Broadway theaters will dim their marquees on Wednesday night in memory of James Gandolfini, who had a successful stage career in addition to his Emmy-winning role on HBO's "The Sopranos."
"James Gandolfini was a consummate actor who brought individuality to each role and inspired a true connection with the audience," Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, said in a statement. "Whether on screen or on the Broadway stage, he made every role believable and seemingly effortless.
"Our thoughts go out to his family and friends, and certainly to all of his fans who felt as if they knew his characters."
Gandolfini, who died in Rome last week after suffering a heart attack at the age of 51, was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 for his role in "God of Carnage." He also appeared in "On the Waterfront" in 1995 and "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 1992.
The theater marquees will be dimmed at 8 p.m. for one minute.
Gandolfini, who portrayed conflicted mob boss Tony Soprano on television for six years, collapsed in the bathroom of his Rome hotel while vacationing in Italy with his 13-year-old son. He had been due to attend the closing of the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily last week.
Gandolfini had been working on an upcoming HBO series, "Criminal Justice," and has two films due out next year. He also appeared in the crime drama "Killing Them Softly" and "Zero Dark Thirty," a film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
Gandolfini's body was flown to the United States on Sunday. His funeral will be at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City on Thursday morning. (Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Bill Trott)
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