The truth is James Gandolfini, who died Wednesday at age 51 of a heart attack, had a career that extended well beyond the hit HBO show The Sopranos. There was the time he played Winston, a gay hit man, in The Mexican. It made 90 minutes with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts almost bearable.

His portrayal of Eddie Poole, a scumbag porno talent scout who led a young "actress" to her death in Joel Schumacher's unforgettably creepy 8MM still gives me nightmares.

But it was Gandolfini's long-running role as Tony Soprano that gave him a permanent place in our lives as a conflicted yet imposing New Jersey mob boss. He will be terribly missed by millions.