Tony Soprano Tony Soprano Anthony John Soprano (born 1959) is a fictional character and the protagonist in the HBO television drama series "The Sopranos" (1999–2007), portrayed by James Gandolfini. Usually referred to as Tony, the Italian-American character was conceived by "Sopranos" creator and showrunner David Chase, who was also largely responsible for the character's story arc throughout the show's six seasons. The character is loosely based on real-life New Jersey mobster Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo, a former "caporegime" ("capo") and "de facto" boss of the DeCavalcante crime family. Bobby Boriello and Mark Damiano II portrayed Soprano as a child in one episode
Tony Musante 1975 episode of "Medical Center", "A Quality of Mercy". Musante also played Nino Schibetta, a feared Mafia boss and the Italian gang leader inside of Emerald City during the first season of the HBO television series "Oz". Musante died of complications following oral surgery on November 26, 2013, aged 77, in Manhattan. Tony Musante Anthony Peter Musante Jr. (June 30, 1936 – November 26, 2013) was an American actor, best known for the TV series "Toma". Musante was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, into an Italian-American family, the son of Natalie Anne ("née" Salerno), a school teacher, and Anthony Peter Musante,