Decades after its debut in 1999, “The Sopranos” is still considered to be one of, if not the greatest television series of all time, and it’s credited with sparking the “Golden Age of Television” of the early 21st century. But while the show’s legacy may live on forever, fans have been reminded all too often of the mortality of those who built it. Between the second and third seasons in 2000, Livia Soprano actress Nancy Marchand passed away from lung cancer at the age of 72, leading to a dramatically altered storyline for the third season. Then, six years after the conclusion of the series, beloved star James Gandolfini died suddenly of a heart attack at only 51 years old.
While the rest of the regular cast is, thankfully, still with us, the same can’t be told for some of the recurring guest actors whose characters inhabited the world of the North Jersey mafia and their rivals across the Hudson River. Shot mainly in New York and New Jersey, “The Sopranos” showcased actors from the comparably small East Coast television industry (the same talent pool that fed Dick Wolf’s “Law & Order” empire), Broadway stage veterans, and also new faces discovered via local casting calls. With a cast as sprawling as “The Sopranos,” it’s understands for news of an actor’s passing to evade notice, so we’ve compiled a list of some of those we’ve lost since the series came to an end in 2007.
John Costelloe leaves a lasting impression as Jim ‘Johnny Cakes’ Witowski
John Costelloe played a key role in the sixth season of “The Sopranos” as Jim “Johnny Cakes” Witowski, the short-order cook and volunteer firefighter with whom Soprano family capo Vito Spatafore (Joseph R. Gannascoli) falls in love while in hiding in New Hampshire. Johnny Cakes represents a fresh start for Vito, who’s fled New Jersey after being outed as gay by his violently homophobic colleagues. Johnny Cakes is a warm, calming presence in Vito’s life, and Vito even considers remaining in the sleepy New Hampshire town and building a new life with him. However, Vito becomes restless with rustic living and honest work, and ultimately, he decides to leave his love behind.
While appearing in only four episodes, John Costelloe leaves a lasting impression as one of the series’ most memorable short-term guest stars. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Costelloe served the Fire Department of New York (alongside future “Sopranos” castmate Steve Buscemi) from 1987 to 1998, overlapping with his acting career. His other screen credits include small roles in “Die Hard 2” and “Doubt,” as well as a recurring role as a crime boss on “New York Undercover.” Sadly, in 2008, John Costelloe died at the age of 47 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
