He was a soldier. And in the end, he was the only one left standing.
Linguistically, the "-ie" suffix softens the formal "Paul." It implies familiarity. You call a man "Paulie" when you have worked next to him for thirty years, or when he is your cousin from Bensonhurst. Paulie
For millions of television viewers, the definitive "Paulie" is, and perhaps always will be, Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri from HBO’s groundbreaking series The Sopranos . He was a soldier
, Paulie is widely considered one of the most interesting and complex characters in television history. Why Paulie Walnuts is Fascinating Art Imitating Life You call a man "Paulie" when you have
In the sprawling, shadowy landscape of The Sopranos , where mob bosses collapse on psychiatrists’ couches and heirs apparent get whacked in a rain of gunfire, one figure remains constant. He is not the brightest. He is not the strongest. He is, however, the cockroach that will survive the nuclear winter of organized crime.
Played by Burt Young, Paulie Pennino is the antithesis of the polished sidekick. He is angry, alcoholic, and self-loathing. He works in a meat-packing plant, he lives in a cramped apartment, and he feels the world has passed him by. Yet, he is the brother of Adrian, the woman who softens Rocky Balboa’s rough edges.
Played with manic intensity by Tony Sirico, Paulie Walnuts is a character study in contradictions. On the surface, he is a caricature of a mobster: the silver wings in his dark hair, the tracksuits, the relentless worrying about impotence and hygiene. He provides much of the show’s dark comic relief, whether he is obsessing over the price of orange juice or recounting a vision of the Virgin Mary.