was settled with gandolfini reportedly doubling his salary to over $800,000 an episode. gandolfini starred in all 86 episodes of the sopranos over the course of six seasons. the run ended in june 2007 with an enigmatic cliff hanger. viewers were left wondering if tony soprano lived or died. the conclusion of the sopranos was not just the end of an industry changing television phenomenon, it also allowed gandolfini to take his career in new directions. he respected the craft of acting, you know, immensely. he took it very seriously. now in his 40s he was free to take on non-tough guy characters branching out from his iconic portrayal of tony soprano. most were supporting roles like in 2009 the taking of pellum that same year he voiced carol