Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Tony Lip

Frank Anthony Vallelonga Sr. (July 30, 1930 – January 4, 2013), professionally known as Tony Lip, was an American actor of Italian descent who specialized in portraying imposing mob figures across film and television.^[1]^[2] Born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and raised in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City, Lip initially worked as a bouncer and maître d' at the Copacabana nightclub for over a decade before transitioning to acting in the 1970s.^[2]^[1] His breakthrough came with roles in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980) and Goodfellas (1990), but he achieved wider recognition as the elderly crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi in the HBO series The Sopranos (1999–2007).^[2] Lip's real-life experiences as a chauffeur for pianist Don Shirley in the 1960s formed the basis for the 2018 film Green Book, in which Viggo Mortensen portrayed a character inspired by him; the movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture, though Lip did not live to see its release or acclaim.^[3]^[2] Throughout his four-decade career, he appeared in over 30 films and numerous television shows, often leveraging his authentic New York-Italian persona derived from his background as a bodyguard and nightclub enforcer.^[1]^[2]

Early Life

Childhood and Family Background

Frank Anthony Vallelonga, professionally known as Tony Lip, was born on July 30, 1930, in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, to Italian immigrant parents Nicholas and Nazarena Vallelonga.^[4]^[5] His family soon relocated to the Bronx, New York, where he spent his formative years in a tight-knit, working-class Italian-American enclave amid the economic hardships of the Great Depression, which began just after his birth and persisted through much of his childhood.^[2]^[4] The Bronx neighborhood in which Vallelonga grew up was characterized by urban density and the challenges of immigrant assimilation, instilling early lessons in self-reliance and street savvy within a community reliant on manual labor and familial networks for survival.^[2] As a child, he acquired the nickname "Lip" due to his reputed talent for persuasive speech, enabling him to talk his way out of difficult situations—a trait that reflected both innate charisma and the pragmatic necessities of navigating a tough environment.^[3]^[6] These early experiences, shaped by economic scarcity and cultural insularity rather than institutional support, cultivated a resilient persona unburdened by formal advantages, emphasizing personal initiative over dependency in the face of adversity.^[3]^[6]

Pre-Acting Career

Nightclub and Hospitality Roles

In 1961, Tony Lip joined the staff of the Copacabana nightclub in New York City, initially as a bouncer before advancing to maître d'hôtel and supervisor, positions he held for 12 years until the venue's closure in 1973.^[7]^[2] In these capacities, he oversaw front-of-house operations, including seating arrangements for high-profile patrons, maintaining order amid rowdy crowds, and diffusing altercations that arose from intoxicated guests or territorial disputes common in the era's nightlife scene.^[7] His physical stature—standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing over 200 pounds—combined with a streetwise demeanor from his Bronx roots, enabled him to enforce decorum without frequent escalation to violence.^[2] Lip's role facilitated direct interactions with entertainment luminaries who performed or frequented the Copacabana, such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Nat King Cole, forging acquaintances that highlighted the club's status as a nexus for Rat Pack-era celebrities.^[7] He managed their egos and logistical needs, from securing prime tables to shielding them from overzealous fans or interlopers, gaining firsthand exposure to the entertainment industry's blend of glamour and volatility.^[7] These encounters built a network of contacts in show business, though Lip later recounted them as pragmatic dealings rather than idealized friendships, underscoring the transactional nature of nightclub hospitality.^[8] Despite proximity to organized crime elements who patronized the venue and extended job offers leveraging his Italian-American heritage and toughness, Lip consistently declined involvement in illicit activities, prioritizing steady, legitimate employment over mob affiliations. This stance reflected a deliberate choice amid temptations prevalent in mid-20th-century New York nightlife, where figures on the periphery of syndicates often blurred lines between protection rackets and venue security. His experiences at the Copacabana thus honed skills in navigating high-stakes social dynamics, contributing to his reputation as a dependable operator in demanding environments.^[7]

Bodyguard and Chauffeur Positions

Vallelonga, professionally known as Tony Lip, leveraged his physical build—standing 6 feet 2 inches and weighing over 200 pounds—and reputation for controlled force in bodyguard and chauffeur roles for entertainers, distinct from his stationary nightclub duties. These mobile positions involved transporting and safeguarding clients during off-site travel and events, drawing on pragmatic risk evaluation honed in New York's competitive entertainment milieu. His discretion ensured client privacy while deterring potential aggressors through presence alone, minimizing escalations to physical confrontations.^[6] Among the entertainers he protected was comedian Don Rickles during performances at the Copacabana nightclub, where Lip's role extended to ensuring safe egress and handling rowdy crowds or threats outside the venue. Such gigs often arose ad hoc, particularly during the Copacabana's periodic closures for renovations, allowing Lip to fill gaps with personal protection services emphasizing efficiency over bravado. His Bronx roots instilled a no-nonsense approach to threats, prioritizing verbal deterrence and swift neutralization only when verbal methods failed.^[9] Family accounts, corroborated through interviews and letters, recount Lip's readiness to defend personal honor amid ethnic biases common against Italian-Americans in mid-20th-century America. In one verified incident, he punched a police officer who uttered an anti-Italian slur—"wop"—demonstrating his intolerance for derogatory treatment while underscoring the casual prejudices encountered in security work. This event highlights how Lip's interventions balanced protection duties with self-respect, without framing them as heroic exploits.^[10]

The 1962 Tour with Don Shirley

Hiring and Tour Logistics

In early 1962, shortly after the Copacabana nightclub in New York City closed for renovations, leaving Anthony "Tony Lip" Vallelonga temporarily unemployed, he was recommended to pianist Don Shirley through mutual contacts in the entertainment industry for a position as driver and bodyguard.^[10]^[11] Shirley, preparing for a two-month concert tour across the segregated states south of the Mason-Dixon line, selected Vallelonga for his physical presence and experience as a nightclub bouncer to handle potential threats in Jim Crow-era venues.^[12]^[13] The tour logistics emphasized safety and compliance with racial segregation laws, with Vallelonga driving Shirley's Cadillac and consulting The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide compiled by Victor Hugo Green that identified Black-friendly businesses, routes, and accommodations to avoid discriminatory establishments.^[10]^[11] Vallelonga managed daily operations, including negotiating lodging for Shirley where possible under state-mandated separation, scouting performance sites for security risks, and ensuring timely arrivals at concerts in cities such as Raleigh, North Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Memphis, Tennessee.^[12]^[13] The employment was a formal professional contract without prior personal acquaintance between the two men, positioning Vallelonga as Shirley's paid employee focused on protection and transport rather than companionship, as evidenced by Vallelonga's contemporaneous letters home detailing routine duties and Shirley's family's later recollections of the arrangement's transactional nature.^[10]^[11] This setup reflected the era's practical necessities for Black artists touring hostile regions, prioritizing functionality over familiarity.^[12]

Key Incidents and Personal Growth

During the 1962 tour through the segregated Deep South, Tony Vallelonga encountered stark instances of racial discrimination against Don Shirley, including denials of service at restaurants and restrooms in venues where Shirley performed, underscoring the enforced separations under Jim Crow laws that barred Black individuals from white facilities despite professional engagements.^[10] These experiences exposed Vallelonga, a Bronx native accustomed to Northern ethnic tensions rather than systemic Southern segregation, to the routine humiliations and risks faced by Black professionals, such as potential violence in whites-only theaters—a peril exemplified by the 1956 onstage attack on Nat King Cole, though not directly involving Shirley.^[10] In a notable confrontation with authorities, police in one Southern state attempted to extort Shirley during a traffic stop, leading him to telephone Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, whose intervention resolved the shakedown without Shirley's arrest.^[14] ^[15] Vallelonga, acting as bodyguard, positioned himself to physically deter harassers and ensure Shirley's safety amid threats in sundown towns and hostile environments, adapting in real time by navigating the Negro Motorist Green Book to locate safe accommodations and fueling stations for Black travelers.^[10] Shirley reciprocated by instructing Vallelonga in classical music appreciation and formal etiquette, fostering mutual exchanges that challenged Vallelonga's preconceptions; in later recollections, Vallelonga attributed these interactions to his decision to abandon racial slurs he had previously used casually.^[3] This direct exposure to Shirley's dignity amid adversity prompted Vallelonga to reject blanket ethnic prejudices, evidenced by his subsequent emphasis on equality in raising his children, demonstrating how personal encounters could catalyze behavioral reform independent of broader societal shifts.^[10]

Acting Career

Transition to Acting

Following his tenure as a bouncer and maître d' at the Copacabana nightclub in New York, where he worked for over a decade, Tony Lip transitioned to acting in his early forties without prior formal training or experience in the field.^[16] His entry into the industry stemmed directly from professional contacts formed in hospitality and security roles, particularly at the Copacabana, where he encountered director Francis Ford Coppola and casting director Louis DiGiaimo.^[17] These connections led to his film debut in 1972's The Godfather, in which he appeared in a small, uncredited role as a wedding guest and henchman for Emilio Barzini.^[18] At age 42, Lip capitalized on his authentic Italian-American background and imposing physical presence—honed from years as a bouncer and bodyguard—to secure initial bit parts portraying tough, streetwise characters, eschewing conventional acting preparation in favor of innate realism.^[19] Lip's initial foray into acting was motivated by opportunities for supplemental income amid fluctuations in his nightclub work, as the Copacabana's prominence waned in the late 1960s and early 1970s.^[1] Lacking industry insiders or familial ties in entertainment, he persisted through auditions and referrals from his network of nightclub patrons and associates in New York's entertainment scene, demonstrating merit-based entry rather than favoritism.^[10] This non-traditional path highlighted his reliance on personal authenticity over polished technique, enabling him to embody roles that drew from his real-life experiences in protection and hospitality without self-conscious avoidance of ethnic typecasting.^[17] Early rejections were overcome by leveraging these genuine attributes, setting the foundation for a character acting career built on credibility derived from lived grit rather than scripted rehearsal.^[19]

Major Roles and Contributions

Tony Lip achieved recognition for portraying Carmine Lupertazzi, the cunning and traditional boss of the New York Lupertazzi crime family, in the HBO series The Sopranos across seasons 3 through 6 from 2001 to 2007.^[20] His interpretation highlighted the character's commanding demeanor and calculated decision-making, informed by Lip's firsthand familiarity with Italian-American social dynamics from his Bronx roots.^[19] In Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990), Lip depicted Frankie "the Wop" Manzo, a historical Lucchese crime family associate introduced during Henry Hill's early criminal exploits, enhancing the film's depiction of authentic underworld operations.^[21] He further embodied mob figures in Innocent Blood (1992) as the enforcer Frank, and in Donnie Brasco (1997) as Bonanno family captain Philip "Philly Lucky" Giaccone, roles that leveraged his innate grasp of organized crime personas.^[22] Over a 36-year acting tenure from 1972 to 2008, Lip amassed credits in more than 40 films and television episodes, predominantly as stern Italian-American authority figures whose portrayals injected unrefined credibility into crime genre works, derived from his pre-acting immersion in Bronx nightlife and mob-adjacent circles.^[2] While he garnered no prominent awards, contemporaries valued his substantive presence for fulfilling the niche requirement of visceral, lived-in verisimilitude over broader versatility.^[18]

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Tony Lip married Dolores Venere in 1958; the couple remained together until her death in 1999.^[16] They raised two sons, Nick Vallelonga and Frank Vallelonga Jr., in Paramus, New Jersey, after Lip's early life in the Bronx.^[23] Lip instilled in his family core Italian-American principles, prioritizing tight-knit loyalty, diligence, and collective support over individual pursuits, as reflected in accounts from his son Nick describing a "quintessential Italian family" dynamic.^[3] This emphasis shaped the household amid Lip's demanding work in hospitality and later acting, maintaining relational stability.^[24] The family faced tragedy when Frank Vallelonga Jr., an actor who appeared in Green Book, was found unconscious on a Bronx sidewalk on November 28, 2022, and pronounced dead at the scene. The New York City chief medical examiner determined the cause as accidental acute intoxication from fentanyl and cocaine.^[25] ^[26]

Health Issues and Death

Tony Lip's acting career tapered off in the late 2000s, with his final credited roles appearing around 2008, after which he effectively retired amid declining health.^[27] He had been in poor health for several years leading up to his death, though specific medical details were not publicly detailed beyond general reports of failing condition from family members.^[28] Lip died on January 4, 2013, at a hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey, at the age of 82.^[1]^[29] The official cause of death was not disclosed by the family or medical authorities, consistent with privacy maintained in his estate handling, which proceeded without public controversies or legal disputes.^[23] Funeral services were held privately, reflecting the low-profile nature of his final affairs.^[23]

Legacy and Controversies

Cultural Impact Through Roles

Tony Lip's portrayal of Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in The Sopranos advanced realistic depictions of Italian-American mob archetypes by presenting the character as a pragmatic, long-lived boss who prioritized strategic alliances and business intelligence over impulsive violence.^[18]^[30] As the elderly head of the New York-based Lupertazzi family from 1999 onward, Lupertazzi embodied an old-school elder whose decisions, such as negotiating peace with the New Jersey Soprano crew, highlighted calculated restraint rather than stereotypical bombast.^[18] Lip's own background as a Bronx Italian-American and Copacabana bouncer in the 1960s infused the role with unpolished grit, drawing from lived experiences in urban immigrant enclaves to avoid cartoonish villainy.^[18] This approach contributed to The Sopranos' broader success in embedding mob narratives within authentic Italian-American family dynamics and cultural assimilation struggles, critiquing erosion of traditional hierarchies amid 1990s suburban anomie.^[31] Lip's casting exemplified the series' preference for performers with street credibility over trained actors, enhancing verisimilitude in inter-family power plays that drove plot tensions across six seasons (1999–2007).^[18] Such choices deepened the genre by humanizing mob elders as products of immigrant resilience, contrasting their era's codes with younger characters' dysfunction. While praised for adding layers to crime drama through reflective subcultural details—like Lupertazzi's dry enforcement of etiquette (e.g., advising against shorts for dons)—the portrayal faced critique for perpetuating "wise guy" tropes tied to organized crime myths.^[18]^[32] Defenders, including series creator David Chase, argued these elements mirrored verifiable patterns in mid-20th-century Italian-American communities, from Ellis Island name changes to economic rackets, without ideological filtering.^[31] The result fortified The Sopranos' Emmy-winning influence (21 wins, including Outstanding Drama Series four times) on subsequent media, prioritizing causal immigrant histories over sanitized narratives.^[31]

Green Book Depiction: Accuracy Debates

The 2018 film Green Book, written by Nick Vallelonga (son of Tony "Lip" Vallelonga), depicts the 1962 concert tour through the Jim Crow South undertaken by African American pianist Don Shirley and his Italian American driver-bodyguard Tony Lip, emphasizing their evolving relationship from initial cultural clashes to mutual respect, with Lip portrayed as overcoming personal prejudices.^[3] The screenplay drew from Lip's oral accounts, road trip letters, and Shirley's pre-death approval of a story outline in 2013, during which Shirley reportedly instructed Vallelonga not to consult his family.^[33] The film received critical acclaim, winning Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali as Shirley), and Best Original Screenplay in 2019, with supporters citing its alignment with verifiable tour logistics, such as reliance on the Negro Motorist Green Book guide and incidents like repairing a venue piano.^[15] Defenders, including Nick Vallelonga, maintain the portrayal's fidelity to primary sources, asserting that "everything depicted...happened in real life" based on decades of hearing his father's stories and Shirley's corroboration.^[3] Specific anecdotes, such as Lip's habit of discarding fried chicken bones from the car window—prompting Shirley's rebuke on dehumanizing stereotypes—stem from Lip's documented eating behaviors during financial hardship and tour reflections in family letters, which detail daily incidents like consuming 25 hot dogs in one sitting or folding whole pizzas.^[10] These letters, preserved by the Vallelonga family, provide empirical corroboration for Lip's personal arc, including his shift toward racial empathy through Shirley's influence on etiquette and worldview, rather than invention for dramatic effect.^[11] Criticisms of accuracy primarily emanate from Shirley's surviving family members, including nephews Edwin Shirley III and Donald Shirley Jr., who in 2018 labeled the film a "symphony of lies" for fabricating a deep friendship and estrangement from relatives.^[34] They contend Shirley remained in regular contact with family during the tour—evidenced by a preserved Christmas call home—and viewed Lip as a temporary employee with whom post-tour interactions were minimal, limited to occasional visits rather than the portrayed lifelong bond; they argue the depiction minimizes Shirley's independence and cultural sophistication while inventing isolation for narrative convenience.^[35] ^[36] Additional scrutiny from outlets critiquing racial tropes accuses the film of a "white savior" framework, centering Lip's redemption over Shirley's agency amid systemic racism.^[37] This view, often amplified in progressive media, overlooks documented mutual exchanges: Shirley actively shaped Lip's perspectives on dignity and integration, while Lip facilitated practical protections and later familial introductions that humanized Shirley's world, as attested in Vallelonga's sourced accounts and the tour's real hazards, including jailings for refusing segregation.^[15] Such critiques falter against evidence of reciprocal growth, with no primary records indicating Shirley as passive victimhood; instead, both men's post-tour reflections, per Vallelonga, highlight shared causal influences beyond unilateral salvation.^[3] The debate underscores challenges in verifying interpersonal dynamics after both principals' 2013 deaths, prioritizing family-stated memories against Vallelonga's direct inheritance of letters and Shirley's outline endorsement.^[15]

References

[1]
Obituary: Tony Lip dies at 82; character actor known for mob roles
Jan 7, 2013 · He was born Frank Anthony Vallelonga in Beaver Falls, Pa., in 1930 and grew up in an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx. According to family lore ...
[2]
Tony Lip(1930-2013) - IMDb
Tony Lip (born Frank Anthony Vallelonga) was raised in the Bronx, New York. He worked for twelve years at the world-famous Copacabana Nightclub in New York ...Missing: roles | Show results with:roles
[3]
The Story Behind Green Book's Tony Vallelonga | TIME
Nov 15, 2018 · Vallelonga's father, Frank Anthony Vallelonga, compassionately called Tony Lip (nicknamed for his ability to talk his way out of anything), ...
[4]
Tony Lip - Frank Anthony Vallelonga, Sr. (1930 - Geni
May 24, 2022 · Frank Anthony Vallelonga Sr. (July 30, 1930 – January 4, 2013), better known as Tony Lip, was an American actor and occasional author. He is ...Missing: facts | Show results with:facts
[5]
FRANK "TONY LIP" VALLELONGA | 2013 | Obituary
Jan 4, 2013 · Frank “Tony Lip”, 82 of Paramus formerly of the Bronx on January 4, 2013. ... Predeceased by his parents Nicholas and Nazzerena Vallelonga.Missing: family background
[6]
Tony 'Lip' Vallelonga, Chauffeur born - African American Registry
*Tony Lip was born on this date in 1930. He was a white-Italian American actor, chauffeur, bodyguard, and occasional author. Frank Anthony Vallelonga was born ...Missing: name notable
[7]
The NYC legend behind Viggo Mortensen's character in 'Green Book'
Nov 26, 2018 · But Lip's most starry memories were made at the old Copacabana, where he worked for 12 years as bouncer and eventually maitre d' until it closed ...
[8]
Tony Lip | Penguin Random House
At the Copa, he played host to the most famous personalities of the era, including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Bobby Darin. Lip then went on to a career in ...
[9]
'Green Book' is an Oscar-nominated film about a Bergen County guy
a.k.a. best actor nominee Viggo Mortensen — wins an Oscar on Sunday, expect Tony Lip's Italian Restaurant and Pizza in ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[10]
Green Book Movie vs. the True Story of Tony Lip and Don Shirley
Nov 19, 2018 · He was born Frank Anthony Vallelonga. ... He recalled the venue being in a high school, which likely didn't have a better piano on site.
[11]
Read Tony Lip's Real Letters From the Road Tour With Donald Shirley
Dec 14, 2018 · The story was a detour in the life of Tony Lip, a bouncer at the Copacabana in New York City who took a job as a driver and road manager for Dr.
[12]
Don Shirley and Tony Lip: The True Story Behind Their Friendship
Jan 29, 2021 · In 1962, casually racist Italian-American bouncer Tony "Lip" Vallelonga and Don Shirley, a gifted Jamaican-American musician, ...
[13]
Driving Don Shirley - Jerry Jazz Musician
Oct 9, 2018 · ... Don Shirley, and Viggo Mortensen as “Tony Lip,” a New York bouncer who worked as Shirley's driver during his 1962 concert tour of the South.<|separator|>
[14]
Green Book's Real Tapes: Audio Of Doc Shirley And Tony Lip ...
Jan 25, 2019 · Tony Lip describes his recollection of the time Doc Shirley called Robert Kennedy to get out of jail in an attempted shakedown by police.Missing: changes | Show results with:changes
[15]
Fact-check: How true is Green Book? - PolitiFact
Feb 7, 2019 · In the movie, Shirley gets out of jail by calling Attorney General Robert Kennedy. In reality, Shirley made the call, but he was never arrested.Missing: shakedown | Show results with:shakedown
[16]
Tony Lip - Biography - IMDb
Lip then went on to a career in acting. He got his first big break when he was cast in the hit film, The Godfather. He then appeared in several major motion ...
[17]
CHANNELING TONY LIP - Variety
Born in 1930, Tony grew up amid Depression-era poverty in a rough-and-tumble Bronx neighborhood dominated by wise guys. The 'Lip' nickname stems from his gift ...Missing: facts | Show results with:facts<|separator|>
[18]
The Only Actor To Appear in 'The Godfather,' 'The Sopranos,' and ...
Feb 27, 2025 · Living on the periphery of where organized crime gathered socially at the Copacabana, Lip symbolized the gritty realism that directors ...
[19]
This Underrated Actor Was in The Godfather, The Sopranos ... - CBR
Feb 15, 2025 · Underrated actor Tony Lip brought raw authenticity to gangster cinema, appearing in The Sopranos, Goodfellas, The Godfather and more.
[20]
The One Actor Who Appeared In Goodfellas, The Godfather, & The ...
Jul 3, 2022 · Tony Lip was cast in The Sopranos as Carmine Lupertazzi, the boss of the Lupertazzi crime family from season 3 to season 5.
[21]
Every Goodfellas Actor Who Appeared In The Sopranos - Screen Rant
Before Carmine, Tony Lip played real-life gangster Frank "Frankie the Wop" Manzo in Goodfellas, who receives a quick introduction in the iconic scene of Henry's ...<|separator|>
[22]
Tony Lip, Green Book Driver, Appeared in Goodfellas, Godfather ...
Jan 31, 2023 · After Goodfellas, Tony Lip scored a part in Donnie Brasco and as mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi on The Sopranos. When he died in 2013 at age 82, ...
[23]
Tony Lip, who played 'Sopranos' mob boss, dies - CNN
Jan 8, 2013 · Tony Lip, who played mob figures in the hit cable show “The Sopranos” and several movies, died last week, according to a funeral home.
[24]
Tony Lip - Wikipedia
Frank Anthony Vallelonga Sr. (July 30, 1930 – January 4, 2013), better known by his stage name Tony Lip, was an American actor. He was best known for his ...
[25]
https://deadline.com/2023/04/frank-vallelonga-jr-cause-of-death-green-book-actor-1235321898/
[26]
'Green Book' Actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. Cause Of Death Disclosed
Apr 11, 2023 · Green Book actor Frank Vallelonga Jr. died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl and cocaine, the New York City medical examiner's office has determined.
[27]
Frank Vallelonga Jr. Dead: 'Green Book' Actor's Body Found in Bronx
Dec 1, 2022 · Frank Vallelonga Jr., the son of actor Tony Lip and "Green Book" actor, was found dead by the NYPD in the Bronx on November 28.Missing: 2023 | Show results with:2023
[28]
In MEMORY of TONY LIP on his BIRTHDAY - Career years: 1972
Jul 30, 2022 · In MEMORY of TONY LIP on his BIRTHDAY - Career years: 1972 - 2008 Born Frank Anthony Vallelonga, American actor, best known for his portrayal ...Missing: name | Show results with:name
[29]
Tony Lip Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information
The cause of death was not disclosed, but family members told The Record of New Jersey that Lip had been in failing health in recent years.
[30]
Sopranos mobster Tony Lip dies aged 82 - BBC News
Jan 7, 2013 · He was best known for playing the role of mob kingpin Carmine Lupertazzi in several episodes of The Sopranos. The actor lived in Paramus and ...
[31]
Why Carmine Lupertazzi Was The Ultimate Sopranos Crime Boss
Feb 12, 2025 · Home » Why Carmine Lupertazzi Was The Ultimate Sopranos Crime Boss ... Carmine's business intelligence extends beyond typical mob rackets.
[32]
'The Sopranos' Offered the Best Insight into Italian-American Life
Jun 10, 2017 · The Sopranos deserves to be added into serious studies of Italian-American life, or at the very least, serve as an introductory course.Missing: impact | Show results with:impact
[33]
https://variety.com/2019/film/news/green-book-controversy-writer-nick-vallelonga-don-shirley-1203103114/
[34]
'Green Book' Writer Defends Film After Family Backlash: Don Shirley ...
Jan 9, 2019 · "Green Book" writer Nick Vallelonga says Don Shirley approved the events Vallelonga depicted in the film.Missing: accuracy | Show results with:accuracy
[35]
Dr. Donald Shirley's Brother Calls 'Green Book' Portrayal 'A ...
Dec 6, 2020 · "Green Book" has won rave reviews from some critics, but according to Dr. Donald Shirley's family, it's full of "hurtful" lies.
[36]
Don Shirley's family dismayed at 'Green Book' portrayal, Oscar wins
Feb 25, 2019 · Members of Shirley's family say the depiction of Shirley is inaccurate. For starters, they say Vallelonga was hired to drive Shirley on a tour ...
[37]
'Green Book' Character's Family Condemns Film for 'Hurtful' Lies
Dec 17, 2018 · Family members of pianist Dr. Donald W. Shirley, who is played in the film by Mahershala Ali, have criticized the film for what they say are narrative ...
[38]
What to Know About the Controversy Behind Green Book | TIME
Feb 13, 2019 · Green Book is about the relationship between two real-life people: Donald Shirley and Tony “Lip” Vallelonga.