GUY WAS—HE’D PASSED AWAY. HE WAS A RETIRED P, OR A P. HE DIDN’T DIE THE LE OF DUTY, BUT HE WAS A HUGE FAN. AND SOMEHOW THE FAY GOT TO JIM AND NTACTED HIM, AND JIM WENT TO THE GUY’S FUNERAL. HE DIDN’T KNOW ANYONE. HE WENT BY HIMSELF, DROVE HIS R NEW JERSEY, AND WENT AND MET THE FAY AND GAVE THEM A HUG, AND WENT TO THIS POLICEMAN’S FUNERAL.CURATOLA: HE LLED ME ON CHRISTMAS MORNG, I THK WAS 2010. AND HE LLED ME UP: “MERRY CHRISTMAS, BAH BAH, LET ME SAY HI TO MREEN.” I SAID, “JIM, I’M ON MY WAY TO THE HOSPAL. WE PUT HER THE HOSPAL TWO DAYS AGO. SHE HAS SOMETHG GOG ON WH VISN. SHE’S AT HACKENSACK HOSPAL, NEW JERSEY.”“I’M G.”“NO, JIM. NO, NO, ’S CHRISTMAS MORNG. DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.” “NO, I’M G. FUCK YOU. I’M GONNA BE THERE.” “JIMMY, STOP!”HE SHOWS UP AT THE HOSPAL WH HIS WIFE, DEBORAH [L], SAT THE ROOM. WE WERE THERE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. WE ORRED FFEE, DOUGHNUTS, WHATEVER. AND THIS WAS CHRISTMAS DAY.MY WIFE WAS GREAT THREE DAYS AFTER THAT, BUT SHE HAD TO SPEND CHRISTMAS THERE. AND JIMMY ME.LOUIS-DREYF: I WISH HE WAS STILL ALIVE. I MISS THAT GUY.BRAC: HE WAS A LIC GUY. HE REALLY WAS.MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)JASON BAILEY
" snaps Gandolfi, whose character at this moment is perhaps the last man the movi, or anywhere pop culture, to affect not to unrstand the morn meang of "gay".