25 Things You Might Not Know About The Sopranos

The critically-acclaimed and very popular series The Sopranos ran on HBO from 1999 to 2007. It seems so recent that it’s hard to comprehend that show said its goodbye a whole seven years ago! The show set a new standard for original cable TV dramas that are reflected in newer shows such as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and others that might never have been greenlit if it weren’t for The Sopranos. But even if you watched the show diligently, there’s always more to learn about it. For example:

6. THE SOPRANOS SHARES 28 CAST MEMBERS WITH THE 1990 MOBSTER FLICK GOODFELLAS.

According to IMDb, six regular cast members appeared in Goodfellas (Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Vincent Pastore, Frank Vincent, and Joseph R. Gannascoli). Ten recurring Sopranos characters and 11 one-time guest stars also appeared in the 1990 film.

8. STEVEN VAN ZANDT WAS DAVID CHASE'S FIRST PICK FOR TONY.

Before he auditioned James Gandolfini, Chase wanted Steven Van Zandt, guitar player of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, to play Tony. He told Vanity Fair in 2012, "I used to listen to music a lot on headphones and look at [Springsteen's] LP, and Steven Van Zandt's face always grabbed me. He had this similarity to Al Pacino in The Godfather. Then we were casting the pilot, and my wife, Denise, and I were watching TV. Steven came on VH1, when they were inducting the Rascals into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Steven gave the speech. He was very, very funny and magnetic. I said to my wife, 'That guy has got to be in the show!'"

The producers didn't want to gamble on a first-time actor for the show's lead, so Chase offered to write a part for Van Zandt. The character Silvio Dante, who Van Zandt came to play, was in fact inspired by a short story about a retired hitman written by Van Zandt himself.

Read the rest of the 25 Things You Might Not Know About The Sopranos at mental_floss.


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