Michael Carlson

Vincent Pastore, the Bronx-born actor best known for playing Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on The Sopranos, died aged 80 on 1 August 2026. The obituary traces his path from Navy service, nightclub work and local theatre to a film and television career dominated by mobster roles, including appearances in Goodfellas, Gotti and Carlito’s Way. After Big Pussy’s death in The Sopranos, Pastore expanded into reality television, Broadway, daytime drama and comedy while continuing to act in crime-focused productions. He is survived by his daughter, Renee, following the end of his marriage to Nancy Berke.

Wally Funk, a pioneering American aviator and longtime advocate for women in aviation, overcame decades of gender barriers to become the oldest woman to fly into space at age 82 aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard in 2021. Despite excelling in the Mercury 13 astronaut testing program in the 1960s, she was denied a NASA astronaut position due to the agency’s refusal to send women into space at the time. Her career included groundbreaking roles with the FAA and NTSB, extensive pilot training work, and competitive flying. Honors over her lifetime included induction into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame and recognition at the National Air and Space Museum. She remained a vocal champion for gender equality and aviation until her death at 87.

Lindsey Graham, the long‑serving Republican senator from South Carolina, died at 71 shortly after returning from a visit to Kyiv, where he met Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reaffirmed his support for Ukraine. His career combined hawkish foreign policy, bipartisan negotiations, and shifting alignment with Donald Trump, whom he initially opposed before becoming a close ally during Trump’s presidency. Graham played major roles in judiciary and foreign policy matters, notably blocking Barack Obama’s supreme court nominee in 2016 and later expediting Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation in 2020. A prominent advocate for strong US military engagement abroad, he maintained staunch support for Israel and interventionist policies. Graham’s political path reflected the broader transformation of the Republican Party during the Trump era. He is survived by his sister.

James Burrows, a pioneering television sitcom director and co-creator of Cheers, has died at 85. Known for shaping some of the most successful US sitcoms, he directed hundreds of episodes across shows including Cheers, Frasier, Friends and Will and Grace, and was a sought-after pilot director. His four-camera approach and theatre-driven style helped define modern TV comedy. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he earned 11 Primetime Emmy awards, multiple Directors Guild honors, and directed more than 1,000 television episodes. He is survived by his wife, Debbie Easton, his children and grandchildren.