Hesh Rabkin

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Herman "Hesh" Rabkin, played by Jerry Adler, is an advisor and friend to Tony Soprano on the fictional HBO television series, The Sopranos.

The character Hesh Rabkin may have been inspired by Morris "Mo" Levy, founder of Roulette Records, who had connections to the Mafia and owned a string of racehorses which he kept at his ranch in Ghent, New York.

[edit] Biography

Hesh is a loan shark and an important advisor to Tony Soprano (the same role he performed for Tony's father, mob captain Giovanni "Johnny Boy" Soprano) but, by virtue of being Jewish, is not and cannot be a made man. Nevertheless, Tony frequently seeks out Hesh's advice on a number of issues. When Tony was estranged from his therapist he sought out Hesh as a sympathetic ear but found his listening skills not quite up to her standards. Hesh has the lowest profile out of anyone in the crime family.

Hesh is very intelligent and a shrewd businessman, making a fortune in the recording industry during the 1950s and 1960s by bringing many young black musicians to prominence, getting royalties by having his name added as a co-writer on many songs. Apart from an unabashed greedy streak, Hesh is largely cool-headed and good-natured. Outside of business, Hesh's passions include his stable of horses and a penchant for statuesque African-American women. Hesh has a son-in-law named Eli who is also involved in his loan-shark business.Hesh has an encyclopidic knowledge of Soprano Criminal Activities

Hesh first appeared in the pilot working with Tony on setting up a scam to defraud HMO medical insurance companies through their debtor Alex Mahaffey. Hesh accompanied Big Pussy to a waterfall to intimidate Mahaffey into participating. Later, Hesh advised Tony against getting involved with Chassidic Jews the Teitlemann's in a dispute over ownership of their hotel and his predictions of their obstinance proved correct. Hesh was able to help Tony end a particularly arduous "negotiation" with a novel torture threat.

In "A Hit is a Hit" Hesh helped Tony's nephew Christopher Moltisanti to realise that his partner Adriana La Cerva had little facility for work in the music business. Chris also made contact with Hesh on behalf of Massive Genius - a rapper who claimed Hesh owed him royalties for his ancestors work. Hesh refused to pay and Massive threatened litigation.

In "Christopher" Hesh helped Silvio in his Christopher Columbus day dispute by putting him in touch with a sympathetic native American Casino owner through his friend Jerry Schwartz. Hesh also sold Ralph Cifaretto the illfated racehorse Pie-Oh-My.

In the Season Five episode "In Camelot" Tony discovered that his father, Hesh and Phil Leotardo had been co-owners of a racetrack and that his father had promised a share to his comare Fran Felstein. Tony arranged a sit-down with Phil and Hesh to secure the share which they reluctantly gave up.

In the Season Six premiere "Members Only" Hesh and his son-in-law Eli were attacked by member's of Phil Leotardo's crew - they had targeted Eli because they thought he was making collections on their turf without permission. The mobsters set fire to Eli's petro tank to get him and Hesh out of the car and then set about beating Eli. Eli was seriously hurt when he was the victim of a hit-and-run trying to escape the mobsters. Hesh was punched in the face. Hesh demanded and received restitution from Phil at a sit-down mediated by Tony. Hesh visited Tony in the hospital when he was recovering from his shooting.

[edit] Quotes

"You're talking to the wrong white man, my friend. My people were the white man's nigger when yours were still painting their faces and chasing zebras."

[edit] External link

• HBO Profile: Hesh Rabkin