Celebrate the life, work, and legacy of James Gandolfini at the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) at American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, March 30 starting at 12:30 p.m.
Best known for his iconic role as Tony Soprano on HBO’s “Sopranos” (86 episodes across six seasons from 1999 to 2007), Gandolfini was 51 when he died suddenly of a heart attack on June 19, 2013 while vacationing with his family in Rome. He was found unconscious in a hotel bathroom by his 14-year-old son Michael.
At Gandolfini’s Hall of Fame induction, posthumously, in 2014, Vincent Curatol called his friend and former “Soprano’s” cast member a “self-effacing, humble man of the people.”
About James Gandolfini
Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and one Golden Globe Award for his role as Tony Soprano. Garden State Parkway Exit 160A in Montvale is named for him.
Get tickets here for the event, which is the price of entry to the NJHOF.
A New Jersey guy born and bred, Gandolfini was born on Sept. 18, 1961 in Westwood and grew up in Park Ridge, graduating from Park Ridge High School in 1979, where he played basketball and also performed in school plays. Raised Catholic, his parents immigrated from Italy and spoke Italian at home.
An autographed picture of Gandolfini hangs on the wall of The Ridge Diner in Park Ridge, and a section of Park and Kinderkamack avenues was named for him in the diner’s vicinity.
Gandolfini’s hangout in his youth, fans flocked to The Ridge Diner upon learning of his death, just as people descended on Holsten’s Brookdale Confectionery in Bloomfield, N.J., the scene of the final Soprano’s episode.
A Rutgers University graduate, class of 1983 with a degree in communications — he was inducted into Rutgers University’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni — he was a regular supporter of his alma mater and its sports, particularly football. He was frequently spotted at many local sporting events, like the New York Rangers and New York Jets. He has lived in Bergen, Hunterdon, and Morris counties, never straying from his Garden State roots. Aside from his son Michael, he also has a daughter Lilliana with his second wife, former model Deborah Lin.
About the New Jersey Hall of Fame
The New Jersey Hall of Fame honors the Garden State’s most distinguished citizens for their lasting contributions to society. Through recognition and education, the NJHOF celebrates New Jersey’s rich heritage while inspiring the next generation of leaders, innovators, and trailblazers to reach their full potential and shape a brighter future.
