Sopranos and The Wire actor dead at 84 as fans pay tribute

The daughter of Charley Scalies, best known for his roles in The Wire and the Sopranos, has confirmed that the actor has died after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The star portrayed Thomas 'Horseface' Pakusa in 12 episodes of The Wire and starred as Tony Soprano's childhood football coach, Coach Molinaro in the Mafia series.

His death was revealed to the Hollywood Reporter on Sunday (May 4) by his child, Anne Marie Scalies. "Charley emphasised the importance of family, stating that loving their mother, spending quality time, and teaching respect and hard work were key elements of fatherhood," his obituary reads.

"He believed that a father's role is to guide children toward self-sufficiency. His wife, children, and grandchildren will miss his stories but will keep him in their hearts forever."

In a 2019 interview, Charley revealed that his 2003 Wire character was one of his favourites. "As with all the other characters I've been blessed to portray, Horseface lives inside of me," he . "I invite him out to play as needed."

Tributes have been pouring in across social media for Charley, with one X user writing: "RIP Horseface, Charley Scalies."

A second typed: "Charley Scalies, known for his roles as Thomas 'Horseface' Pakusa in The Wire and Coach Molinaro in The Sopranos, has died at 84. He passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's at a nursing facility in Pennsylvania. His legacy includes numerous iconic roles."

"Heartbroken to report that Charlie Scalies, Horseface on The Wire and Coach Molinaro from The Sopranos has passed away," said someone else.

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