Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico is the name of two recurring characters in the animated sitcom ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
''. Both are voiced by
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor.
Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeff ...
and first appeared in the episode "
Bart the Murderer
"Bart the Murderer" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 10, 1991. In the episode, Bart stumbles upon a Mafia ...
" of the
third season.
[Jean, Al (2003). Commentary for "]Bart the Murderer
"Bart the Murderer" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 10, 1991. In the episode, Bart stumbles upon a Mafia ...
", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' VD 20th Century Fox. Fat Tony is a
mobster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
and the
underboss
Underboss ( it, sottocapo) is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian, Greek, and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss. The under ...
of the
Springfield Mafia
Along with the Simpson family, ''The Simpsons'' includes a large array of characters: co-workers, teachers, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople, local celebrities, as well as fictional characters within the show. The creators original ...
. His henchmen include Legs, Louie, and
Johnny Tightlips, and he answers to Don Vittorio DiMaggio. Upon the death of the original Fat Tony in the episode "
Donnie Fatso
"Donnie Fatso" is the ninth episode in the twenty-second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 12, 2010. The plot revolves around an FBI agent, who he ...
" of the
twenty-second season, the character's near-identical cousin of the same name is introduced. The characters somewhat resemble real-life mobster
Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno.
Profile
First Fat Tony
Marion Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico was behind several of
Springfield's criminal enterprises. His
rackets
Racket may refer to:
* Racket (crime), a systematised element of organized crime
** Protection racket, a scheme whereby a group provides protection to businesses or other groups through violence outside the sanction of the law
* Racket (sports equ ...
included
illegal gambling
Gaming law is the set of rules and regulations that apply to the gaming or gambling industry. Gaming law is not a branch of law in the traditional sense but rather is a collection of several areas of law that include criminal law, regulatory law, ...
,
cigarette smuggling
The illicit cigarette trade is defined as “the production, import, export, purchase, sale, or possession of tobacco goods which fail to comply with legislation” (FATF 2012). Illicit cigarette trade activities fall under 3 categories:
# Con ...
,
bootlegging,
fraud
In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain, or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compen ...
and selling fake IDs. In "
The Twisted World of Marge Simpson
"The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" is the eleventh episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 19, 1997. It was written by Jen ...
",
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
contracts with the mafia to drive out
Marge
Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret. Notable Marges include:
People
* Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist
* Marge Anderson (1932–2013), Ojibwe ...
's rival snack food distributors. Fat Tony took out a hit on
Mayor Quimby in "
Mayored to the Mob
"Mayored to the Mob" is the ninth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 20, 1998. After Homer prevents Mayor Quimby and ...
" in retaliation for a raid on their rat milk facility, which Quimby opposed, as they had promised him "dog or higher". Fat Tony puts out a contract on Homer after his private security business interferes with the mob's interests in "
Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge". Homer would have been executed gangland-style if not for
Maggie coming to the rescue with her rifle. Fat Tony's son Michael is first mentioned by Fat Tony as he is talking to Marge in "
The Seven-Beer Snitch
"The Seven-Beer Snitch" is the fourteenth episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 3, 2005.
Plot
The Simpsons go to Shelbyville ...
", saying she drove him home from school sometimes. He is then properly introduced in the episode "
The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer
"The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer" is the first episode of the eighteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 10, 2006. In the episode, ...
". The episode also reveals that Fat Tony's wife "was whacked by 'natural causes'." Fat Tony and his associates meet in what is known as the "Legitimate Businessman's Social Club". Fat Tony played the
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
in "
Insane Clown Poppy
"Insane Clown Poppy" is the third episode of the twelfth season of the American television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 12, 2000. In the episode, during an outdoor book fair, Kru ...
". Fat Tony dies in the twenty-second season episode "
Donnie Fatso
"Donnie Fatso" is the ninth episode in the twenty-second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 12, 2010. The plot revolves around an FBI agent, who he ...
" from a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
with his final words to Homer being "I loved you man."
Second Fat Tony
When the original Fat Tony died of a heart attack in "Donnie Fatso", he was replaced by his slimmer cousin Anthony Paul "Fit Tony" D'Amico. By the end of that episode, Fit Tony has taken to eating as a way of dealing with the stress of assassination attempts. His weight gain causes a change of nickname to "Fit-Fat Tony" and eventually "Fat Tony", essentially restoring the original character. In "
The Real Housewives of Fat Tony
"The Real Housewives of Fat Tony" is the nineteenth episode of the twenty-second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 1, 2011. This episode ma ...
", he supposedly marries
Selma
Selma may refer to:
Places
*Selma, Algeria
*Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada
*Selma, Switzerland, village in the Grisons
United States:
*Selma, Alabama, city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches
*Selma, Arkansas
*Selma, Cali ...
, but the relationship falls apart when Selma discovers Tony only held a ceremony to make her his
goomar as he is already married to another woman. This iteration of Tony, although similar in character does have notable differences in appearances. He has lighter skin than the original Fat Tony, has a darker shade of hair & wears a red polo shirt as opposed to a teal polo shirt worn originally.
Name
![Paul Sorvino](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Paul_Sorvino.jpg)
The original Fat Tony's actual name is the source of some dispute, as several different real names have been revealed over the course of the series. In the third-season episode "
Bart the Murderer
"Bart the Murderer" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 10, 1991. In the episode, Bart stumbles upon a Mafia ...
", Fat Tony is referred to in a news report given by
Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Harry Shearer and first appeared in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted". He is a grumpy, self-centered local Springfield news anchor.
Profi ...
as William "Fat Tony" Williams, presumably an alias. In the eighth-season episode "
The Homer They Fall
"The Homer They Fall" is the third episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 10, 1996. After Homer realizes he has a bizarre me ...
", the announcer at Homer's boxing match against
Drederick Tatum
The American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' contains a wide range of minor and supporting characters like co-workers, teachers, students, family friends, extended relatives, townspeople, local celebrities, and even animals. The write ...
refers to Fat Tony as Anthony D'Amico (incidentally the name of one of the three Re-Recording Mixers in the end credits), which he is called later as well, for example, by the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
. In the twelfth-season episode "Insane Clown Poppy",
Frankie the Squealer claims that Fat Tony's first name is Marion, a reference to actor
John Wayne
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
's real name, Marion Robert Morrison.
Character
Development
![JoeMantegnaMay08](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/JoeMantegnaMay08.jpg)
Fat Tony first appeared in the
third season episode "Bart the Murderer".
[ The writers conceived the episode before the film '']Goodfellas
''Goodfellas'' (stylized ''GoodFellas'') is a 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book '' Wis ...
'', which has a similar plot, was released. However, when it was, the writers incorporated references to the film in the episode.[ Fat Tony was modeled on ]Paul Sorvino
Paul Anthony Sorvino (, ; April 13, 1939 – July 25, 2022) was an American actor. He often portrayed authority figures on both the criminal and the law enforcement sides of the law.
Sorvino was particularly known for his roles as Lucchese cri ...
, who played mobster Paul Cicero in ''Goodfellas''.[ The appearance of ]Louie Louie may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Louie'' (American TV series), by comedian Louis C.K.
* ''Louie'' (French TV series), animated series about a young rabbit who draws pictures which come to life
* "Louie" (song), by Blood Raw
* ''L ...
, one of Tony's henchmen, was based on another ''Goodfellas'' actor, Frank Sivero
Frank Sivero (born Francesco Lo Giudice; January 6, 1952) is an Italian-American actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the roles of Genco Abbandando in Francis Ford Coppola's ''The Godfather Part II,'' and Frankie Carbone (based on Angelo S ...
. The end of the episode portrays a TV movie about the events depicted in the episode, in which Joe Mantegna will play Fat Tony (this was before it was decided that Fat Tony would be a recurring character). In the episode "Donnie Fatso", Fat Tony dies of a heart attack; his cousin Fit Tony takes his place as head of the syndicate, but soon becomes known as Fat Tony due to stress-induced overeating.
Voice
The writers originally wanted Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and screenwriter.
Early life
Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of middle-clas ...
to voice Fat Tony. When they were unable to get him, they cast Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor.
Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeff ...
.[ It is his longest-running role. Mantegna said, "You feel honored that they asked you to do a voice. The fact that they bring you back and keep writing for the character, it is very satisfying." Mantegna based his raspy voice for Fat Tony on his Uncle Willy, a long-standing cigarette smoker. He insists that the producers must "not let anyone else do his noises," even going so far as to say, "If Fat Tony sneezes, I want to be there." This is referenced in the season 20 episode " Sex, Pies, and Idiot Scrapes, where the script required only grunting. Despite this, ]Phil Hartman
Philip Edward Hartman (; September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998) was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter and graphic designer. Hartman was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, and his family moved to the United States w ...
voiced the character in the season 7
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...
episode "A Fish Called Selma
"A Fish Called Selma" is the nineteenth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 24, 1996. The episode features Troy McClure, ...
".[ Mantegna voiced Fat Tony in a scene in '']The Simpsons Movie
''The Simpsons Movie'' is a 2007 American Animation, animated comedy film based on the long-running animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. The film was directed by the show's supervising director David Silverman (animator), David Silverman and star ...
'' that almost got cut. Of the Fat Tony episodes, Mantegna favors "Bart the Murderer" and "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer", because they are the character's first appearance and a season premiere.
Reception
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
ranked Fat Tony at No. 18 on their 2006 list of the "Top 25 ''Simpsons'' Peripheral Characters". Star News Online listed Joe Mantegna as one of the 400 reasons why they love ''The Simpsons''. In 2007, Adam Finley of TV Squad
Weblogs, Inc. was a blog network that published content on a variety of subjects, including tech news, video games, automobiles and pop culture. At one point, the network had as many as 90 blogs, although the vast majority of its traffic could be ...
called Mantegna one of the five best ''The Simpsons'' guest stars and '' Vanity Fair'' called "Bart the Murderer" the eighth best episode of the show, saying, "This episode makes the cut because of the inspired Mafia satire". Playmates Toys
Playmates Toys Limited is a Hong Kong toy company. The company was founded in Hong Kong in 1966 by Sam Chan as Playmates Industrial, manufacturing dolls for other companies. In 1975, Playmates began marketing their own line of pre-school toys, ...
made Fat Tony into an action figure
An action figure is a poseable character (arts), character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are ...
as part of the World of Springfield toy line.
Notes
References
External links
Fat Tony
on IMDb
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tony, Fat
The Simpsons characters
Villains in animated television series
Television characters introduced in 1991
Animated characters introduced in 1991
Fictional gangsters
Fictional Italian American people
Fictional kidnappers
Fictional thieves
Fictional underbosses
Fictional violinists
Male characters in animated series
Male villains