Anthony DiNozzo

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Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo
NCIS character

Rank	Senior Special Agent
Gender	Male
Hair color	Brown
Home city	Long Island
Actor	Michael Weatherly
First appearance	Ice Queen (JAG)
Last appearance	Current Character

Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (born July 8 1971) is an investigator on the television series NCIS on CBS Television. He is portrayed by actor Michael Weatherly.

1 Character
2 Education and Work History
3 Relationships
4 Family
5 Trivia
6 Notable Episodes

[edit] Character

Anthony DiNozzo is a streetwise former homicide detective. He is well known for his constant flirtation with nearly every woman he encounters. Some may consider his behavior to be borderline chauvinistic. He has an expensive taste in clothing evidenced by his love for designer names. Though he is in his early 30s, he typically shows teenage behavior. [1] He is considered to be very loyal to his coworkers at NCIS, particularly his supervisor, Gibbs. Tony delights in quoting movies in everyday life, often finding parallels between them and current situations. He often mimics the original actor when quoting them, such as Sean Connery's James Bond.

Although his often-immature behavior has gotten Tony into his share of hot water, he has also demonstrated himself to be an insightful agent when the need arises, and on more than one occasion has surprised Gibbs and his teammates when an apparently immature action on his part actually causes (more often by design than by accident) new evidence to be uncovered.

[edit] Education and Work History

Prep School - Rhode Island Military Academy
Ohio State - BA in Physical Education
Peoria, IL Police Department - 2 years
Philadelphia, PA Police Department - 18 months
Baltimore, MD Police Department - 22 months
Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Washington D.C. - 48 months

[edit] Relationships

[edit] Women

Tony is almost constantly talking about his latest girlfriend - or one-night stand. He pursues girls on a regular basis, typically indiscriminately (though he has shown an aversion to women who don't shave). Most of these relationships fail to progress past a certain point and he has admitted to have commitment issues.

One of the women he has dated turned out to be a terrorist working with Ari Haswari; another turned out to be a pre-operative transsexual who murdered one of his co-workers. He once dated a social worker named Michelle, who after he ended their relationship broke into his apartment and filled his closet with dog crap. Apparently Gibbs meet Michelle once and gave Tony the advice to "run while he still had the chance". He also had a short relationship with NCIS Special Agent Paula Cassidy and once dated his high school music teacher.

[edit] Jeanne Benoit

In Season 4 we are introduced to Tony's new girlfriend, Dr. Jeanne Benoit (played by Scottie Thompson). Tony seems genuinely interested in her and has even told her that he is quietly searching for the right woman.

In "Twisted Sister" it is revealed that he and Jeanne have not consummated their relationship, because he wants to take it slow out of fear of this relationship becoming like his earlier ones. He even visits Director Shepherd for advice on his relationship (her final advice is "What's stopping you?" and "Good luck."). Tony and Jeanne subsequently have sex in the episode "Smoked". He is really serious about this relationship and goes to great lengths, though with a lot of inspiration from film, to make it special.

In the episode "Friends and Lovers" he shows how serious he is about the relationship when he confronts Jeanne about her previous boyfriend. Tony is suspicious of his constant calls and emails. Tony met this old boyfriend/ex-fiancee, who was in fact a Metro Police Officer, though neither of them knew about the other's relationship with Jeanne. They bonded rather quickly through the fact that they were very similar in character, sharing many habits and traits, showing what taste Jeanne has in men and how serious this relationship could become. Unbeknownst to either Tony and Jeanne, John said Goodbye to Jeanne in an email and died in Tony's arms.

Recently things have hit a rough patch between Jeanne and Tony. Jeanne seems to genuinely in love with Tony and can utter the three words, "I love you", and mean it. Tony has said the words, but mainly after sex, and Jeanne wants Tony to figure out what he wants from their relationship.

[edit] Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs

He greatly respects Gibbs and claims to have a father/son-type relationship with him, a feeling supported by the "tough love" Gibbs often demonstrates. Gibbs has the tendency to smack Tony on the back of the head whenever he says or does something inappropriate. Although this annoys Tony, it also appears to be something he has come to expect from his boss; when Kate gives him a similar smack in the season 1 finale "Reveille" he reacts with momentary anger indicating only Gibbs is allowed to do that.

After Gibbs left at the end of season 3 Tony took his place as team leader and as leader he tried to emulate Gibbs' leadership style. But he did make some changes to make things run smoother such implementing the "campfire" and reorganizing the equipment in the field truck. In season 4 Gibbs returns initially to close some loose ends from previous encounters of his, but eventually returns to run the team again. When Tony is offered his own team in Rota, Spain he turns the offer down. He claims one of the reasons for doing this is because he wants to keep an eye on Gibbs whose memory is still sketchy after the blast at the end of season 3, Gibbs indicates that Tony is ready for his own team when he says, "I wouldn't have left if I didn't think he was ready", but doubts his maturity or else "everyone would know."

During Gibbs time away Tony started working on a undercover operation with Director Shepard that Gibbs doesn't know about. Which leads Gibbs to openly questions DiNozzo's relationship with the director, as he has occasionally being caught referring to her by her first name. In "Blowback" the undercover op is revealed to Gibbs and Tony apologizes to him for not telling him about it.

[edit] Special Agent Caitlin Todd

Tony's relationship with Kate Todd was sisterly, but with a constant undertone of flirtation and the possibility of something more. Tony and Kate constantly competed, very similar dynamics to his relationship to Ziva David. In extras seen on Season 2 DVD Box Sets. It is shown that the producers intended for there to be a relationship between these two characters.

[edit] Mossad Officer Ziva David

His relationship with Kate's successor, Ziva David, has been sort of a cat and mouse relationship with an unspoken attraction between them. The two also often try to outdo each other in verbal and physical competitions. Ziva taunts Tony in much the same way Caitlin Todd did before she was killed. Some aspects of Ziva's personality disturb him, such as the fact that she sleeps with a gun in her hand. Ziva also intimidates Tony, she is the only one other than Gibbs who can sneak up behind him without him realizing it.

In "Shalom" Ziva learns that Mossad, apparently on her father's orders, has been spying on her for several months; the surveillance reveals that Tony has been visiting her at her apartment at least once a week for the past 3 months, leading to suggestions that the two have become intimate. She neither confirms nor denies the implication in the episode, however it was later on in season 4 confirmed that Tony and Ziva never have been intimate. The reason for his frequent visits are unrevealed as yet.

Episode 4.03 "Singled Out" sees Ziva questioning Tony about an unidentified girlfriend. Subsequent episodes have established that Tony is building a relationship with medical student Jeanne Benoit and no apparent romantic link exists between him and Ziva. Nonetheless, it was suggested in several episodes that Ziva might be jealous of his new girlfriend, until the episode "Driven" revealed that Ziva was in fact unaware of Tony's romance, and has been misreading some of his secrecy. Due to Tony's frequent clandestine visits to a hospital (where his girlfriend works) and his claim that he's undergoing tests, Ziva indicates to Gibbs that she is worried that he might be having a medical problem related to his exposure to Y. pestis in episode 2.22 "SWAK". In "Suspicion", she repeats her concern to Gibbs, who surprises her by suggesting Tony might have "other reasons" for the secrecy.

[edit] Special Agent Timothy McGee

Tony himself considers his relationship with Timothy McGee to be abusive. Part of this could be considered hazing, as McGee is the least experienced member of the NCIS team and ranks only as a junior field agent. Tony's favorite nickname for him "Probie", was bestowed upon him when he joined the team as a probationary Special Agent a "probie", and since then he is stuck with it. Tony once even refered to McGee as "McGeek".However, in episode 3x10 "Probie", Tony goes out of his way to support McGee and makes an effort to cheer him up, showing that Tony really does care for him on some level. In addition, Gibbs tells McGee that his first superior still calls him "probie" and it is not a sign of distaste or disrespect.

[edit] NCIS Director Jenny Shepherd

In the fourth season, Tony's relationship with Jenny Shepherd appears to have warmed considerably in comparison to the end of the third season, with DiNozzo occasionally being caught referring to her by her first name. The main reason for warming of their relationship is the fact that Tony is involved in an ongoing operation run by Shepherd, which is of personal importance to her. As they are keeping secrets, they develop a strong level of trust, which is hard to do without faith in the other person. The absence of Gibbs also allowed Tony to become closer because he interacted with the director much more when he took Gibbs' job.

[edit] Family

Tony comes from a wealthy family based on Long Island. He is an only child and cut off from his family's fortune. His birth mother is supposedly dead. In episode 2x10 it is insinuated that his father was an alcoholic.

In "Conspiracy Theory" Tony says his Uncle was a successful businesman but was found at a golf course looking for mole people.

[edit] Trivia

Tony is fluent in Spanish. In JAG episode "Meltdown" Tony is heard speaking Spanish, also in the NCIS episode "Marine Down" Gibbs has Tony read a Spanish language newspaper.
Tony is known for his love of designer clothing, particularly Ermenegildo Zegna. SWAK, (2×22)
Tony stated a few times that he was on the varsity basketball team at Ohio State. This team was apparently good, as he stated that they made it to the Final Four at one point before losing to UCLA. (1×19)
His father was an American Civil War reenactor, and during reenactments Tony carried the "poop bucket", he now is upset by anything to do with the Civil War. Silver War (3×4)
Tony is a fan of the shows Magnum, P.I. and Airwolf, both also Donald Bellisario productions. In the episode "Dead Man Talking" (1x19), he claimed his name was "Stringfellow" when meeting with a suspect.
His Zodiac sign is Cancer.
Tony himself claims to have 20/10 vision but in an early first season episode he can be seen wearing glasses at his desk before promptly taking them off to talk to Gibbs.
Tony is very fond of Gibbs odd interrogation technique, placing the suspect in the interrogation room for an extremely long time. Tony has even named the technique, calling it "Rock The Baby".
His mother dressed him in a sailor suit until he was 10.
In the season 4 episode "Blowback", Tony reveals that he can play the piano, offering to "tickle the ivories" in the event he is able to talk Gibbs into stopping by Rick's Cafe in Casablanca on the way back to DC.
In season 2 episode 22 SWAK, Tony discusses a football game between his team (Ohio State) and his doctor's team (Michigan). He comments that "we kissed our sisters," meaning that the game ended in a 13-13 tie. He also mentions having broken his leg during the game.
In season 1 episode 21, Kate guesses Tony's age to be 32. Considering the episode was aired in May 2004, and Tony's birthday is in July, he would be turning 33 that year, meaning Tony was born in 1971.
In Season 3 episode 23, Hiatus (part 1), Tony refers to the possibility of something happening as "as likely as me hooking up with Jessica Alba". Michael Weatherly starred alongside Jessica Alba in Dark Angel, as well as being engaged to her during that time.

[edit] Notable Episodes

1x20 "Missing" While Undercover, Tony drinks a laced drink, and is kidnapped. He wakes up in a cell with a marine who has also been kidnapped. Using a hidden knife and a pair of shoelaces, Tony orchestrates their escape.
2x10 "Chained" While undercover, Tony ends up on the run with a serial killer and loses contact with NCIS.
2x22 "SWAK" Tony opens an envelope in the NCIS office containing white powder - pneumonic plague. He is admitted to Bethesda Naval Hospital when his blood tests positive for the infection.
3x09 "Frame-Up" In which Tony is framed for murder by Chip Sterling.
3x18 "Bait" When Gibbs is held hostage by a student with a bomb at a Naval high school, Tony is left in charge of operations. His leadership ability and tactics in dealing with the hostage situation are showcased.
3x24 "Hiatus (2)" Tony takes over leadership of the team when Gibbs resigns.
4x01 "Shalom" Tony's leadership skills are tested when Ziva is wanted by the FBI for a murder she witnessed.
4x03 "Singled Out" Director Shepard offers Tony a leadership posistion with his own team