Heart attack ... 51-year-old actor James Gandolfini
SOPRANOS star James Gandolfini died in Rome yesterday of a suspected heart attack.
Reports say the star collapsed in the bathroom of a hotel during dinner with his teenage son and his sister.
The 51-year-old actor, who became a household name as mafia boss Tony Soprano, was in Italy on a 'guys holiday' with 13-year-old Michael, from his first marriage, to Marcy Wudarski.
He was scheduled to attend the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily.
The family had enjoyed a day out in the city before his sister found him on the floor and called an ambulance, according to his assistant Tom Richardson.
Mike Sullivan, a close friend of Gandolfini's, said: "When they got back to the hotel, Jimmy went to use the restroom. And something happened in there.
"His sister said he was alive when they took him out in the ambulance on the way to the hospital."
Hospital officials comfirmed the actor died after suffering cardiac arrest.
Dr. Claudio Modini, head of the emergency room at the Policlinic Umberto I hospital, said Gandolfini arrived at the hospital at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday and was pronounced dead at 11 p.m. after 40 efforts to revive him in the ambulance and hospital failed.
Claudio said: "James Gandolfini arrived at the emergency room of the emergency department of Polyclinic Umberto I University Hospital in a cardiac arrest accompanied by the ambulance of the 118 service."
"He was a code red (when he arrived).
"They were already trying to reanimate him. The efforts continued for 40 minutes, a series of attempts to make his heart start using electric activity.
"He died at 23:00."
He confirmed an autopsy would be performed starting 24 hours after the death, as required by law.
TV star ... as Mafia boss Tony Soprano
New Jersey-born Gandolfini had been planning a new show for US cable network HBO, which made The Sopranos.
His second wife Deborah Lin gave birth to the couple’s daughter just last year. They married in Hawaii in 2008.
Tributes were pouring in for the much-loved star last night. Sopranos co-star Joseph R. Gannascoli — who played Vito Spatafore — said: “He was the most humble and gifted actor and person I have worked with.
“He was a great man and I will forever be indebted to him.”
Veteran TV host Larry King and other friends said they saw no signs of any health problems. Larry, who was with him recently in Las Vegas, said: “He was extremely friendly — just a regular guy. He was a gentle, fun person.
“He did enjoy eating. He was not shy at the table.”
The Emmy-winning actor won fans playing a hitman in the movie True Romance and recently starred as former US defence secretary Leon Panetta in the Oscar-nominated flick Zero Dark Thirty.
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