"Nobody Knows Anything" is the 11th episode of the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
original series ''
The Sopranos
''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based American Mafia, Italian-American mobster, portraying h ...
''. Written by
Frank Renzulli
Frank Renzulli (born February 21, 1958) is an American film actor, writer, and producer.
As an Emmy nominated writer and Golden Globe winner, Renzulli has written teleplays for ''The Sopranos'', mainly in the first two seasons, and another Emmy ...
and directed by
Henry J. Bronchtein
Henry J. Bronchtein is an American director, producer and production manager known for his work on the HBO television series ''The Sopranos''.
Early life and education
Henry Bronchtein was born and raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and attended ...
, it originally aired on March 21, 1999.
Starring
*
James Gandolfini
James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. (; September 18, 1961 – June 19, 2013) was an American actor. For his role as Tony Soprano, the Italian-American Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series ''The Sopranos'', he won three Emmy Awards, five Scree ...
as
Tony Soprano
Anthony John Soprano is a fictional character and the antihero protagonist in the HBO television drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), portrayed by James Gandolfini. Soprano is a member of the American Mafia, Italian-American Mafia and, ...
*
Lorraine Bracco
Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinct husky voice and Brooklyn accent, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, four Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Award ...
as
Dr. Jennifer Melfi
Jennifer Melfi is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the psychiatrist of Mafia boss Tony Soprano. She is portrayed by Lorraine Bracco.
Character description
Melfi is an Italian-American, with her father's famil ...
*
Edie Falco
Edith Falco (born July 5, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Carmela Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), and Nurse Jackie Peyton on the Showtime series ''Nurse Jackie'' (2009–2015). She also ...
as
Carmela Soprano
Carmela Soprano (''née'' DeAngelis), played by Edie Falco, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is married to Mafia boss Tony Soprano. A young Carmela, portrayed by Lauren DiMario, appears in the 2021 prequel fil ...
*
Michael Imperioli
Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Out ...
as
Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. He is Tony Soprano's protégé and a member of the DiMeo crime family, rising from associate to captain over the course of th ...
*
Dominic Chianese
Dominic Chianese (; born February 24, 1931) is an American actor, singer, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Corrado "Junior" Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), Johnny Ola in ''The Godfather Part II'' (197 ...
Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore (; born July 14, 1946) is an American actor. Often cast as a mafioso, he is best known for his portrayal of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''.
Early life
Pastore was born to an Italian-America ...
as
Pussy Bonpensiero
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Sopran ...
*
Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin ...
as
Silvio Dante
Silvio Manfred Dante is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos'', played by Steven Van Zandt. He is the consigliere and right-hand man to Tony Soprano in the DiMeo crime family. John Magaro portrays a young Silvio Dante in the ...
*
Tony Sirico
Gennaro Anthony Sirico Jr. (; July 29, 1942 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri in ''The Sopranos''. He also made numerous appearances in the films of Woody Allen.
Early life
S ...
as
Paulie Gualtieri
Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri is a fictional character portrayed by Tony Sirico on the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', one of the chief henchmen of series protagonist Tony Soprano. Sirico originally auditioned for the role of Uncle Junior w ...
*
Robert Iler
Robert Michael Iler (; born March 2, 1985) is an American former actor. He is best known for his portrayal of A.J. Soprano on ''The Sopranos''. His film roles include ''Tadpole'' (2002), and '' Daredevil'' (2003).
Career
Iler appeared in the v ...
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Jamie-Lynn Sigler (born May 15, 1981) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''.
Early life
Jamie-Lynn Sigler was born in Jericho, New York, on May 15, 1981, the daughter of Ste ...
as
Meadow Soprano
Meadow Mariangela Soprano, played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She was born in 1982. In the early seasons, Meadow is introduced as a smart but spoiled party-goer, whose over-dramatic perso ...
*
Nancy Marchand
Nancy Lou Marchand (June 19, 1928 – June 18, 2000) was an American actress. She began her career in theatre in 1951. She was most famous for her television portrayals of Margaret Pynchon on ''Lou Grant'' and Livia Soprano on ''The Sopranos''.
...
as
Livia Soprano
Livia Soprano (née Pollio), played by Nancy Marchand, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the mother of Tony Soprano. A young Livia, played by Laila Robins and later by Laurie J. Williams, is sometimes seen in f ...
Vin Makazian
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Soprano ...
*
Karen Sillas
Karen Sillas is an American stage and film actress.
Early life
The daughter of a Greek father and a Swedish mother, Sillas was born in Brooklyn. She graduated from the Acting Conservatory of the State University of New York at Purchase.
Car ...
as
Debbie
Debbie (or Debby or Deb) is a feminine given name, commonly but not always short for Deborah (or Debra and related variants).
Notable people
* Debbie Allen, American actress, choreographer and film director
* Debbie Armstrong, American athlete
* ...
Also guest starring
Synopsis
Pussy
''Pussy'' is a used as a noun, an adjective, and—in rare instances—a verb in the English language. It has several meanings, as slang, as euphemism, and as vulgarity. The most common as a noun, it means "cat", as well as "coward or weaklin ...
is at
Jimmy Altieri
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game ''The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Soprano
...
's social club when 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 ...
raid it and find a stash of guns. Jimmy is arrested. Pussy slips out but is intercepted by an agent moments later. He is released on bail soon after. Vin Makazian tells
Tony
Tony may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer
* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
that he has heard from a good source that Pussy is an FBI informant. Tony is reluctant to believe it, but Vin points out how easily Pussy managed to get off from the raid. He further explains that Pussy's alternative was long imprisonment for selling heroin, and as a man who cares deeply for his family, he was easy to turn. Tony insists on seeing the official report with Pussy's name on it, but Vin cannot obtain it.
Pussy has stopped collecting payments because of back pain but
Paulie
''Paulie'' is a 1998 American adventure fantasy comedy film about a disobedient talking parrot named Paulie, starring Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Gena Rowlands, Hallie Eisenberg, and Jay Mohr. Mohr performs both the voice of Paulie and the on-sc ...
, who sees the same doctor, has been told there is nothing wrong with Pussy's back – though the doctor adds that "no one knows anything about backs." Tony asks
Dr. Melfi
Jennifer Melfi is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos''. She is the psychiatrist of Mafia boss Tony Soprano. She is portrayed by Lorraine Bracco.
Character description
Melfi is an Italian-American, with her father's family ...
's opinion; back pain, she says, might be caused by stress, such as the burden of a secret. Tony tells Paulie not to act until Pussy's wire is seen, so Paulie insists that Pussy go to a bathhouse with him; Pussy refuses to undress, saying that his doctor told him that heat is bad for him.
Silvio
Silvio () is an Italian male name, the male equivalent of Silvia. Sílvio is a variant of the name in Portuguese. It is derived from the Latin "Silvius", meaning "spirit of the wood," and may refer to:
People
* Silvio Berlusconi (born 1936), Itali ...
discovers that Vin owes Pussy $30,000, which he believes may be his motive to have Pussy "disappear." Tony visits Pussy at his home and questions him sympathetically. "You got anything you want to say to me?" he asks to no response. Tony is distrustful and confused; he tells Paulie he feels he is walking into walls.
Vin has a fond personal relationship with the madam of a
bordello
A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...
, and he is there when the police raid it. After his release from custody, Vin commits suicide by jumping off a bridge.
Jimmy is bailed out and visits Tony at his home. Tony is surprised that he was freed so soon. Jimmy asks some intrusive questions about the cash stolen from the Colombian drug dealer. Tony evades the questions, which confirm his suspicion that Jimmy is the rat: he and Pussy were arrested at the same time, and Vin's source mixed up the "two fat fucks with black hair." Pussy is no longer suspected, but he has disappeared.
Junior
Junior or Juniors may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959
* ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009
* ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010
* ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019
Films
* ''Junior'' (1994 ...
visits
Livia
Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – 28 September AD 29) was a Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of Roman emperor, Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal Adoption in ancient Rome, adoption into the J ...
. She is bitter that Tony has sold her house. She tells Junior that several ''capos'' have placed their mothers at Green Grove, and they hold meetings there. Junior instantly suspects that they are conspiring against him with Tony and decides that he has to act against him. He assigns Mikey and Chucky to find hitmen from out of town.
First appearances
* Chucky Signore: Soldier in Junior Soprano's crew and a close friend of Mikey's
* JoJo Palmice: Mikey Palmice's wife
Deceased
*
Vin Makazian
This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film ''The Many Saints of Newark.''
Main characters Cast table
Main character biographies Tony Soprano ...
The title is said twice during the episode, first by Paulie in reference to Big Pussy's back problems when he tells Tony a doctor found nothing wrong and at the end of the episode by Tony in regards to Pussy's whereabouts.
Other cultural references
* While helping Tony and Chris to move a piano Paulie mentions "He's the
Jonas Salk
Jonas Edward Salk (; born Jonas Salk; October 28, 1914June 23, 1995) was an American virologist and medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines. He was born in New York City and attended the City College of New Y ...
of backs"
* Tony mentions
Sammy Gravano
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano (born March 12, 1945) is an American former mobster who became underboss of the Gambino crime family. Gravano played a major role in prosecuting John Gotti, the crime family's boss, by agreeing to testify as a ...
when Silvio says he does not believe Pussy would fear prison enough to betray his friends.
* Tony brings
Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza (, ; born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza ; January 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959) was an American tenor and actor. He was a Hollywood film star popular in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Lanza began studying to be a professional singer at ...
CDs for Livia.
* A.J. mentions President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
and
Monica Lewinsky
Monica Samille Lewinsky (born July 23, 1973) is an American activist and writer. President Bill Clinton admitted to having an affair with Lewinsky while she worked at the White House as an intern in 1995 and 1996. The affair, and its repercus ...
.
* Paulie's Cadillac is customized with a car horn tuned to play ''
The Godfather
''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...
'' musical theme, "
Speak Softly, Love
"Love Theme from ''The Godfather''" is an instrumental theme from the 1972 film ''The Godfather'', composed by Nino Rota. The piece was lyricized in English by Larry Kusik into "Speak Softly, Love", a popular song released in 1972. The highest- ...
".
Music
* The song played when Pussy's back goes out at the brothel, and Tony and Paulie help him walk out is "Walking on a Tightrope" by
Johnny Adams
Laten John Adams Jr. (January 5, 1932 – September 14, 1998), was an American blues, jazz and gospel singer, known as "The Tan Canary" for the multi-octave range of his singing voice, his swooping vocal mannerisms and falsetto. His biggest ...
.
* The song played when the Feds bust up a card game with Pussy and Jimmy is "The Highs Are Too High" by
Johnette Napolitano
Johnette Napolitano (born Jonette L. Napolitano; September 22, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and bassist for the alternative rock group Concrete Blonde.
Early life
Johnette Nap ...
.
* The song played at the Bada Bing when Pussy is released from prison is "Slide Slide" by The Hotheads.
* The song played at Carmela's open house party near the start of the episode is "
Mickey's Monkey
Mickey's is a brand of malt liquor made by the Miller Brewing Company. It has a 5.6% ABV.
The brand was created by Sterling Brewery in Evansville, Indiana, which brewed it from 1962 through 1972. It is known for its bright green barrel-shaped, ...
", by
The Miracles
The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential groups ...
.
* The song played when Tony meets Vin Makazian at the brothel is "My Heart is Hangin' Heavy" also by Johnny Adams.
* The song played when Tony finds out about Makazian's death at the Bada Bing is "
Lick It Up
''Lick It Up'' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Kiss. Before its 1983 release, the band members appeared on MTV without their trademark make-up. It was the first public appearance without make-up by the band, and their first ...
" by
KISS
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
.
* The song played when Tony looks out over the bridge and into the end credits is "Manifold de Amour" by
Latin Playboys
Latin Playboys was a musical group formed by David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake, active in the 1990s.
History
The band began with a series of demo recordings made by Hidalgo on a home cassette tape four-track machine. T ...
.
Filming locations
Listed in order of first appearance:
*
Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi (; ) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 24,136,Raritan River
Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its Drainage basin, watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.
History
Geologists assert that the lower Rar ...
in
Edison, New Jersey
Edison is a township located in Middlesex County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated in Central New Jersey within the core of the state's Raritan Valley region, Edison is a commercial hub, home to Menlo Park Mall and Little India. It is ...
*
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a suburban township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 48,843, an increase of 2,636 (+5.7%) from the 46,207 counted in the 2010 Census.
*
Satriale's Pork Store Satriale's Pork Store is a fictional establishment on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. During the 1970s, the pork store was taken over by Johnny Soprano, a capo in the DiMeo crime family, when Francis Satriale failed to make payments on a gambling ...
in
Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny ( ) is a town in the western part of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Newark. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 40,684,North Caldwell, New Jersey
North Caldwell is a borough in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, United States, and a suburb of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,694, an increase of 511 (+8.3%) from the 2010 census count ...
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat, seat of government of Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Pulaski Skyway
The Pulaski Skyway is a four-lane bridge-causeway in the Gateway Region, northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey, carrying an freeway, expressway designated U.S. Route 1/9 (US 1/9) for most of its length. The structure has a ...
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...