List of Italian-American television characters

The following is a list of notable Italian-American television characters.

To be included in this list, the character should be a main or frequently recurring character in a television series, and should have an article or section in Wikipedia. The character should be described as Italian-American in the text or categories.

Name  | Show  | Played by  | Description

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John Abruzzi | Prison Break | Peter Stormare | Mobster
Tony Almeida | 24 | Carlos Bernard | Systems analyst; Italian and Portuguese
Frank Angelino | Three's Company | Jordan Charney | Restaurateur; short-tempered
Jackie Aprile Jr. | The Sopranos | Jason Cerbone | Mobster
Jackie Aprile Sr. | The Sopranos | Michael Rispoli | Mobster
Richie Aprile | The Sopranos | David Proval | Mobster
Rosalie Aprile | The Sopranos | Sharon Angela | Mobster's widow
Chachi Arcola[1] | Happy Days | Scott Baio | High school student
Bobby Baccalieri | The Sopranos | Steve Schirripa | Mobster
Sal Banducci[2] | 21 Jump Street | Sal Jenco  | Police officer
Tony Banta[1] | Taxi | Tony Danza | Cab driver, failed boxer
Vinnie Barbarino[1] | Welcome Back, Kotter | John Travolta | Remedial high school student
Larry Barese | The Sopranos | Tony Darrow | Mobster
Tony Baretta[3] | Baretta | Robert Blake | Police detective
Frank Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | Peter Boyle | Retired bookkeeper; loud, reactionary
Marie Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | Doris Roberts | Passive-aggressive housewife
Ray Barone[1] | Everybody Loves Raymond | Ray Romano | Sportswriter
Robert Barone | Everybody Loves Raymond | Brad Garrett | Police officer
Luigi Basco[4] | Life with Luigi | J. Carrol Naish, Vito Scotti | Sweet but gullible immigrant
Andrea Belladonna | Samantha Who? | Jennifer Esposito | Attorney; party girl, "shoulder devil"
Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto | The Bear | Jeremy Allen White | Gourmet chef, restaurateur
Tony Blundetto | The Sopranos | Steve Buscemi | Mobster
Angie Bolen | Desperate Housewives | Drea de Matteo | "loving but tough Italian woman"
Nick Bonetti | Tequila and Bonetti | Jack Scalia | Police officer
Angie Bonpensiero | The Sopranos | Toni Kalem | Mobster's wife
Big Pussy Bonpensiero | The Sopranos | Vincent Pastore | Mobster
Alexandra Borgia | Law & Order | Annie Parisse | Assistant district attorney
Johnny Bravo | Johnny Bravo | Jeff Bennett (animated)  | "muscular and boorish young man"
Artie Bucco | The Sopranos | John Ventimiglia | Restaurateur; mobster's friend
Charmaine Bucco | The Sopranos | Kathrine Narducci | Restaurateur; mobster's friend
Gina Calabrese | Miami Vice | Saundra Santiago | Police detective
Tony Calabrese[2] | Police Story | Tony Lo Bianco | Police detective
Al Calavicci | Quantum Leap | Dean Stockwell | Admiral; womanizer
Tommy Carcetti | The Wire | Aidan Gillen | Ambitious politician; womanizer
Dominick Carisi Jr. | Law & Order | Peter Scanavino | Police detective
Lexie Carver | Days of Our Lives | Renée Jones | Police officer; mobster's daughter
Theo Carver | Days of Our Lives | Kyler Pettis | Mobster's grandson; autistic student
Anthony Ceccoli (Victor) | Dollhouse | Enver Gjokaj | Veteran with PTSD
Phil Cerreta | Law & Order | Paul Sorvino | Police detective
Ralph Cifaretto | The Sopranos | Joe Pantoliano | Mobster
Lieutenant Columbo[3] | Columbo | Peter Falk | Police detective; quirky, brilliant
Frank Costanza | Seinfeld | Jerry Stiller | Businessman; angry, deranged
George Costanza[5] | Seinfeld | Jason Alexander | Neurotic underachiever
Steve Crosetti | Homicide: Life on the Street | Jon Polito | Police detective
Jackie Curatola | Blue Bloods | Jennifer Esposito | Police detective
Ray Curto | The Sopranos | George Loros  | Mobster
"Fat Tony" D'Amico | The Simpsons | Joe Mantegna (animated)  | Mobster
Silvio Dante | The Sopranos | Steven Van Zandt | Mobster
Jeanie DaVinci | Mork & Mindy | Gina Hecht | Restaurateur
Remo DaVinci | Mork & Mindy | Jay Thomas | Restaurateur
Frank DeFazio | Laverne & Shirley | Phil Foster | Pizzeria owner
Laverne DeFazio[1] | Laverne & Shirley | Penny Marshall | Bottlecapper
Anna Del Amico | ER | Maria Bello | Physician
Mike Delfino | Desperate Housewives | James Denton | Plumber, drug addict
Andrew DeLuca | Grey's Anatomy | Giacomo Gianniotti | Physician
Dolly DeLucca | That's Life | Ellen Burstyn | Housewife
Frank DeLucca | That's Life | Paul Sorvino | Toll collector
Lydia DeLucca[1] | That's Life | Heather Paige Kent | Working-class girl from New Jersey
Paulie DeLucca | That's Life | Kevin Dillon | Police officer
Al Delvecchio | Happy Days | Al Molinaro | Cook
Dominic Delvecchio[1] | Delvecchio | Judd Hirsch | Police detective
Louie DePalma[6] | Taxi | Danny DeVito | Cab dispatcher
Charlie DeSalvo | Highlander: The Series | Philip Akin | Martial arts instructor
Daniel Desario[7] | Freaks and Geeks | James Franco | Good-looking bad boy
André DiMera | Days of Our Lives | Thaao Penghlis | Blackmailer
Chad DiMera | Days of Our Lives | Casey Jon Deidrick | Businessman; mobster's son
Stefano DiMera | Days of Our Lives | Joseph Mascolo | Mobster
Anthony DiNozzo | NCIS | Michael Weatherly | Cocky field agent; movie buff; flirt
Renée DuMonde | Days of Our Lives | Philece Sampler | Mobster's daughter, "evil home wrecker"
Manny Esposito[2] | Cagney & Lacey | Robert Hegyes | Police detective
Nick Falco  | Law & Order | Michael Imperioli | Police detective
Connie Falconeri | General Hospital | Megan Ward, Kelly Sullivan | Businesswoman; mobster's ex-girlfriend
Dante Falconeri | General Hospital | Dominic Zamprogna | Police detective; mobster's son
Olivia Falconeri | General Hospital | Lisa LoCicero | Businesswoman; mobster's mistress
Paul Falsone | Homicide: Life on the Street | Jon Seda | Police detective
Anthony Fanelli | The Fanelli Boys | Ned Eisenberg | Undertaker; nice guy[8]
Dom Fanelli | The Fanelli Boys | Joe Pantoliano | Con man
Frankie Fanelli | The Fanelli Boys | Chris Meloni | Bartender; handsome playboy
Ronnie Fanelli | The Fanelli Boys | Andy Hirsch  | College dropout
Theresa Fanelli | The Fanelli Boys | Ann Morgan Guilbert | Widowed mother
Joe Fontana | Law & Order | Dennis Farina | Police detective
Arthur Fonzarelli[1] | Happy Days | Henry Winkler | Greaser, ladies' man
Frank Furillo[1] | Hill Street Blues | Daniel J. Travanti | Police captain
Harry Garibaldi[2] | Hill Street Blues | Ken Olin | Police detective
Mike Giardello | Homicide: Life on the Street | Giancarlo Esposito | FBI agent; Italian and black
Tony Giuliano | Night Court | Ray Abruzzo | Police detective
Furio Giunta | The Sopranos | Federico Castelluccio | Mobster
Paulie Gualtieri | The Sopranos | Tony Sirico | Mobster
Benjy Hawk  | Days of Our Lives | Darrell Thomas Utley, Jim Lunsford  | Mobster's son
Megan Hathaway | Days of Our Lives | Miranda Wilson  | Mobster's daughter
Adriana La Cerva | The Sopranos | Drea de Matteo | Mobster's girlfriend
Paul LaGuardia[2] | Cagney & Lacey | Sidney Clute  | Police detective
Phil Leotardo | The Sopranos | Frank Vincent | Mobster
Janice Licalsi | NYPD Blue | Amy Brenneman | Mob-connected, murderous police officer
Angelo Lombardi | The Fanelli Boys | Richard Libertini | Priest
Dominic Luca[3] | S.W.A.T. | Mark Shera | Police officer
Carmine Lupertazzi | The Sopranos | Tony Lip | Mobster
Carmine Lupertazzi, Jr. | The Sopranos | Ray Abruzzo | Mobster
Dave Malucci | ER | Erik Palladino | Incompetent physician
Jennifer Mancini | Melrose Place | Alyssa Milano | College dropout
Michael Mancini | Melrose Place | Thomas Calabro | Physician; womanizer
John Manicote[2] | Hawaii Five-O | Glenn Cannon | Attorney General
Anthony Marentino | Sex and the City | Mario Cantone | Event planner
Zane Marinelli | The Beat | Mark Ruffalo | Police officer
Massimo Marone | The Bold and the Beautiful | Joseph Mascolo | Ruthless shipping magnate
Mario | The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! | Lou Albano | Plumber
Nick Marone | The Bold and the Beautiful | Jack Wagner | Businessman
Billy Martin | The Bronx is Burning | John Turturro | Yankees manager; Italian and Portuguese
Jennifer Melfi | The Sopranos | Lorraine Bracco | Psychiatrist
Samantha Micelli | Who's the Boss? | Alyssa Milano | Housekeeper's daughter; tough girl
Tony Micelli[1] | Who's the Boss? | Tony Danza | Live-in housekeeper
Christopher Moltisanti | The Sopranos | Michael Imperioli | Mobster
Lorna Morello | Orange is the New Black | Yael Stone | Prison inmate from Boston
Donna Moss | The West Wing | Janel Moloney | White House aide; Italian and Irish
Dino Ortolani | Oz | Jon Seda | Mobster
Mikey Palmice | The Sopranos | Al Sapienza | Mobster
Chucky Pancamo | Oz | Chuck Zito | Mobster
Ernie "Coach" Pantusso | Cheers | Nicholas Colasanto | Dimwitted but lovable bartender
Patsy Parisi | The Sopranos | Dan Grimaldi | Mob accountant
Stacey Paterno | Spin City | Jennifer Esposito | Secretary from Brooklyn
Nathan Petrelli | Heroes | Adrian Pasdar | Senator with superpowers
Peter Petrelli | Heroes | Milo Ventimiglia | Paramedic with superpowers
Sophia Petrillo | The Golden Girls | Estelle Getty | Elderly widow
Tony Petrocelli[3] | Petrocelli | Barry Newman | Defense lawyer
Donna Pinciotti | That '70s Show | Laura Prepon | High school girl with a wry wit
Bob Pinciotti | That '70s Show | Tanya Roberts, Don Stark | Jovial ladies' man
Eugene Pontecorvo | The Sopranos | Robert Funaro | Mobster
Carmine Ragusa[1] | Laverne & Shirley | Eddie Mekka | Boxer, dancer
Lionel Rizzo[3] | Kojak | Vince Conti  | Police detective
Jane Rizzoli | Rizzoli & Isles | Angie Harmon | Police detective
Ann Romano[9] | One Day at a Time | Bonnie Franklin | Divorced mother; "feisty"
Sal Romano[10] | Mad Men | Bryan Batt | Art director; closeted
Roseanne Roseannadanna | Saturday Night Live | Gilda Radner | Brash, tactless anchorwoman
Tony Roselli | Remington Steele | Jack Scalia | Hunk[11]
David Rossi | Criminal Minds | Joe Mantegna | FBI supervisory agent; Vietnam veteran
Frank Rossitano | 30 Rock | Judah Friedlander | Mob-connected writer; slob
Alex Russo | Wizards of Waverly Place | Selena Gomez | Wizard; Italian and Mexican
Giada Russo  | Wizards Beyond Waverly Place | Mimi Gianopulos | Italian-American Investigative Reporter
Jerry Russo  | Wizards of Waverly Place | David DeLuise | Retired Owner of Waverly Sub Station
Justin Russo  | Wizards of Waverly Place | David Henrie | Middle School Principal wizard; Italian and Mexican
Max Russo  | Wizards of Waverly Place | Jake T. Austin | Owner of Waverly Sub Station; Italian and Mexican
Milo Russo  | Wizards Beyond Waverly Place | Max Matenko  | Italian and Mexican-American
Roman Russo  | Wizards Beyond Waverly Place | Alkaio Thiele  | Italian and Mexican-American
Tina Russo[2] | Hill Street Blues | Megan Gallagher | Police detective
Johnny Sacrimoni | The Sopranos | Vince Curatola | Mobster
Dominic Santini | Airwolf | Ernest Borgnine | Aviator; war veteran
Jo Santini | Airwolf | Michele Scarabelli | Aviator
Dicky Santoro[2] | Brooklyn South | Gary Basaraba | Police sergeant
Father Guido Sarducci | Saturday Night Live | Don Novello | Eccentric priest
Tony Scali | The Commish | Michael Chiklis | Police commissioner; family man
Tom Scavo | Desperate Housewives | Doug Savant | Advertiser, pizzeria owner
Melissa Schemmenti  | Abbott Elementary | Lisa Ann Walter | Second Grade Teacher
Peter Schibetta  | Oz | Eddie Malavarca  | Mobster
Abby Sciuto | NCIS | Pauley Perrette | Forensic scientist; upbeat Goth girl
Anthony Soprano Jr. | The Sopranos | Robert Iler | Mobster's son
Carmela Soprano | The Sopranos | Edie Falco | Mobster's wife
Janice Soprano | The Sopranos | Aida Turturro | Mobster's sister
Junior Soprano | The Sopranos | Dominic Chianese | Mobster
Livia Soprano | The Sopranos | Nancy Marchand | Mobster's mother
Meadow Soprano | The Sopranos | Jamie-Lynn Sigler | Mobster's daughter
Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | James Gandolfini | Mobster
Ginnie Sorelli | Related | Jennifer Esposito | Ambitious attorney; main character
Vito Spatafore | The Sopranos | Joseph R. Gannascoli | Mobster
Alec Stone/D'Amico[2] | New York Undercover | Josh Hopkins | Police detective; mobster's son
Sara Tancredi | Prison Break | Sarah Wayne Callies | Prison physician; drug addict
Elsbeth Tascioni | Elsbeth, The Good Wife, The Good Fight | Carrie Preston | Quirky lawyer, police detective
David Toma[3] | Toma | Tony Musante | Police detective
Mike Torello[2] | Crime Story | Dennis Farina | Police detective
Carla Tortelli[6] | Cheers | Rhea Perlman | Surly barmaid
Nick Tortelli | Cheers | Dan Hedaya | Deadbeat dad
Nick Toscanni[12] | Dynasty | James Farentino | Evil doctor
Joey Tribbiani[1] | Friends | Matt LeBlanc | Dimwitted but lovable actor; ladies' man
Nona Valentine[2] | Brooklyn South | Klea Scott | Police officer
Nick Vera | Cold Case | Jeremy Ratchford | Police detective
Charlie Verducci | Top of the Heap | Joseph Bologna | Scheming slum dweller
Vinnie Verducci | Top of the Heap | Matt LeBlanc | Scheming slum dweller
Anthony Zacchara | General Hospital | Bruce Weitz | Mobster; "homicidal maniac"
Claudia Zacchara | General Hospital | Sarah Brown | Mobster; "a very, very sexual woman"
Johnny Zacchara | General Hospital | Brandon Barash | Mobster's son, "bad boy with a good heart"
Dorothy Zbornak (née Petrillo) | The Golden Girls | Bea Arthur | Substitute teacher
Larry Zito | Miami Vice | John Diehl | Police detective

## Others

[edit]

The following characters are presumably (but not verifiably) meant to be Italian-American.

Name  | Show  | Played by  | Description

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|
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Nat Bussichio | Murphy Brown | Joe E. Tata | Restaurateur
Jordan Catalano | My So-Called Life | Jared Leto | Good-looking bad boy
Frank Fontana | Murphy Brown | Joe Regalbuto | Reporter
Lionel Fusco | Person of Interest | Kevin Chapman | Corrupt police detective
Danny Garibaldi | Grand Hotel (TV series) | Lincoln Younes | Waiter; amateur sleuth
Jess Mariano | Gilmore Girls | Milo Ventimiglia | Good-looking bad boy
Stan Rizzo | Mad Men | Jay R. Ferguson | Art director
Jeff Rosso | Freaks and Geeks | Dave Allen | Hippie guidance counselor
Peter Russo | House of Cards | Corey Stoll | Corrupt, alcoholic congressman
Frankie Stecchino | Boy Meets World | Ethan Suplee | High school bully
Donald Twinkacetti | Perfect Strangers | Ernie Sabella | Mean landlord

## See also

[edit]

* Television portal

* Vito Scotti \- Italian-American character actor who frequently appeared on TV.
* List of Italian-American actors
* Growing Up Gotti
* Jersey Shore
* Mob Wives

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Laurino, Maria (December 24, 2000). "From the Fonz To the Sopranos, Not Much Evolution". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Martone, Eric (2016). "Italian Americans and Law Enforcement in Popular Culture". Italian Americans: The History and Culture of a People. ABC-CLIO. pp. 123–124\. ISBN 9781610699952.
3. ^ a b c d e f Greeley, Andrew M. (July 27, 1975). "TV's Italian Cops — Trapped in Old Stereotypes". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
4. ^ Leszczak, Bob (2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948–1979: A Complete Guide. McFarland. p. 104\. ISBN 978-0-7864-6812-6.
5. ^ "The Doll". Seinfeld Scripts. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
6. ^ a b Stern, E. Mark; Marchesani, Robert B. (2014). Saints and Rogues: Conflicts and Convergence in Psychotherapy. Routledge. p. 101\. ISBN 9781317718048.
7. ^ Steen, Janet. "On Wanting to Make a Guy Bleed, and Why Freaks and Geeks was the Best Television Show about High School Ever". The Weeklings. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
8. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2012). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland. pp. 329–330\. ISBN 9780786486410.
9. ^ "One Day at a Time". Encyclopedia.com.
10. ^ "Sal From Mad Men Is Glad He Never Came Back". Vulture. May 14, 2015. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
11. ^ "Jack Scalia, Hunk of 'Steele'". The Washington Post. January 5, 1987.
12. ^ "Heather Locklear's deja vu". Entertainment Weekly. February 10, 1995.