Making its debut on January 10, 1999, HBO’s The Sopranos has earned its cult following over the years. From James Gandolfini’s portrayal of Tony Soprano to the sayings and phrases we can’t help but integrate into our day to day lingo (“Those who want respect, give respect.”), the New Jersey based crime drama seemingly garners a new generation of fans with each passing year.
On September 7, Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos will premiere on HBO and stream on Max. The two-part documentary will tell the story of the visionary behind the show and how the series came to be. Here, take a look at these six fun facts about The Sopranos you might not have known about.
1. A lot of the show was inspired by the life of creator David Chase.
“For years, everybody told me you should write a show about your mother and yourself — she was so out there,” Chase said in the trailer for Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos. Additionally, the character of Dr. Melfi was based on Chase’s real-life therapist. He even revealed to Rolling Stone that she wrote him a breakdown of the family once the show had been on for a few seasons — with many of the characters ultimately behaving the way she had predicted.
2. The real Sopranos house is located in North Caldwell, New Jersey — and a few other of the show’s locations are real NJ landmarks.
That’s right, folks! The exterior shots of the Soprano home for the hit series are of a real house located in northern New Jersey. People from across the country have made the pilgrimage to snap a photo outside of the famed residence, and to this day, you’re likely to spot a car doing a drive by. In 2019, the house was listed for $3.4 million.
Throughout New Jersey, there are various other locations that have become a part of the show’s history. For example, the exterior shots of Bada Bing, the stripclub in which Tony and his crew conduct much of their business, is actually Lodi, New Jersey’s Satin Dolls.
3. Lorraine Bracco almost played another character.
Despite initially being considered for the part of Carmela, Bracco revealed to Vanity Fair in 2012 that after her part in Goodfellas (1990), she wanted something other than a “Mafia gal, girl, wife, mistress, daughter,” like she was constantly being presented with.
4. The booth in which Tony sits in the final scene of the series was recently auctioned off.
The booth located in the Bloomfield, New Jersey ice cream parlor in which Tony Soprano may or may not have met his end, was recently auctioned off for over $82,000. The proceeds are to be used to renovate the establishment.
5. Adriana’s portrayer started out with a different role.
We love her for her iconic style and personality, and many of us still mourn her tragic fate, but Drea de Matteo almost didn’t bring to life the character of Adriana La Cerva. Instead, she had a minor role as a hostess in the first episode. Luckily, things worked out the way they did and the rest is history.
6. It became the first drama series to take home a specific Emmy.
After being nominated a total of five times, The Sopranos took home the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, the first cable series to do so, in 2004.
