Sorvino, also known for portraying police sergeant Phil Cerreta on TV series "Law & Order" in the 1990s, worked in film and television for more than 50 years.
"I am completely devastated. The love of my life & the most wonderful man who has ever lived is gone. I am heartbroken," his wife Dee Dee Sorvino wrote on Twitter.
Sorvino died at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, of natural causes, the spokesperson said.
Born in Brooklyn in 1939, Sorvino studied music and originally wanted to become an opera singer before he turned to acting.
His long career included roles in Broadway play "That Championship Season" and a 1982 film adaptation. Other movie credits included "Dick Tracy”, "Nixon" and “Reds".
Sorvino was the father to three children including Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino.
(Reporting by Shivam Patel in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and Marguerita Choy.)