‘Biggest flirt’

Before Gandolfini had three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe resting on his mantel, he was a regular Italian American kid growing up with his working-class family in a modest Westwood, New Jersey home.

His father served as the building maintenance chief at a Catholic school, and his mother worked as a lunch lady in a high school. He was a “happy, cute little boy,” as described by childhood chum Pam Donlan, who would later become a highly respected actor in Hollywood.

In 1979, the young man, who stood just over 6 ft., was a senior at Park Ridge High School in New Jersey, where he was one of the popular kids.

Excelling in both academics and extra-curricular activities, the Get Shorty star developed his skills as an actor while in high school, where he studied theatre.

It was in these years the Where the Wild Things Are star met John Travolta, whose father owned a store the senior Gandolfini patronized.

“My father sold tires to his father,” Travolta said after Gandolfini died. “I was his inspiration to get into the business…He would see pictures of me on the wall from movies and he decided that he wanted to be an actor.”

Before heading off to Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts, Gandolfini first celebrated his last year at high school with classmates voting him “best looking” and – not surprisingly – “biggest flirt.”

On a Facebook post shared by the Park Ridge community, an old photo of the young star along with a woman, Donna Lange, shows the two as “class flirts.”

“I [love] this picture of Jimmy and Donna…I always remember him like this…happy kid with that killer smile,” writes one old friend. “It’s a great picture of Jim and Donna,” shares another.

Meanwhile, Duff Lambros remembers his childhood friend as having “a “quiet confidence,” and “a cool dignity.” He said, “Girls loved him. Guys loved him.”

The friend adds, “When he cracked that smile, it wasn’t just teeth, he smiled with his eyes. It felt like the sun was shining.”

Travolta – who shared the screen with Gandfolfini in several films – remembers his long-time family friend as a giant not only as an actor, but also in his personal life. “He was a people person first and then everything else,” Travolta said. “He was this beautiful man and I love him very much.”

Despite Tony Soprano’s imposing presence, Gandolfini exhibited remarkable humility and dedication. He humorously characterized himself as a “260-pound Woody Allen,” emphasizing his unassuming nature despite the larger-than-life character he portrayed on screen.

 

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