128 Fun Facts About The Sopranos

Which New Jersey town is home to Holsten's, the Sopranos' final-scene ice-cream shop?

Holsten's Brookdale Confectionery is on Broad Street in Bloomfield, New Jersey; the 2007 finale 'Made in America' shot its cut-to-black last scene in one of its booths.

What is the full name of the protagonist of The Sopranos?

The main character and protagonist of the series is Anthony John Soprano, commonly known as Tony Soprano.

In the original pilot script, Tony Soprano went by which first name instead?

David Chase's early pilot drafts called the character Tommy Soprano; he became Tony before filming, though Cagney's The Public Enemy stayed on as Tony's favorite film.

Which actor portrayed the central character, Tony Soprano?

James Gandolfini played the iconic role of Tony Soprano, earning widespread critical acclaim and several awards for his performance.

The exterior of the Soprano family home is a real private house in which New Jersey town?

The house at 14 Aspen Drive in North Caldwell, New Jersey supplied the exteriors; most interior scenes were shot on a soundstage, so the on-screen home is really two places.

Which musician and actor portrayed Silvio Dante, Tony Soprano's consigliere?

Steven Van Zandt, a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, played the loyal and distinctive Silvio Dante.

Which actor played Christopher Moltisanti, Tony Soprano's protégé?

Michael Imperioli played Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's protégé, who struggles with addiction and his place in the crime family.

How many Primetime Emmy Awards did The Sopranos win over its run?

The Sopranos won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards from 111 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2004 and 2007, the first cable series to take that prize.

Which veteran actor played Corrado 'Junior' Soprano, Tony's uncle and initial boss?

Dominic Chianese played Corrado 'Junior' Soprano, Tony's uncle, who holds the nominal title of boss for much of the series while Tony wields the real power.

What is the well-known nickname of Peter Paul Gualtieri?

Peter Paul Gualtieri is famously known by his nickname, 'Paulie Walnuts', a loyal and eccentric member of Tony's crew.

Beyond loan sharking and bookmaking, what kind of business does Tony's consigliere run day to day?

Silvio Dante runs the Bada Bing, a strip club on Route 17 in New Jersey; its back office doubles as the crew's meeting place.

What is Christopher Moltisanti's familial relationship to Tony Soprano?

Tony calls him 'nephew' and treats him like a son, but the blood link runs through Tony's wife's side: her father and Christopher's grandmother were siblings.

What role was actress Lorraine Bracco initially offered before she chose to play Dr. Jennifer Melfi?

Bracco was first offered Carmela Soprano but, having already played a mob wife on film as Karen Hill, asked to play Dr. Melfi instead.

Silvercup Studios, where most Sopranos interiors were shot, is in which city?

Silvercup Studios is in Long Island City, Queens, New York; the exteriors, by contrast, were mostly shot on location in northern New Jersey.

On whom in David Chase's own life was Dr. Jennifer Melfi modelled?

Chase modelled Melfi on his own psychiatrist, a woman he had seen in therapy for years, and wrote the office scenes out of his memory of those sessions.

What was Tony Soprano's ostensible occupation to those outside his criminal life?

Tony tells Dr. Melfi in the pilot that he is a waste management consultant; Barone Sanitation is the crew's front business and his family repeats the cover story in public.

Dr. Melfi's own therapist is played by which noted film director?

Peter Bogdanovich, director of The Last Picture Show, plays Melfi's own therapist, who spends most of his scenes urging her to drop her gangster patient.

The Bada Bing is located in which New Jersey town?

The exteriors were shot at a real go-go bar on Route 17 in Lodi, New Jersey, which the production dressed as the Bada Bing for all six seasons.

What is the name of Carmela Soprano's father?

Carmela's father is Hugh DeAngelis, a retired contractor played by Tom Aldredge, who helps Carmela build her spec house in season 5.

What was the name of Tony Soprano's manipulative mother?

Livia Soprano, cagey and self-absorbed, was modelled on David Chase's own mother and in season one even conspires with Junior to have Tony killed.

Which actor portrayed the character Paulie Gualtieri in 'The Sopranos'?

Tony Sirico played Peter Paul 'Paulie Walnuts' Gualtieri, one of Tony Soprano's chief henchmen.

Furio Giunta joins Tony's crew from a mob boss based in which Italian city?

Furio comes from Naples: Tony meets him there on the season 2 trip in 'Commendatori' and arranges with Camorra boss Annalisa Zucca to bring him to New Jersey.

What was the name of Tony Soprano's older sister?

Played by Aida Turturro, she drifts back into Tony's life in season 2 and later marries one of his capos.

What animals does Tony Soprano become concerned about in the very first episode?

A family of ducks nests in Tony's pool; Melfi's reading is that he projected his love for his family onto the ducks, so their departure triggers his panic attack.

Who was Christopher Moltisanti's long-term girlfriend and later fiancée?

Adriana La Cerva, played by Drea de Matteo, is Christopher's girlfriend and then fiancée; de Matteo won the 2004 Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama for the role.

In the season 6 premiere, a demented Uncle Junior shoots Tony in the stomach while Tony is doing what?

Tony is cooking dinner in Junior's kitchen when Junior, mistaking him for the long-dead mobster Little Pussy Malanga, shoots him; Tony dials 911 before passing out.

How many Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama did the actor playing Tony Soprano win?

James Gandolfini won three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, in 2000, 2001 and 2003, and took a Golden Globe for the role in 2000.

In which U.S. state was 'The Sopranos' primarily set?

The series is set in New Jersey, where Chase grew up; he drew on the state's real DeCavalcante and Boiardo crime families.

What was the name of the theme song for 'The Sopranos'?

The opening theme is 'Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)', which plays over Tony's drive home from Manhattan through northern New Jersey.

How many seasons did 'The Sopranos' originally run on HBO?

The Sopranos ran six seasons on HBO, with the final season split into two parts that aired in 2006 and 2007.

In what year did 'The Sopranos' first premiere on HBO?

The Sopranos premiered on HBO on January 10, 1999; Chase directed the pilot himself and would not direct another episode until the 2007 series finale.

What was the name of the restaurant run by Tony's chef friend from elementary school?

After the original burned down it reopened as Nuovo Vesuvio; the pilot's scenes were shot at Manolo's in Elizabeth.

Tony Sirico agreed to play Paulie Gualtieri in The Sopranos on one condition: his character would never do what?

Sirico's one condition was that Paulie would never become a rat, and the writers kept to it: Paulie survives all the way to the final episode.

Who played Tony Soprano's wife?

Falco won three Emmys for the part; David Chase had first wanted Lorraine Bracco to audition for it.

Which character was an FBI informant and later met a tragic end?

Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero, nicknamed for his days as a cat burglar, is revealed to viewers as an FBI informant in 'Do Not Resuscitate' and shot aboard Tony's boat in 'Funhouse'.

What was the name of Tony Soprano's daughter?

Meadow Soprano is the elder child; her younger brother A.J. is the other, and both eventually see through their father's cover story.

What is the name of the Russian Paulie and Christopher lose in 'Pine Barrens'?

The Russian is Valery, a former Interior Ministry soldier; his fate is never shown, and the loose end is one of the show's most argued-over.

What was the name of Tony Soprano's boat?

There were actually two of them over the run, Stugots and Stugots II, and several of his affairs play out on board.

Which Journey song plays over the final scene of the series?

'Don't Stop Believin'' plays from the tabletop jukebox Tony picks in Holsten's, and Journey's recording cuts off abruptly with the final cut to black.

Which character, a childhood friend of Tony from elementary school, was a chef and restaurateur?

His original place burned down in season 1 — an arson Tony arranged to stop Junior staging a hit there.

Where did Meadow Soprano go to college?

Meadow attends Columbia University in Manhattan; after a rough first year she volunteers at a South Bronx law center, which sets her on the path to law school.

Who famously played the character of Ralph Cifaretto, known for his volatile personality?

An excellent earner but unstable, Ralphie was passed over for capo before Tony reluctantly gave him the Aprile crew.

What was the title of Christopher Moltisanti's ambitious, albeit troubled, film project?

Cleaver, the slasher film Christopher produced, has a mob-boss villain who looked uncomfortably like Tony, which did not go unnoticed at the screening.

What was the name of Dr. Melfi's own therapist, whom she often consulted about Tony's case?

Dr. Elliot Kupferberg, played by Peter Bogdanovich, repeatedly urges Melfi to refer her gangster patient elsewhere; she eventually accuses him of just wanting Mafia gossip.

Who was the actor who played Bobby Baccalieri?

Steve Schirripa played Bobby Baccalieri; after his wife Karen's death Bobby marries Tony's sister Janice, which does nothing to ease his relationship with the boss.

What became of Christopher Moltisanti's girlfriend, Adriana La Cerva?

Adriana had been informing for the FBI; Christopher told Tony, and she was killed on Tony's orders when Silvio drove her into the woods in 'Long Term Parking'.

Which actress played Tony's mother, Livia Soprano?

Nancy Marchand played Livia until her death in 2000; the show then wrote Livia's death into season 3, using digitally altered footage for one final scene.

What was the name of the prequel film to 'The Sopranos'?

The Many Saints of Newark (2021) is set during the Newark riots of Tony's boyhood and cast Michael Gandolfini, James Gandolfini's son, as the teenage Tony.

Which actor played Tony Blundetto, Tony's cousin released from prison at the start of season 5?

As kids the two Tonys were told apart as 'Tony Uncle Johnny' and 'Tony Uncle Al', after their fathers.

Which capo got engaged to Tony's sister after ten years in prison and plotted against him?

Richie Aprile, played by David Proval, was Jackie Aprile Sr.'s older brother; fresh from ten years inside, he got engaged to Janice and felt owed a bigger slice of the family.

How many episodes of The Sopranos were made across its six seasons?

The Sopranos made 86 episodes across six seasons, running on HBO from January 10, 1999, to June 10, 2007.

What is the name of the New Jersey crime organisation Tony Soprano runs?

Tony runs the DiMeo crime family, named for its imprisoned boss Ercole 'Eckley' DiMeo; Tony is its real boss while Junior carries the title.

Which New York crime organisation is Tony's main rival?

The Lupertazzi family, run by Carmine Lupertazzi and then Johnny Sack and Phil Leotardo, is the New York rival whose feuds with Tony's crew drive the later seasons.

Which HBO programming block was The Sopranos part of when it premiered?

Sunday at 9pm became HBO's flagship slot for prestige dramas.

The Sopranos was first conceived as what?

Chase first wrote The Sopranos as a feature film about a mobster in therapy over his mother; his manager Lloyd Braun urged him to turn it into a TV series instead.

Which network reportedly asked Chase, 'does he have to go to a psychiatrist?'

Fox also passed after reading the pilot script before HBO bought it.

Which HBO executive agreed to finance the pilot in 1997?

Chris Albrecht, then HBO's head of original programming, agreed to finance the pilot in 1997; Chase directed it himself, then waited months before HBO ordered 12 more episodes.

Which Italian director did Chase cite as a key influence on the show's cinematic style?

Chase cited Federico Fellini, and 8½ in particular, as a key influence on the show's dreamlike, cinematic style.

Where did the name 'Soprano' come from?

Chase borrowed the surname from high school friends of his named Soprano, a family he knew growing up in New Jersey.

Which 1990 film shares 27 actors with The Sopranos?

Goodfellas (1990) shares 27 actors with The Sopranos, among them Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli and Tony Sirico.

A clip from which film got James Gandolfini invited to audition for Tony?

Chase was shown Gandolfini's scene as the hitman Virgil in True Romance, Tony Scott's 1993 film, and invited him to audition for Tony.

Which role did Tony Sirico originally audition for?

Tony Sirico first auditioned for Uncle Junior; the part went to Dominic Chianese and Sirico was cast as Paulie Walnuts instead.

Who plays Silvio's on-screen spouse Gabriella?

HBO wanted an experienced actor as Tony, so Chase wrote Silvio for Van Zandt.

Which Sopranos writer went on to create Mad Men?

Chase hired him after reading the Mad Men pilot script in 2000.

What did Terence Winter do for two years before becoming a screenwriter?

Terence Winter practised law at a New York firm for about two years after law school before quitting to write; he later created Boardwalk Empire.

Which actor played both Philly Parisi and his twin brother Patsy?

Dan Grimaldi played Philly Parisi, killed in the season 2 opener, and then Philly's twin Patsy, who joined Tony's crew and stayed through the finale.

Who directed the most episodes of The Sopranos, with 20?

Tim Van Patten directed 20 episodes, the most of any director on the show; Chase himself directed only the pilot and the finale.

Which British band performs the theme 'Woke Up This Morning'?

Alabama 3, a band from Brixton in south London, recorded 'Woke Up This Morning'; the show uses the song's 'Chosen One Mix'.

Which Andrea Bocelli song recurs in connection with Carmela?

'Con te partirò' plays in season 1's 'College' as Carmela and Father Phil share wine, and the show returns to Bocelli's song for her later; the series has almost no composed score.

What was the title of the 2001 double-disc soundtrack?

'Peppers & Eggs' was the 2001 double-disc soundtrack, a follow-up to 1999's 'Music from The Sopranos', mixing songs from the show with dialogue clips.

In which New Jersey town was the Satriale's Pork Store storefront located?

The Satriale's storefront stood at 101 Kearny Avenue in Kearny, New Jersey; the building was demolished after the series ended.

What is the real name of the strip club that plays the Bada Bing?

Satin Dolls, a go-go bar on Route 17 in Lodi, New Jersey, stood in for the Bada Bing and kept operating through the eight years of filming.

Tony emerges from which Manhattan crossing at the start of the title sequence?

Tony's car emerges from the Lincoln Tunnel on the New Jersey side; Chase wanted the first shot to signal that this mob show was about New Jersey, not New York.

What was removed from the opening credits from Season 4 onward?

A shot of the World Trade Center's twin towers in Tony's side mirror was cut from the credits after the September 11 attacks, starting with season 4 in 2002.

Which associate does Junior have murdered in Season 1 over repeated truck hijackings?

Brendan Filone is shot through the eye in his bathtub on Junior's orders after the truck hijackings; Christopher gets a mock execution in the same reprisal.

Which boss's death from cancer lets Junior be installed as boss in Season 1?

Jackie Aprile Sr. dies of cancer in season 1, and Tony lets Junior take the title of boss while keeping real control himself, which Junior later discovers.

Tony's sister arrives from which city in Season 2 to care for Livia?

Janice arrives from Seattle, where she had been living as a Buddhist convert under the name Parvati, and moves into Livia's house.

Which two low-level associates try to kill Christopher in Season 2?

Matthew Bevilaqua and Sean Gismonte shoot Christopher in 'Full Leather Jacket'; Chris kills Sean on the spot, and Tony and Pussy later execute Matthew.

What is the name of Tony's Russian mistress in the early seasons?

Irina Peltsin is Tony's Russian mistress through the first two seasons; she later phones Carmela in 'Whitecaps' to reveal Tony's affair with her cousin Svetlana.

What triggers the vivid dreams that finally convince Tony that Pussy is an informant?

A bout of food poisoning after a late dinner gives Tony the fever dreams of 'Funhouse', in which Pussy appears as a talking fish admitting he works with the government.

Ralph Cifaretto returns in Season 3 after an extended stay in which city?

Ralph comes back from an extended stay in Miami and renews a relationship with Rosalie Aprile, Jackie Sr.'s widow.

Whom does Tony promote to capo over Ralph, prompting resentment?

Cestone's fatal heart attack forces Tony to promote Ralph after all.

Which pregnant Bada Bing dancer does Ralph beat to death in Season 3?

Tracee, a young dancer carrying Ralph's child, is beaten to death behind the Bing in 'University'; Tony breaks mafia code by beating Ralph in front of the crew over it.

Which fellow patient of Dr. Melfi has an affair with Tony in Season 3?

Gloria Trillo, a Mercedes saleswoman Tony meets in Melfi's waiting room, is played by Annabella Sciorra, who earned an Emmy nomination for the role.

Whose Saturday night card game do Jackie Jr. and friends try to rob?

The game is Eugene Pontecorvo's; Jackie panics and kills the dealer, Sunshine, and both Dino Zerilli and Carlo Renzi are killed during the botched robbery.

What is the name of the racehorse Tony and Ralph co-own?

Pie-O-My wins several races before dying in a stable fire; Tony believes Ralph torched the stable for $200,000 in insurance and strangles him.

Which undercover FBI agent poses as Adriana's friend 'Danielle'?

Agent Deborah Ciccerone-Waldrup befriends Adriana as 'Danielle' before the FBI flips her; Adriana informs to avoid prison over cocaine dealt at her club, the Crazy Horse.

Which released capo does Tony send back to prison by planting stolen property?

Feech La Manna, played by Robert Loggia, is sent back to prison when Tony has stolen merchandise planted in his garage, a parole violation.

Whom does Tony Blundetto shoot dead, sparking Phil's vendetta against him?

Tony Blundetto shoots Billy Leotardo dead and wounds Phil to avenge Angelo Garepe; Tony later shotguns his cousin at Uncle Pat's farm to spare him a slow death at Phil's hands.

Which A.J. guidance counsellor has a brief affair with Carmela?

Robert Wegler, A.J.'s guidance counsellor, has a brief affair with Carmela in season 5 and ends it, suspecting she is using him to fix A.J.'s grades.

Which of Meadow's boyfriends catches Vito with a security guard at a building site?

Finn is later forced to tell the whole crew what he saw.

Under what pretence does Silvio pick up Adriana before killing her?

Drea de Matteo won an Emmy for the role in 2004.

In his coma dream, Tony swaps identities with a man of what name?

In the coma dream Tony is taken for Kevin Finnerty, a heating salesman from Arizona, after picking up the man's wallet and briefcase at a hotel bar in Costa Mesa.

In what kind of shop is Bobby Baccalieri shot dead in 'The Blue Comet'?

Bobby Baccalieri is gunned down in a model train shop while buying a vintage Blue Comet locomotive, in the penultimate episode 'The Blue Comet'.

Why do the crews lose respect for Johnny Sack at his daughter's wedding?

He got just six hours' release and had to pay for the metal detectors.

In which state does Vito hide out, posing as an author, after being outed?

Vito hides out in the small town of Dartford, New Hampshire, posing as an author; he starts a relationship with Jim, a diner cook, before returning to New Jersey.

Which Oscar-winning actor do Christopher and Little Carmine fail to sign for Cleaver?

Ben Kingsley, playing himself, turns them down for Cleaver in 'Luxury Lounge'; on the same LA trip Christopher mugs Lauren Bacall for her awards-show gift bag.

Which two films is Cleaver described as a mix of?

Carmela objects that the boss character based on Tony sleeps with his underling's girlfriend.

Which Narcotics Anonymous friend and Cleaver co-writer does Christopher kill?

J. T. Dolan, Christopher's Narcotics Anonymous friend and Cleaver's screenwriter, is shot dead by a drunk Christopher in 'Walk Like a Man'; Tim Daly played him and was Emmy-nominated.

How does Tony kill Christopher?

After the crash in 'Kennedy and Heidi', Tony pinches the bleeding Christopher's nose shut and suffocates him, later pointing to the branch that impaled the infant car seat as justification.

Where does A.J. attempt suicide in the final season?

A.J. ties a cinder block to his leg and jumps into the family's backyard pool in 'The Second Coming'; after a psychiatric stay he tries to enlist in the army.

Which FBI agent tips Tony off to Phil Leotardo's location?

Harris had grown friendly with Tony over years of Satriale's sandwiches.

Which capo does Tony fear has flipped to help his son, arrested for dealing ecstasy?

In the finale Tony learns Carlo will testify.

Which show beat The Sopranos to the Outstanding Drama Emmy in 2000, 2001 and 2003?

The West Wing took Outstanding Drama Series four years running, 2000 to 2003; The Practice won in 1999, and The Sopranos finally won in 2004 and 2007.

Which actor plays Hesh Rabkin, Tony's Jewish adviser and loan shark?

Hesh Rabkin is played by Jerry Adler, who spent decades as a Broadway stage manager and director before turning to acting in his sixties.

Which show ranked above The Sopranos in Sepinwall and Seitz's book TV (The Book)?

TV (The Book), published in 2016, ranked The Simpsons first and The Sopranos second, with The Wire third; Sepinwall and Seitz later co-wrote The Sopranos Sessions.

Which creator said that without Tony Soprano his own series' antihero would not exist?

Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad, said 'Without Tony Soprano, there would be no Walter White' in tribute after James Gandolfini's death in June 2013.

Which two actors reprised their roles in a 2022 Chevrolet Super Bowl ad directed by Chase?

Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler, Meadow and A.J., reprised their roles in Chevrolet's 2022 Super Bowl ad; Chase directed Sigler driving a Silverado EV along the opening-credits route.

What was the 2006 PlayStation 2 game based on the show called?

The Sopranos: Road to Respect was THQ's 2006 PlayStation 2 game, voiced by cast members; Stern had released a Sopranos pinball machine in 2005.

Which two cast members host the rewatch podcast Talking Sopranos?

Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa launched Talking Sopranos in 2020 and co-wrote the 2021 oral history Woke Up This Morning.

Which actor plays the New York boss Johnny Sack?

Johnny Sack is played by Vincent Curatola; the character rises from New York underboss to boss before dying of lung cancer in federal prison in season 6.

Who plays Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark?

Alessandro Nivola plays Dickie Moltisanti, Christopher's father and young Tony's mentor, in the 2021 prequel.

In which year is the riot-torn opening of The Many Saints of Newark set?

The film opens amid the July 1967 Newark riots, with the boy Tony watching Dickie Moltisanti's crew through the unrest; Ray Liotta played Dickie's father.

Who directed The Many Saints of Newark?

Taylor had directed nine episodes of the series.

In which city did James Gandolfini die in June 2013?

Gandolfini died in Rome on June 19, 2013, of a heart attack at 51, while on holiday with his family on the way to a Sicilian film festival.

How much per episode was Gandolfini paid in the final season?

Gandolfini's final-season deal paid him about $1 million per episode, making him one of television's highest-paid actors at the time.

In which New Jersey town was James Gandolfini born?

Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey, on September 18, 1961, grew up in Park Ridge and studied communications at Rutgers.

Which HBO miniseries was Gandolfini set to star in before his death?

Gandolfini had shot the pilot of The Night Of as attorney John Stone; after his death John Turturro took the role and Gandolfini kept an executive producer credit.

How many viewers watched the finale 'Made in America' on its June 2007 premiere?

'Made in America' drew 11.9 million viewers on its June 10, 2007 premiere, the largest audience of the show's final season.

What is the suspicious man in the diner wearing in the finale?

The man who eyes Tony and heads for the restroom wears a Members Only jacket; 'Members Only' was also the title of the season 6 opener in which Tony is shot.

By how much did iTunes sales of 'Don't Stop Believin'' grow right after the finale?

Digital sales of 'Don't Stop Believin'' jumped 482 percent in the days after the finale, reviving mainstream attention for Journey.

Who wrote the teleplay for the episode 'Pine Barrens'?

Terence Winter wrote the 'Pine Barrens' teleplay from a story he developed with Tim Van Patten; it aired in May 2001 as the eleventh episode of season 3.

Which actor plays Phil Leotardo, the New York boss Tony has killed in the finale?

Phil Leotardo is played by Frank Vincent, a Goodfellas and Casino veteran; Phil is shot at a gas station in the finale and his head is crushed by his own rolling SUV.

Where were the snowy woods of 'Pine Barrens' actually filmed?

The woods scenes were shot in Harriman State Park in New York, not the real Pine Barrens; an unexpected snowfall gave the episode its unrepeatable look.

Before The Sopranos in 2007, which show had last won the Outstanding Drama Emmy after finishing its run?

Upstairs, Downstairs won in 1977 after its run had ended; The Sopranos' September 2007 win, three months after its June finale, was the first such post-finale win in 30 years.

Which UK broadcaster named The Sopranos the greatest television series of all time in 2007?

Channel 4's 2007 poll 'The 50 Greatest TV Dramas' put The Sopranos first; back in 2002 TV Guide had already ranked it fifth among the top 50 shows ever.

Which professional body gave Lorraine Bracco an award in 2001 for her portrayal of Dr. Melfi?

The American Psychoanalytic Association honoured Bracco in 2001 for television's most credible portrayal of a psychoanalyst and also gave the show's producers and writers an award for their depiction of psychotherapy.

Which two Sopranos actors parodied their roles in the Muppet and Elmo Christmas specials?

Tony Sirico and Steve Schirripa played mob-style heavies in Elmo's Christmas Countdown (2007) and A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008).