Fat Tony
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the non-fictional Fat Tony, see Anthony Salerno.
| The Simpsons character | |
 |
|
| Fat Tony | |
| Age | 46 |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Hair Color | Dark gray |
| Job | Leader of the Springfield Mafia/Sprinfield 'Waste' Management |
| Relatives | Wife: Anne Maria (deceased) Son: Michael |
| First appearance | Bart the Murderer |
| Voice actor | Joe Mantegna/ Phil Hartman(Only In A Fish Called Selma) |
Marion Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico (voiced by Joe Mantegna) is the fictional local Mafia Don and leader of the Springfield Mafia in the animated television series The Simpsons.
Fat Tony is a pastiche of Mafia characters from movies and dramas. His fellow mobsters include Joey, Legs, Louie, and occasionally Johnny Tightlips. Tony's schemes have ranged from supplying rat's milk to the school cafeteria to dabbling in the illegal fireworks racket. His gang also attempts to monopolize various legitimate business, once waging war with the local Yakuza over Marge Simpson's pretzel business.
[edit] Name
In the third-season episode Bart the Murderer, Fat Tony is also referred to as "William Williams". This may be a hastily-created pseudonym. In another episode, Frankie the Squealer reveals Fat Tony's real name to be "Marion" (as John Wayne's name, before he became an actor, was Marion Morrison). In the eighth-season episode The Homer They Fall, the announcer at Homer's boxing match against Drederick Tatum calls him "Anthony `Fat Tony' D'Amico". As a known mob boss, however, Fat Tony likely has numerous aliases. His nickname may be a reference to real-life mobster Anthony 'Fat Tony' Salerno.
[edit] "Business" dealings
Fat Tony has been behind most, if not all of, Springfield's criminal enterprizes. Fat Tony's associates meet in what is known as the "Legitimate Businessmen's Social Club." Tony's rackets include the usual organized crime activities such as illegal gambling, cigarette trafficing, and rum running to more unusual activites. In "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" Homer contracted with the Springfield mafia to drive out Marge's rival snack food distributers to assist her pretzel franchise, only to be stopped the local yakuza brought in by Marge's rivals. Much of Springfield's municipal government is involved with the Mafia. Chief Wiggum has been seen taking bribes from Fat Tony, and in retaliation for a raid on their rat milk facility he attempted to take out a hit on mayor Joe Quimby. In "Papa's Got a Brand New Badge", Tony put out a contract on Homer after his private security business interfered with the mob's interests. Homer would have been executed gangland-style if not for Maggie coming to the rescue with her rifle. Marge usually has a more peaceful relationship with Fat Tony, even driving his son Michael home from school. In the episode "Moe Baby Blues", she mentions that the mafia frequently congregates outside her house, and that she often brings them lemonade.
Fat Tony appears in "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer". His son Michael is introduced (he was mentioned earlier in "Moe Baby Blues" and "The Seven-Beer Snitch") and Bart reveals that Fat Tony muscled McDonald's and Burger King out of Springfield so Krusty Burger can have a monopoly. The episode also reveals that Fat Tony's wife (whom Marge admitted to not having met) was whacked by natural causes, and that he once nearly killed Chief Wiggum.
Fat Tony also keeps up on news and knew that Troy McClure had been sleeping with the fishes in A Fish Called Selma.
Though not strictly a "business" dealing, he has shown to be involved in gambling several times, most notably in the episode "Homie the Clown", in which he made numerous sports bets with Krusty.
[edit] Character traits
Moe Baby Blues featured several interesting references relating to Fat Tony. To entertain his subordinates, Fat Tony puts an orange slice in his mouth in imitation of Don Corleone from The Godfather. Minutes later, Fat Tony responds to an emotional scene by saying "I haven't cried this much since I paid to see Godfather III" (in which Mantegna played the character Joey Zasa, one of the inspirations for Fat Tony).
Fat Tony is also a competent violinist, and his favorite movie is Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
