Joe Santos – the actor best known for his recurring roles on The Rockford Files and The Sopranos – has passed away at the age of 84.
According to his family, Santos suffered a heart attack at his home in Santa Monica on Wednesday.
He was rushed to the nearest hospital and put on life support, but never regained consciousness. Santos passed away early Friday morning.
Santos racked up dozens of film and television credits over the course of his 40 year career, but he’s best remembered for playing the very different roles of Sgt. Becker on The Rockford Files and Consigliere Angelo Garepe on The Sopranos.
Santos was nominated for an Emmy in 1979 for his work on Rockford.
He continued working throughout his final years and was featured in the movie Chronic in 2015.
In addition to his television work, Santos appeared in such classic films as The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight and The Friends of Eddie Coyle.
Known for his versatility as an actor, Santos peppered his crime drama-heavy resume with lighter projects such as the 1992 Wayans brothers comedy, Mo’ Money.
Santos is survived by his daughter and two sons.
Tributes from family, friends and fans have already begun to pour in on social media.
