Deaths 2022

Deaths 2021

Deaths 2020

Deaths 2019

Deaths 2018

Deaths 2017

Deaths 2016

Deaths 2015

Deaths 2014

Deaths 2013

Deaths 2012

Deaths 2011

Deaths 2010

Deaths 2009


Full list by date of death

Vinny Vella

Actor/comedian

Born - 11 January 1947, New York City, USA
Died - 20 February 2019

Dumpy, thick-set American character actor, comedian, talkshow host and restaurant owner, noted for playing fast-talking mobsters in dozens of films as well as the TV series The Sopranos, in which he portrayed Jimmy Petrille. A close friend of Robert de Niro, who was best man at his wedding. The son of Italian immigrants, he was originally the boss of a trucking company that transported actors to and from their film sets, but, in his forties, was encouraged by acting friends to try for character roles in the movies: Night and the City (1993), Season of Change (1994), Casino (1995), The Evil Within (1998), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), Mambo Cafe (2000), Kissing Jessica Stein (2001), Four Deadly Reasons (2002), Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), The Kings of Brooklyn (2004), Find Me Guilty (2006), Blind Thoughts (2008), Sicilian Tale (2009), Old Secrets No Lies (2010), Kill the Irishman (2011), Brooklyn Gangster (2012), Good Brutha, Bad Brutha (2013), Super Awesome (2015), Monsters of Mulberry Street (2017) and Saving Little Italy (2019), his last. He died from cancer of the liver.