The Sopranos is largely considered one of the greatest and most influential television series of all time. Creator David Chase magnificently explored life inside a fictional New Jersey Italian-American crime family led by boss Tony Soprano (played by the late great James Gandolfini). Part crime drama, part dark comedy, television had never seen anything like it when it premiered on HBO in January 1999.
Unfortunately, sometimes in the Soprano family business it becomes necessary to take out one of your own crew for the greater good of the organization – especially when it’s affecting the bottom line. Here are ten times The Sopranos had to whack one of their own.
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10 Brendan Filone
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The first time we see the Sopranos family taking out one of their own was in season one, episode three. Brendan Filone, friend and associate of Tony’s nephew Christopher Moltisanti (played by Michael Imperioli), disobeyed orders from Tony and hijacked a delivery truck that was running a business protected by the family. During the robbery a gun was dropped that went off and killed the driver. Payback orders were given by over boss Junior Soprano and Filone took a bullet right through the eyeball while in the bathtub.
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Matthew Bevilaqua
Matthew Bevilaqua and his buddy Sean Gismonte were associates of the Soprano crew and at times did odd jobs and scams with Christopher. Matt and Sean were desperate to make a name for themselves and in season two, episode nine, after learning of former capo Richie Aprile’s dislike for Christopher, they attempted an unsanctioned hit on him to gain respect. The attempt went bad and Chris ended up killing Sean while Matt went on the run. Eventually Soprano crew soldier Pussy Bonpensiero learned of Matt’s whereabouts, tracked him down, and he and Tony pumped him full of lead while he cried for his mother.
8 Richie Aprile
Capo Richie Aprile gave Chris Moltisanti a real warning when he first got out of prison and found out he had roughed up his niece, Adriana La Cerva. But Richie himself was no saint and after punching his fiancée, Janice Soprano, who was the boss’s sister, well, he got a taste of the Soprano wrath himself in season one, episode 10. Like Richie, Janice was also known to have a temper and after being struck by Richie she shot and killed him on their kitchen floor. Janice called her brother and he had Christopher and family soldier Furio Giunta dispose of the body. Using the meat grinder at Satriale’s Pork Store, the two made sure the body would never be seen again.
7 “Big” Pussy Bonpensiero
Finding out about being an FBI informant is probably the surest way to disappear if you’re part of the Soprano crew and that’s exactly what happened to soldier “Big” Pussy Bonpensiero in season one, episode 11 of the series. After getting pinched for presumably dealing heroin on the side he was given the choice to become an informant or face 30 years to life in prison. Although the Soprano crew was already suspicious of Pussy’s behavior and had a feeling he was cooperating with the FBI, Tony wanted proof. Once Tony found a wire in Pussy’s bathroom they had all the confirmation they needed and Tony, along with Silvio Dante and Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri, took their former friend for a one way ride out to sea.
6 Jackie Aprile, Jr.
Jackie Aprile, Jr. was Meadow Soprano’s boyfriend and the son of former family boss Jackie Aprile, Sr. Jackie Jr.’s father had died of cancer and instead of staying in college we see in season three, episode 11 him going deeper into the family business. Capo Ralph Cifaretto started dating Jackie’s mother and his influence and tales of “the good old days” directly led to Jackie Jr. and some buddies to try and rob a card game with several of the Soprano crew members in attendance. Crew members were shot and two of Jackie Jr.’s guys were also killed. Jackie Jr. went on the run but under orders from Ralph, soldier Vito Spatifore tracked him down in the Boonton Projects and put a peep hole through the back of his head.
5 Ralph Cifaretto
Ralph Cifaretto is one of the most notorious characters in the whole Sopranos series. His brutality and heartlessness were unmatched. Every Sopranos fan is aware of Tony’s love of animals and when he found out in season four, episode seven that Ralph had badly burned their prize race horse “Pie-Oh-My” in a stable fire Tony went to confront him. Things got heated, the two fought, and Tony ended up strangling Ralph to death with his bare hands. Tony then enlisted Christopher’s help in disposing of the body and Ralph’s head and hands ended up in a bowling ball bag.
4 Adriana La Cerva
Christopher Moltisanti’s longtime girlfriend Adriana La Cerva was a beloved character on the series but got in hot water when the FBI found out she tried to help cover up a murder that had occurred at her nightclub. She tried to get Chris to join the witness protection program with her and leave the life of crime but it was too late. In season five, episode 17 Adriana revealed she had been in contact with the FBI for some time and out of loyalty Christopher reported it to Tony. Consigliere Silvio Dante was given the marching orders to take care of it and drove Adriana to a remote wooded area where she never returned.
3 Tony Blundetto
Tony Blundetto (played by Steve Buschemi) was the cousin of Tony Soprano and spent 17 years in prison. When he got out Tony S. tried helping him get back on his feet. Not moving up fast enough to his liking, Tony B. decided to start doing some work for New York but got too enmeshed in their family politics, killed acting boss Phil Leotardo’s brother Billy, and ended up with a bounty on his own head. After much pressure from New York to give him up and seeing how Tony B. was negatively affecting the family business, Tony S. made the hard decision in season five, episode 18 to do the deed himself.
2 Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher had long been a liability in the family. As Tony’s nephew, he looked out for Christopher as best as he could and even promoted him to Captain. However, Chris had a weakness for heroin and if he ever got pinched it put him and the whole family at risk. He knew “where the bodies were buried” literally and in season six (part 2), episode eight he and Tony are involved in a terrible car wreck. Chris was high at the time and said he would never pass a drug test. He was trapped in his seat and coughing up blood, but instead of pulling him out of the car or calling for help, Tony simply pinched Chris’s nose and his nephew choked to death on his own blood.
1 Burt Gervasi
Burt Gervasi was the final Sopranos crew member to get whacked by one of his own in the series. It happened in season six (part 2), episode 10 when the war between New Jersey and New York was coming to a head. Burt, a soldier, saw the Sopranos crew members getting taken out and he decided to join the Lupertazzi family to save himself. When the turncoat revealed his plan to Silvio and tried to persuade him to join him it didn’t work out well for Burt. Silvio wrapped a wire around his neck and strangled him in his own home and that was that.
