Frank Vincent of 'The Sopranos,' Scorsese films dead at 78

Critically lauded actor Frank Vincent, who had a key role on "The Sopranos" and appeared in a number of Martin Scorsese films, has died at age 78.

The actor had a heart attack last week and subsequent open heart surgery on Wednesday in New Jersey. He passed away during the surgery, TMZ reports.

Vincent was perhaps best known for his role as Phil Leotardo on "The Sopranos," a captain within the Lupertazzi Family. After the death of boss Carmine, he became boss of the family, often to Tony Soprano's annoyance. His murder aduring the series finale was the final murder of the series, save for the implied death of Soprano himself.

Vinvent often starred as a gangster, landing roles in "Goodfellas" and "Casino," both by Martin Scorsese. In total, he appeared in more than fifty feature films over the years.