I was jostled from sleep this night at 3 a.m. for reasons I could not fathom until I was notified, upon checking the time, that the great James Gandolfini had died. In memory of his great persona and talent, I have compiled a few clips and articles on the one and only James Gandolfini.

Gandolfini was also nominated for an Oscar with the cast of “Get Shorty” (1995), Credit: Reuters/Fred Prouser, Business Insider

From www.imdb.com: New Jersey-born James Gandolfini began acting in the New York theater. His Broadway debut was in the 1992 revival of “A Streetcar Named Desire” with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin. James’ breakthrough role was his portrayal of Virgil the hitman in Tony Scott‘s True Romance(1993), but the role that brought him worldwide fame and accolades was as complex Mafia boss Tony Soprano in HBO’s smash hit series “Die Sopranos” (1999). He currently lives in Greenwich Village in New York City. Full article >>

Brian Lowry, Variety: James Gandolfini’s Unlikely Stardom, and the Role of a Lifetime

Justin Chang, Variety: James Gandolfini: A Rich Bigscreen Career in the Shadow of Tony Soprano

You Tube: James Gandolfini on Inside the Actor’s Studio – Part 1