( CNN ) -- Tony Lip , who played mob figures in the hit cable show `` The Sopranos '' and several critically acclaimed movies , died last week , according to a funeral home in Lodi , New Jersey . Lip , whose real name was Frank Vallelonga , died on January 4 , said an official with the Santangelo Funeral Home , which posted his obituary online . He was 82 . Lip was best known as the aging crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi in the hit HBO series `` The Sopranos , '' where he appeared in 11 episodes . He played the leader of a New York crime family sometimes at odds with the series ' main character , Tony Soprano . His character died in the hospital after having a stroke on a golf course . He also was in the mob movies `` The Godfather , '' `` GoodFellas '' and `` Donnie Brasco . '' He also compiled an Italian cookbook called `` Shut Up and Eat '' that featured recipes from stars of `` The Sopranos '' and from some famous New York-area restaurants . According to the Internet Movie Database , Lip worked for 12 years at the Copacabana nightclub in New York before getting an acting break as an uncredited player in `` The Godfather . '' He is survived by two sons , actor/director Nick Vallelonga and Frank Vallelonga Jr. Coroner confirms Winehouse cause of death . Photos : Notable deaths in 2012 .
Frank Vallelonga , born Tony Lip , worked at the Copacabana club . He played the head of a New York- crime family in 'The Sopranos ' He broke into movies as an extra in `` The Godfather and had roles in other gangster films . He also put together a cookbook of recipes from Italian -American actors .