Big Pussy Bonpensiero Big Pussy Bonpensiero Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, played by Vincent Pastore, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series "The Sopranos". Not to be confused with fellow fictional New Jersey mobster known as "Little Pussy" Malanga, Big Pussy was a close friend and mob enforcer for Tony Soprano. The son of Lino Bonpensiero, Salvatore Bonpensiero started out as a cat burglar, and was affectionately known as Pussy, in reference to a pussycat. He was called "Big Pussy" to distinguish from Gennaro "Little Pussy" Malanga. Sal looked after his wife Angie and their three children, and was a long-time friend
Tony Soprano at the age of 22, killing a small-time bookie named Willie Overall. In season one, Tony states that he knew real-life Mafia boss John Gotti in the 1980s. (This was a joke played on his golf companions who were mystified by Tony's mafia ties, it is unclear if Tony knew Gotti or not.) Johnny shepherded Tony through his ascendancy until his death in 1986 from emphysema. When he died, Johnny had risen to the level of "capo" of his own crew, as had his older brother, Junior. Junior took over as Tony's mentor and parental figure Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero