Who was Richie Aprile based on?

[Ogata]

I am rewatching Sopranos and I have noticed that almost all relevant characters on the show have a real life counter part. For example, Phil Leotardo is based on Philip Leonetti and that Vito was based on a real life high ranking mafia underboss/boss who got killed for being gay.


That being said, who was Richie Aprile based on? He was the best damn character on the show with the greatest potential and not to mention having that Al Pacino Doppelgänger look. Makes me wonder who was his real life counter part...

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

http://la-mafia.wikidot.com/richie-aprile

very bottom of page says
" He is based on real life Bonanno crime family capo Carmine Galante who in 1979 after his release from prison attempted to take over the Bonanno crime family by murdering Phillip Rastelli. The attempt failed and Galante was later murdered."

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

who was tony based off?

 

[Ogata]

http://la-mafia.wikidot.com/richie-aprile

very bottom of page says
" He is based on real life Bonanno crime family capo Carmine Galante who in 1979 after his release from prison attempted to take over the Bonanno crime family by murdering Phillip Rastelli. The attempt failed and Galante was later murdered."

Thanks, I feel like an idiot for missing this fact. I got comfortable in the soprano wiki as well as regular wiki for finding information since at the bottom there is a trivia section for all.

Its crazy that I haven't heard of Carmine Galante. I assumed Richie might have been based on Tommy Karate. Both were ruthless and while Tommy was a karateka, Richie was a practioner of yoga and meditation.

 

[Ogata]

who was tony based off?

Tony Soprano is based on Vincent Palermo who was the boss of Decavalcante crime family in new jersey. I don't know the fate of Tony Soprano but his real life counter part is currently alive. After his crime life, he became an informant and then he moved to Houston Texas.

Or maybe its this guy:

Both have the same name. First guy looks like Tony.

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

Tony Soprano is based on Vincent Palermo who was the boss of Decavalcante crime family in new jersey. I don't know the fate of Tony Soprano but his real life counter part is currently alive. After his crime life, he became an informant and then he moved to Houston Texas.

Or maybe its this guy:

Both have the same name. First guy looks like Tony.

I feel like in that life you either get killed, end up in prison or become a snitch... wonder if many of them get out and live normal lives.. doesn’t seem like the best career path

 

[Mondo Freaks]

He was based on Ricky Tan

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

Thanks, I feel like an idiot for missing this fact. I got comfortable in the soprano wiki as well as regular wiki for finding information since at the bottom there is a trivia section for all.

Its crazy that I haven't heard of Carmine Galante. I assumed Richie might have been based on Tommy Karate. Both were ruthless and while Tommy was a karateka, Richie was a practioner of yoga and meditation.

they could have used more than one guy to base him off of .

 

[Ogata]

I feel like in that life you either get killed, end up in prison or become a snitch... wonder if many of them get out and live normal lives.. doesn’t seem like the best career path

In all fairness, the original American mafia made sense. I mean back then, poverty was so horrible that going to prison was better than being on the streets. Now a days, homeless people have shelters and potential government programs for them to get their life together.

Although I could be wrong but I have heard that the original Mafioso were folks who couldn't find a job and so, this became their last choice of occupation.


I think the only way you can get out of the game is, to use the money to get in to legit business. Make tons of money with that legit business and slowly become legit and hopefully if your higher ups are understanding, you can buy your way out of the mob life by offering a small fortune and to move out of the state/country so that you are no longer in their cross hairs.

In a way, you become "retired" gracefully.

He was based on Ricky Tan

Wasn't Ricky Tan a well spoken and level headed mobster?

they could have used more than one guy to base him off of .

Who else do you think?

For me it was Tommy Karate because both Richie and Tommy were almost like Serial Killers and yet, both practiced Eastern arts. Tommy was in to martial arts and Richie was in to Yoga and Meditation. That and they both had slick black hair and that crazy psychotic look.

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

Who else do you think?

For me it was Tommy Karate because both Richie and Tommy were almost like Serial Killers and yet, both practiced Eastern arts. Tommy was in to martial arts and Richie was in to Yoga and Meditation. That and they both had slick black hair and that crazy psychotic look.

I meant the guy who that website said he was based off of and the guy you said..

 

[Ogata]

I meant the guy who that website said he was based off of and the guy you said..

True, I feel like he reminds me of someone else. I know he looks like Al Pacino but in real life, I feel like there is one more Mafioso that Richie has in common with. Who it is, I cant put my finger on it.

 

[Hollywood Jack]

In all fairness, the original American mafia made sense. I mean back then, poverty was so horrible that going to prison was better than being on the streets. Now a days, homeless people have shelters and potential government programs for them to get their life together.

Although I could be wrong but I have heard that the original Mafioso were folks who couldn't find a job and so, this became their last choice of occupation.


I think the only way you can get out of the game is, to use the money to get in to legit business. Make tons of money with that legit business and slowly become legit and hopefully if your higher ups are understanding, you can buy your way out of the mob life by offering a small fortune and to move out of the state/country so that you are no longer in their cross hairs.

In a way, you become "retired" gracefully.




Wasn't Ricky Tan a well spoken and level headed mobster?



Who else do you think?

For me it was Tommy Karate because both Richie and Tommy were almost like Serial Killers and yet, both practiced Eastern arts. Tommy was in to martial arts and Richie was in to Yoga and Meditation. That and they both had slick black hair and that crazy psychotic look.

American mafia was mainly a continuation of existing mafias in Sicily and Southern Italy that Italian immigrants brought with them. Also, it wasn't hard to find work back then, but it tended to be lower-paying, more labor-intensive, and there were less social services. It was also legal and socially acceptable to say something like "no Italians need apply" in job listings for more "prestigious" jobs, so there was less upward mobility in those days (turn of the Century) than later on (WWII Generation) when Italians became fully accepted as white and American.

 

[Fuzzybabyducks]

Thanks, I feel like an idiot for missing this fact. I got comfortable in the soprano wiki as well as regular wiki for finding information since at the bottom there is a trivia section for all.

Its crazy that I haven't heard of Carmine Galante. I assumed Richie might have been based on Tommy Karate. Both were ruthless and while Tommy was a karateka, Richie was a practioner of yoga and meditation.

talk about him in the beginning of this

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

One of my all time fav scenes

 

[Ogata]

talk about him in the beginning of this

Watched it last night. Crazy how he died with a cigar in his mouth. He really was kind of like Richie. Both were dealing drugs though Richie was dealing coke.

One of my all time fav scenes

I felt bad for him when Tony gave the jacket to the housekeepers husband. Major disrespect on Tonys part. I always felt that Tony was a prick and a major hypocrite. He had no problem putting his hands on his own guys even if they were made but condemned other made men for getting out of control.

 

[DaleBoca]

I hated Janice, man. And AJ. Good grief. I felt bad for Ton.

But on Richie. The dude who played him did a few episodes of ELR and he did one terrible Italian accent.

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

Watched it last night. Crazy how he died with a cigar in his mouth. He really was kind of like Richie. Both were dealing drugs though Richie was dealing coke.



I felt bad for him when Tony gave the jacket to the housekeepers husband. Major disrespect on Tonys part. I always felt that Tony was a prick and a major hypocrite. He had no problem putting his hands on his own guys even if they were made but condemned other made men for getting out of control.

One of the major themes of the Sopranos is that everyone is a hypocrite

 

[Ogata]

I hated Janice, man. And AJ. Good grief. I felt bad for Ton.

But on Richie. The dude who played him did a few episodes of ELR and he did one terrible Italian accent.

No ones perfect, we all have our flaws.

One of the major themes of the Sopranos is that everyone is a hypocrite

That is true but Tony and Chris were the worse. Although I will say that Richie and Silvio were the least hypocrite.

 

[BKMMAFAN]

No ones perfect, we all have our flaws.



That is true but Tony and Chris were the worse. Although I will say that Richie and Silvio were the least hypocrite.

Johnny Sack was probably the least hypocritical, imo.

 

[Ogata]

Johnny Sack was probably the least hypocritical, imo.

Johnny was a hypocrite. He would try to be a peace keeper at times and yet, he would fly of the handle for no reason. For example, he beat the living shit out of Donny for thinking he was laughing at his wife, he just assumes. Meanwhile, he wanted to kill Ralph for the joke but prior to that, he was defending Ralph when Tony wanted to kill Ralph because of the Tracey incident.