Frank Vincent, 'Sopranos' actor, dead at 80

Frank Vincent, who played tough guys and mobsters in "The Sopranos" and a number of director Martin Scorsese movies, died Wednesday at age 80.

Vincent's family issued a statement Thursday, obtained by CNN through his publicist Morgan Pesante.

"Legendary Actor and accomplished Musician Frank Vincent has passed away peacefully at the age of 80 surrounded by his family on September 13, 2017. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time," the family's statement read.

Vincent portrayed Phil Leotardo for several seasons in the HBO drama, and memorably co-starred as Billy Batts in Scorsese's "Goodfellas," before that appearing in "Casino" and "Raging Bull."

Vincent started as a musician, playing drums for such acts as Paul Anka and Del Shannon. He was spotted by Scorsese and cast in "Raging Bull" after making his film debut in the 1976 movie "The Death Collector," which featured another Scorsese regular, Joe Pesci.

In 2006, Vincent wrote the nonfiction book "A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man."

Hollywood colleagues and fans paid tribute to Vincent on social media with references to some of his memorable movie scenes.

Actor Michael Rapaport called him a "consummate NYC actor" with a "great sense of humor."

"Our family will never forget the Leotardo legacy," HBO, which was home to "The Sopranos" for its six seasons, tweeted. "RIP to an HBO legend."