As per title. This week, 25 yrs ago, the first episode of The Sopranos aired on HBO. Until this day, I'm not sure what was a better tv show: The Sopranos or Breaking Bad.
I am (still) a big fan and we did a Sopranos bus tour last year. Absolutely amazing day out. And I've learned a lot. Two small facts:
Denise Quinn, the lady who plays mob boss Johnny Sack's wife, wasn't an actress, she used to work at a legal office. The production crew did an audition-day in a small tow in New Jersey. The idea was to find someone with a genuine NJ accent. They couldn't find a proper actress for the role Quinn was there to support a friend who was trying to get the role. The producers sent everybody home and asked Quinn to play Gini Sacramoni.
The final scene was shot in Holsten's Confectionary. The production crew didn't change anything to the interior! What you see in the show is 'the real deal'. Tony's 'final seating' is in normal use during opening hours. Producer David Chase had chosen that location because he used to hang out there with his friends when he was young. It was a tribute to his younger days.
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