11 Little-Known Facts About The Sopranos
The Sopranos is arguably one of the best TV dramas ever made. First broadcast in 1999, the hit HBO show spanned six seasons and won many awards during its run, including 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globes, and two Peabodys.
Also, the Writers’ Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time in 2013, and Rolling Stone ranked it number one on its list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time.
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve watched it; there is always an Easter egg or subtext you might have missed the first or tenth time around, which keeps fans coming back.
If you want to learn more, here are 11 little-known facts about The Sopranos.
1. HBO Favoured LA Over New Jersey
It is hard to imagine The Sopranos set anywhere but New Jersey, as it shaped the show’s character, stories, and on-screen tensions.
However, HBO reportedly favoured the show to be set in Los Angeles. Thankfully, David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, put his foot down and insisted on New Jersey as he grew up there.
While Chase insisted on New Jersey, some scenes were shot in or near LA. For instance, the LA Zoo doubled for The Bronx Zoo in the episode “The Telltale Moozadell”.
2. James Gandolfini Often Walked Off Set
The Sopranos cast have become increasingly open about James Gandolfini’s struggles on and off-set.
Despite being beloved by the cast and crew, the exceptional actor would often walk off the set, show up late, or miss filming due to his struggles with addiction.
Mark Kamine, the show’s location manager, discusses Gandolfini’s lifestyle in his book On Locations: Lessons Learned from My Life on Set with The Sopranos and in the Film Industry.
He recalled how Gandolfini was once four hours late to set following a fun night at Atlantic City.
Once he arrived, he reportedly was “cursing his way through his half-learned lines, doing take after take, drinking coffees and bottles of water, alternatively sheepish and churlish, the way he always is when he fucks up.”
Unfortunately, Kamine admitted the late actor became “less and less trustworthy,” causing HBO to add “a clause making him responsible for shoot-day costs if he misses work due to excesses of consumption.”
According to David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, Gandolfini had to “go places that were destructive to him, and painful for him.”
He stated James would often skip sleep for days before filming Tony’s violent scenes or place rocks in his shoes to trigger anger.
His on-screen partner, Edie Falco, who famously played Carmela Soprano, talks about James Gandolfini with great affection but doesn’t shy away from the fact he found the role troubling.
When discussing Gandolfini in a recent documentary, Falco recalled, “He was a very good, kind-hearted man,” but admitted playing the character “may have taken a toll on him.”
Aware he was struggling, Chris Albrecht, HBO’s former head, tried to stage an intervention, but his efforts backfired with Gandolfini yelling “Fire Me” before walking away.
3. Steve Schirripa is a New York Times Best-Selling Author
Steve Schirripa is best known for playing the loveable mobster Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri. However, many people know him as a New York Times Best-Selling Author, as he penned the popular Goomba series, which includes A Goomba’s Guide to Life, The Goomba’s Book of Love, and The Goomba Diet.
The first book from the much-loved series, Nicky Deuce: Welcome to the Family, was adapted into a Nickelodeon movie, Nicky Deuce (2013), and featured the following five cast members from the show: Steve Schirripa, James Gandolfini, Vincent Curatola, Michael Imperioli, and Tony Sirico.
4. Tony Sirico Released a Cologne
Most fans of The Sopranos are aware that Tony Sirico, who played Paulie Walnuts, was a real mobster during the 1970s and served 20 months in prison.
However, they might not know that the talented actor released a cologne called Paolo Per Uomo in 2008.
According to the New York Post, the scent resembled his iconic character from The Sopranos, as it was “aggressive, cheesy and overpowering, just like its inspiration.”
5. Matt and Kevin Dillon Helped Vincent Pastore Become an Actor
Vincent Pastore, who played Pussy, owned a club in New Rochelle, New York, for 20 years before the show and became friends with actors Matt Dillion and Kevin Dillon.
After they formed a friendship, Dillon introduced Pastore to his manager, who encouraged him to take acting classes.
Before long, Pastore landed roles on stage and in various movies, such as Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way, and Mickey Blue Eyes.
6. Some Cast Members Aren’t Italian
Despite playing characters with Italian heritage, some of The Sopranos’ cast aren’t Italian.
For instance, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played Meadow Soprano, is of Greek-Jewish, Romanian-Jewish, and Cuban descent.
Also, Robert Iler, who played Anthony Jr., is of Irish American descent. He commented to comedian Dan Soder that he has been “Italianfishing” fans all these years and stated some become upset when they learn he isn’t Italian.
David Proval, who played Richie Aprille, isn’t Italian, either, as he is of Romanian-Jewish descent.
7. James Gandolfini Gifted 16 Cast Members $33,000 Each
During the early 2000s, James Gandolfini entered intense contract negotiations with HBO, demanding a higher salary for his role as Tony Soprano.
He initially received $5 million per season for the role, which doubled after season three. However, he was underpaid compared to other lead actors in hit shows at the time.
For example, Kelsey Grammer received $35 million for Frasier, and the cast of Friends earned $22.6 million once the show reached season nine.
For this reason, he requested a salary bump of $20 million, which almost caused the show to shut down.
HBO negotiated, resulting in Gandolfini agreeing on a settlement of $1 million per episode, giving him a total of $13 million per series.
Rather than fighting for a higher rate, Gandolfini accepted HBO’s offer to prevent production from shutting down and leaving the cast and crew unemployed.
After signing the contract, James Gandolfini wrote cheques for $33,000 for each of his co-stars as a bonus, sharing $500,000 of his income with his colleagues.
According to Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva, “When Jim got the deal, none of us even knew it was on the table. We didn’t know to negotiate. I think he felt terrible about that. So, he called us all into his trailer one by one and gave everybody a check for $30,000.”
When asked why he gifted the money to the cast, creator David Chase commented, “I think he felt HBO had fucked them. He wanted to do something to make up for it, to help. I also think that there was maybe a shred of regret for the days he didn’t show up for work.”
8. Tony Darrow Was Charged with Extortion After The Sopranos
In June 2009, two years after The Sopranos finale, Tony Darrow, who played Larry Barese, was charged with extortion related to an incident from 2004.
Darrow, alongside members of the Gambino Crime family, was accused of ordering for a man to be maimed in Monticello, New York, as he owed money to a loan shark.
Darrow and Joseph “Joey Boy” Orlando, who was reportedly a Gambino crime family soldier, pleaded guilty to the charge in 2011 in exchange for a maximum sentence of 33 months.
Fortunately for Darrow, his attorney successfully argued the actor’s medical condition, community service, and clean criminal record before the charge, helping him receive a six-month house arrest sentence followed by a probation period. Joey Boy wasn’t so lucky, as he spent 51 months in prison.
Darrow, who appeared in Goodfellas (1990) and Analyze This (1999), has continued to act in various movies, such as Kill the Irishman (2011) and The Brawler (2019).
9. David Chase’s Mother Inspired Livia Soprano
Livia Soprano is one of the most conniving and manipulative characters in The Sopranos and the main reason Tony Soprano needs therapy.
However, many fans might not know David Chase’s mother inspired the iconic character.
During an interview with 60 Minutes, David Chase said, “My mother was sort of the model for Livia Soprano. She was threatening to poke my eye with a fork, but she was hysterical. I got this idea of pairing Livia with a gangster because to see a tough guy like that having to contend with a tough woman like that might be interesting.”
Sadly, the death of the phenomenal Nancy Marchland resulted in the show taking a different direction, as the plan was for Livia to testify against Tony on a RICO charge.
However, Livia’s presence was felt throughout the series, as she impacted Tony’s relationships with women, family dynamics, and his viewpoints.
10. Michael Squicciarini Was Connected to a Real Mafia Hit
Michael Squicciarini, who played Frank “Big Frank” Cippolina, was connected to a real-life mafia hit during the height of The Sopranos.
Like other cast members, Squicciarini had a criminal past, as he had experienced various stints in prison, including five years for aggravated assault.
During the 1990s, Squicciarini reportedly had links to the DeCavalante Family, the inspiration behind The Sopranos family.
He passed away in 2001 and was posthumously implicated in the murder of Ralph Hernandez, a reported drug dealer, in 2002.
It is believed Squicciarini lured Hernandez to a Brooklyn club in 1992, resulting in the drug dealer being shot by Joseph Conigliaro, a DeCavalcante capo.
Witnesses recognised Squicciarini after watching The Sopranos and claimed he helped move and dispose of the victim’s body.
11. The Bada Bing Had Real-Life Mob Links
The Satin Dolls, which served as the Bada Bing strip club in The Sopranos, served as the headquarters of real-life mobster clans, such as the Bonanno family.
In 2002, 21 of its members were snatched following an undercover police operation, and they were reportedly under an 83-year-old grandmother’s leadership.
It was reported that an undercover cop pretended to be an earner for the family, procuring expensive goods, attending funerals, and even dealing arms.
However, the mob links don’t stop there. The club was taken over by the Cardinale family and reportedly violated various state laws and didn’t account for large amounts of cash flowing through the business. As a result, the state of New Jersey ordered the club’s closure in 2017.
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