A number of recurring characters appear in person or speech during the various missions or cut scenes in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, set in 1984.
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Introduced in: "Barracks cut scene"
Victor Vance (1956-1986) is the Vance brother who is gunned down at the beginning of Vice City. He serves as the main character of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Vic's father is from Dominican Republic and his mother is American. Vic is the older brother of Lance Vance and Pete Vance, and son of Janet Vance. He is also the head of the Vance Crime Family.
Unlike most GTA protagonists, Vic dislikes dirty businesses, and only does them to get Pete's medical bills paid up. He has a positive attitude towards a lot of things.
Many people make the mistake that Pete Vance is the one shot to death during the drug deal at the start of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, but the brother that was killed is, in fact, Victor.
Evidence:
- Rockstar confirmed that the brother killed was Victor on their website.
- They also confirmed that the Dominican accent was a continuity error.
| Preceded by Toni Cipriani |
Protagonist of Grand Theft Auto (series) 2006–2008 |
Succeeded by Niko Bellic |
Introduced in: "Jive Drive"
Lance Vance (1957–1986) is Victor Vance's brother. He was first mentioned to Vic by Aunt Enid via pager messages. He is also mentioned by Vic in the opening cutscene, saying that Pete is sick with asthma, and that Lance is "sick in another way".
Lance arrives from his home (which is not stated) to share Victor's rise to power. Vic at first refuses Lance's offers, knowing full well Lance's penchant for falling into trouble, but he eventually agrees to work with him. Lance makes contact with drug dealer Bryan Forbes, who is really an undercover cop. After finding this out, Lance decides not to kill Forbes, hoping that holding him captive would force him to divulge the locations of numerous drug deals around the city. Victor eventually kills Forbes when he tries to escape, after Forbes tricks the Vance Brothers twice with false information, even leading them to a gay, white supremacist biker bar. After repeated failings, Lance finally gets the break he has been waiting for and successfully steals a huge shipment of drugs. Lance anticipates immediately becoming rich, and buys himself expensive suits.
Lance continually proves to be an unreliable, opportunistic nuisance, endangering the business more often than he helps. Although Lance does care about his brother, his primary focus is getting rich. That being the case, Lance mortgages two expensive apartments for himself and his brother without permission, financially pressuring Vic into dealing cocaine. To make matters worse, Lance starts sampling the merchandise, and is either passed out or too high on cocaine to be of any use. When Louise is kidnapped by the Mendez Brothers, Lance is reluctant to help. But when Armando Mendez's guards fire a rocket at his beloved sports car, Lance goes berserk and tries to kill the Mendez Brothers single-handedly, requiring Vic to rescue him again.
Just when Vic's patience with him is nearing its end, Lance eventually does try to help out. He allies with Phil Cassidy and Umberto Robina to help defend their businesses, then later gets in touch with Ricardo Diaz to discuss protection from the Mendez Brothers.
Lance is also a member of the Vance Crime Family.
Lance also has a big role in GTA: Vice City where he was best friends with Tommy Vercetti. However, he betrays him later on in the game and is eventually killed by Tommy Vercetti.
Lance Vance was voiced by Phillip Michael Thomas.
In 2009 IGN ranked Lance 94th in the "Top 100 Videogames Villains".
Introduced in: "Soldier"
Killed in: "Last Stand"
Sergeant Jerry Martinez (1940–1984) is one of Vic's superior officers at the Fort Baxter Air Base and the main antagonist of the game.
Jerry does not take his position seriously and is shown to have few morals. At the beginning of the game, Jerry orders Victor to get a shipment of drugs for him and hide them in Vic's own barracks. He introduces Vic to Phil Cassidy, a gun supplier. Later, he tells Victor, who is increasingly uneasy about housing the drugs, that he will collect the marijuana once Victor picks up his girlfriend, who instead turns out to be a prostitute. Victor is confronted at the airbase by a furious General Beverly McFadden who questions the drugs in Victor's barracks and the prostitute accompanying him. Victor is given a dishonorable discharge from the Army.
When Phil, Jerry's business partner, threatens to sever their relationship, Jerry shows his vindictive side again when he betrays him, sending both Vic and Phil to an ambush. Jerry later works for the Mendez Brothers, overseeing their shipment of cocaine arriving into Vice City. When the cocaine is stolen by Victor and Lance, Jerry enters a witness protection program in fear of the Mendez Cartel. In retaliation for forcing him to turning state evidence, Jerry kidnaps Vic's girlfriend Louise and beats her savagely, leaving her in a car for Vic to locate. After Vic steals an army helicopter right from under Jerry's nose, the sergeant decides to meet Vic on top of the Mendez Building. Jerry is killed along side Diego Mendez and Victor spits on his corpse as Lance arrives in a helicopter.
Conceptual drawings drawn before the games release depict Jerry as a sinister and villainous soldier. However, his in-game personalty is more that of a buffoonish sociopath.
Jerry Martinez was voiced by Felix Solis.
Both introduced in: "The Mugshot Longshot"
Armando killed in: "Light My Pyre"
Diego killed in: "Last Stand"
The Mendez Brothers, Armando (1941–1984) and Diego (1945–1984), are two of three antagonists in the game, powerful drug lords and well known philanthropists in Vice City. Diego is the more quiet of the two and predominantly speaks Spanish, while the more charismatic Armando acts as the "face" of the Mendez Cartel, the organization the Mendez Brothers lead. Reni implies that he had relations with Diego (but really says this to draw attention, because when going to Europe, Reni reveals that she is "virgin", in addition Diego speak only Spanish, while Reni speaks English and German). The Vance Crime Family attract the unwanted attention of the Mendez Brothers when they mistakenly steal a cocaine shipment belonging to them. Vic and Lance are brought before Armando and Diego to explain themselves; faced with certain death, Lance lies and claims Sgt. Jerry Martinez stole the coke. The Vance Brothers manage to frame Martinez to prove their claim, but Armando refuses to let them off the hook so easily, forcibly making them "partners" -- although it is clear that the partnership is merely a way for Armando and Diego to use Vic and Lance to do their dirty work and even take the fall for them if necessary. When Vic and Lance retrieve the drugs and money back for them, Armando says they are free to go, but that they must hand over their businesses to them. Vic and Lance refuse to do so and are soon tied up and taken to an area with gas tanks.
After Victor bankrupts the Mendez brothers by exploiting Armando's Domestobot to burn his bearer bonds, Armando kidnaps Vic's love interest Louise. After Vic & Lance drive to the Mendez estate to save Louise and Lance is nearly killed. Vic confronts Armando, armed with a flamethrower, in the Mendez's basement. Armando claims that he killed both Louise and Lance. After the ensuing confrontation, Vic kills him. Vic runs into Armando's study to find the dying Louise and the living Lance. In the game's finale, Vic pilots an army attack gunship stolen from Fort Baxter and launches an attack on the Mendez Building. After killing several guards, Vic is shot down and crash lands on the roof of the building, where he infiltrates the office block and chases Diego onto the roof, where Diego and the recently arrived Jerry argue in Spanish. This distracts the two long enough for Vic to kill both in a three way gun battle. Diego Mendez was voiced by Ruben Trujillo and Armando Mendez was voiced by Yul Vazquez. Their names are derived from the Argentine ex-football player Diego Armando Maradona.
Introduced in: "Shakedown"
Killed in: "Light My Pyre"
Louise Cassidy-Williams (1950–1984) is the mother of Mary-Beth, sister of Mary-Jo and Phil Cassidy, wife of Marty Jay Williams the Trailer Park Mafia's leader (as mentioned by Phil Cassidy, by way of Vic's pager), whom Vic kills after he kidnaps Louise. Louise acts as a love interest to Vic during the game, although their relationship is very rocky later on, after Vic finds her in Lance's apartment after taking drugs. She is kidnapped by Martinez and his men takes her to a secluded area where Victor finds her savagely beaten. Louise is killed by Armando after Armando's men kidnap her and take her to the Mendez brothers' mansion. She is shot several times by Armando and before she dies, she tells Vic "We could have had something special.." to which Vic replies "Yeah..we did have something special.", and her last words were that she wants Mary-Jo to take care of her baby daughter.
Louise Cassidy-Williams was voiced by Chelsey Rives.
Introduced in: "Nice Package"
Umberto Robina (born 1939) has also reappeared in Vice City Stories, with roughly the same role as in Vice City. Umberto Robina was featured as the gay leader of the Cuban Gang in Vice City, which has been renamed "Los Cabrones" in Vice City Stories. As the leader of Los Cabrones, he sends Victor on missions to wipe out Los Cabrones' sworn enemy, the Cholos. Like his appearance in Vice City, Umberto is obsessed about how large the "cojones" (Spanish for balls, slang for testicles) of his compadres are. Victor saves his father from the Cholos in one of Umberto's missions. Umberto, along with Phil Cassidy, helps Lance and Vic defend their businesses from assaults by the Mendez Brothers' henchmen in one of the last missions of the game. It is the only time that Umberto actually does "dirty work". Umberto has a wall painting in his image on the southern end of the block he lives on.
Umberto Robina was voiced by Danny Trejo.
Introduced in: "Cleaning House"
Phil Cassidy (born 1949), a recurring character in the Grand Theft Auto games, appears in Vice City Stories, serving as a weapons expert and dealer throughout the series. He offers Victor Vance his old residence, after Vic kills the Cholos there. Additional information on him reveals he is a war veteran who has served "with distinction" in several unspecified wars, has a strong sense of patriotism towards the United States, but has been dishonorably discharged from the catering corps, which he cited was the cause of his inability to find a job and his eventual involvement into crime,[1] and exhibiting symptoms of survivor guilt over a friend who died in Vietnam.
Phil is revealed in Vice City Stories to have two sisters, Louise Cassidy-Williams and Mary-Jo Cassidy. He also reveals that his father used to beat him, especially when he suspected that Phil was attracted to his own sister or cousin, even though he wasn't. He has his shooting range/weapons depot in Viceport next to the Boatyard. It is revealed that later, Victor probably gave him his residence in Little Haiti which became Phil's gun shop in GTA: Vice City circa 1986. Phil would later lose one arm in an explosion two years later in Vice City.
Vice City Stories is the fourth Grand Theft Auto game in which Phil appears. Phil Cassidy was voiced by Gary Busey, who reprised his role as Phil's voice in Vice City. He does not appear as his voice in Grand Theft Auto III or Liberty City Stories. Phil is one of the few people that helps the protagonists throughout the games, rather than betraying them. He also owns a gun store (Phil Cassidy's Fully Cocked Gun Shop) in Liberty City.
Introduced in: "Steal The Deal"
Ricardo Diaz (1931–1986), the paranoid drug lord killed in Vice City by Tommy Vercetti and vengeful Lance Vance for the ambush which resulted in the death of Victor, returns in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
The burden of empire seemed to have worsened Ricardo's mental stability in Vice City; he is much more cordial and laid-back in 1984, while he is still an aspiring drug baron. Seeking help in surviving the wrath of the Mendez Brothers, Vic Vance gets in contact with Ricardo through a regular customer, Reni Wassulmaier. Despite his brother Victor's reservations, they forge an alliance with Ricardo, who promises his protection in exchange for helping to strengthen his empire. Ricardo's missions mostly revolve around liquidating his chief rivals in the drug trade, the Mendez Brothers, who are the main obstacles standing between Ricardo and total control over the flow of cocaine in Vice City. Eventually, thanks to Vic's help, Ricardo becomes Vice City's most powerful drug lord, and would enjoy that reign of power for two years. In 1986, Tommy Vercetti kills Ricardo in his own mansion after an attempt on Lance's life blows his cover.
Ricardo Diaz was voiced by Luis Guzmán.
Introduced in: "Shakedown"
Killed in: "D.I.V.O.R.C.E."
Marty J. Williams (1942–1984) is the leader of the "Trailer Park Mafia." The Trailer Park Mafia dominate a wide range of criminal activities in Vice City's poorer communities, such as loan sharking, prostitution, and protection rackets. Victor works for Marty near the beginning of the game. He is a stereotypical redneck - he has a thick accent, is a drunk, and is also believed to be inbred and a pedophile. He is married to Louise Cassidy, and the marriage has produced one child, a baby girl by the name of Mary Beth. Marty Williams also verbally and physically abuses his wife. Vic and Phil are mostly disgusted by Marty's antics. He is the brother-in-law of Phil Cassidy and Mary Jo Cassidy. Louise eventually attempts to move out, but Marty kidnaps her. Vic tracks him down and kills him before he can get himself and Louise to a brothel in which he intends to use her as a prostitute. After Marty's death, Vic acquires all of the Trailer Park Mafia's businesses as his own, and forms the Vance Crime Family as a result.
Marty Williams was voiced by Jim Burke.
Introduced in: "Money for Nothing"
Killed in: "The Bum Deal"
Bryan Forbes (1946–1984) is an undercover agent for the DEA according to the Vice City Stories official website. His white suit and lavender t-shirt resemble those of Sonny Crockett from the 1980s Miami Vice television series and a suit and shirt with the same respective colors would later be worn by Lance two years later.
Lance first makes contact with Forbes while searching for a way into the drug trade. Forbes acts an employer for Victor and Lance while posing as an upscale drug dealer. He proposes that if Vic is uncomfortable with dealing drugs, that he and Lance simply steal some from smugglers coming in from other countries. Forbes is cunning enough to trick the police into following Vic in a decoy van, while he and Lance offload the real shipment in an identical one. Not much is revealed about Forbes, but he is visibly frowning when the Vance brothers leave his apartment, indicating that he is unhappy with what he is doing. Forbes was apparently not interested in busting drug traders, but a corrupt DEA agent who worked with them, then demanding a bribe. Forbes obviously waited too long to tell those he worked with he was a crooked DEA cop who needed bribes and wasn't interested in busting them.
Lance eventually figures out that Forbes is an undercover cop and threatens him at gunpoint, but Forbes tries to talk his way, pleading that he needs money and that he isn't interested in busting them. When his pleas fail to convince Lance, Forbes breaks free, punching Lance, and escapes; Lance and Victor manage to capture him and take him to an abandoned building, where they tie the bloodied DEA Agent to a chair for interrogation.
Forbes uses false info to lead the Vances into numerous traps, culminating in Lance and Vic unwittingly walking into a white supremacist gay bar (The White Stallion). Forbes somehow gets free while the Vances race back to the warehouse, and Victor is left with no choice but to kill him. Lance did not have any intention of killing him because he did not yet reveal where a big cocaine shipment was. However, Lance soon learns that Martinez will be overseeing the shipment, and he and Vic plot to seize it.
Although the incident with Forbes ended in a particularly messy way, Forbes was instrumental in Victor Vance's rise in Vice City. The official Vice City Stories website features a news report with pictures of a man in the same suit with his face blurred. The news report mentions "Agent BF", leading some to believe that the man in the picture is indeed Bryan Forbes. Brian Forbes was voiced by Dan Oreskes.
Introduced in: "Accidents Will Happen"
Reni Wassulmaier (born 1950) is a German effeminate transsexual avant-garde film director. Throughout most the game he is a man before getting his fourth sex change operation at the end of his arc. He is known for shooting avant-garde art films which includes a rhinoceros making love to a neon sign. Reni moved his entire production company to Vice City, where he produces commercials and "edgy" pop music videos. Vic becomes Reni's coke dealer through his other client, Spitz (another film director). Vic also gets a job as a stunt driver in one of Reni's commercials. The Mendez Cartel eventually attacks Reni as he drives to the hospital to get his sex change operation, but is saved by Vic and makes it to the hospital. He has his sex change and abandons advertising for the exotic adult film industry in Europe. It seems he took a liking to Vic, even calling him his "Nubian Adonis." Reni implies that he had sexual encounters with Barry and Diego, but really says this to draw attention, because before she goes to Europe, Reni reveals that she is "virgin".
It is implied that Reni also changed his name to the feminine "Renee" as while Phil Collins says goodbye, he addresses his as this.
Fourteen years later, Reni would work as a DJ for Flashback FM in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, which takes place in 1998.
Reni Wassulmaier was voiced by Barbara Rosenblat, who also voiced the character as a DJ in GTA: Liberty City Stories.
Reni before the sex operation strongly resembles Steve Strange, vocalist of "Visage".
Introduced in: "The Colonel's Coke"
Gonzalez (1929–1986) is the right hand man of Colonel Cortez, and is already showing signs of severe disloyalty. Gonzalez reveals to Vic Vance that he routinely skims some of Cortez's cocaine to make a side profit. He claims to learn a lot about a man by the way that he plays golf. Vic works for Gonzalez briefly, but Gonzalez cuts off his relationship with Vic after a large amount of cocaine he stole from Cortez was almost stolen by others.
After Gonzalez has some hairy encounters with drug baron Ricardo Diaz, Diaz blackmails him: Gonzalez must tell him about all of Cortez's shipments going down in Vice City, and in return, Diaz will keep quiet about Gonzalez' thievery of Cortez's coke. This explains how Diaz knew about and ambushed Tommy Vercetti's drug deal in Vice City, since Cortez was the one who arranged it.
After allying with Diaz, Gonzalez leaves town via the airport and is attacked by the Sharks en route. The reason for the Sharks' attack is unknown, but it is suggested that Gonzalez had unsettled business with the Sharks.
Gonzalez was voiced by Jorge Pupo.
Introduced in: "Kill Phil"
Singer Phil Collins (born 1951) is the first real-life celebrity to appear in person in the Grand Theft Auto series. Previous celebrities have been spoofs of themselves while others were only mentioned and/or credited in-game for their songs and voice work.
Phil Collins is introduced to Vic in Vice City Stories by Barry Mickelthwaite, his manager and an associate of Reni. Barry owes Giorgio Forelli $3,000,000 but is unable to pay, so Giorgio decides to call a hit on Barry's client in retort. Barry hires Vic to escort his client in a bullet-proof limousine to his hotel. The three missions, "Kill Phil", "Kill Phil, Part 2" and "In the Air Tonight" sees Vic trying to protect Collins from Forelli hitmen. An in-game sequence of Collins singing "In the Air Tonight" is shown during the mission of the same name. The song also appears on the radio station Emotion 98.3
Phil Collins was voiced by himself.
Introduced in: "Kill Phil"
Barry Mickelthwaite (born 1955) is Phil Collins' manager in the game. It is implied in one mission that he had a sexual experience with Reni in Monaco after becoming drunk. He also owes Giorgio Forelli (who is also mentioned in Vice City) money, which puts Phil's life in danger, but he refuses to call the police because he considers Vice City "bandit country." Barry has an accent which suggests he is from Birmingham, England. As far as managers go, he is of poor quality, putting Phil's life on the line just so he doesn't end up dead. Phil is very fortunate to have Victor become their personal bodyguard as Vic manages to save Phil many times throughout his stay in Vice City. After Reni's fourth sex change he/she tells Barry he should have breast implants and after the mission "In the Air Tonight", Phil goes on to say Barry should have taken Reni's advice.
Barry Mickelthwaite was voiced by Timothy Spall.
Introduced/Killed in: "In the Air Tonight"
Giorgio Forelli is a high ranking Forelli Family member whom loaned Barry (Phil's in-game manager) a couple of million dollars. Giorgio sends hitmen to kill Barry and Phil only for the assassins to be killed by Victor Vance. He later appears at Phil's concert and tries to kill him by collapsing the stage as he sings In the Air Tonight, but he and his goons are killed by Victor Vance after he spots an assassin. Before his death, he committed fraud and in Vice City, is tried for the offence (which would financially impact the Forelli Family in a negative way), but his lawyer, Ken Rosenberg, asks Tommy Vercetti to intimidate the jury, resulting in Giorgio's innocence. Giorgio is the cousin of Sonny Forelli, Marco Forelli, Franco Forelli, and Mike Forelli.
Introduced in: "D.I.V.O.R.C.E."
Mary-Jo Cassidy (born 1947) is Phil Cassidy's obese second sister. She seems to be desperate for attention from anyone. She appears to have a crush on Vic, but this is not elaborated upon. She also seems to be envious of Louise since she manages to win Vic's attention, and is also upset that criminals kidnap Louise instead of her in order to get to Vic, as she seems to desperately want the attention and tries to convince herself that it will be her one day. She also goes on talking about how Armando wanted her because Latin men love women of her type. It is implied that she ends up taking care of Louise's baby daughter when Louise is killed, as Louise's last wish was for her daughter Mary Beth to be under the care of Mary-Jo.
Mary-Jo Cassidy was voiced by Cathy Trien.
Introduced in: "Papi Don't Screech"
Making his second, but short, appearance in Vice City Stories, Alberto Robina (1911-?) is the father of the Cuban (Los Cabrones) gang leader, Umberto Robina. His only appearance was in one of Umberto's missions "Papi, Don't Screech", where Victor had to pick up Alberto from a wrestling match in Downtown, and drive him back to Robina's Cafe, without being seen by the Cholo gang. It is revealed in this mission that Alberto has a heart condition.
Introduced in: "Snitch Hitch"
Janet Vance (born 1937) is the drug-addicted mother of the Vance brothers. Since she was not fit to be a parent, her children lived with their Aunt Enid. Janet appears in a cutscene with her boyfriend Javier swearing she would never take drugs again, only to end up stealing her sons' stash of cocaine. She is a White American. Vic's father, as Vic mentions early in the game, came from Dominican Republic and as such it is assumed he was dark skinned. Victor Vance's father is believed to have died years before the games timeline, leaving Janet a widow who lacked the ability to care for her children due to her drug habits.
Janet Vance was voiced by Linda Ashe.
Introduced in: "Accidents Will Happen"
Frankie (born 1954) is Reni's assistant for his/her advertising company based in InterGlobal Studios. Frankie is later fired for not "spanking" Reni and satisfying "his" pleasure. Even though Frankie is told that he is fired, he is seen again with Reni watching an on set rehearsal during the mission, "Say Cheese".
Frankie was voiced by Garth Kravits.
All Introduced in: "When Funday Comes"
All Killed in: "Takin' Out the White Trash"
During the mission When Funday Comes, Victor Vance and Louise Cassidy-Williams race against four members of Marty Jay Williams's Trailer Park Mafia on quads in which both Victor and Louise finish in the top two positions. Later on, Victor takes Louise to Marty's house in order to collect her belongings and they run into the same gangsters they raced against. They all accuse the two that they cheated during the race and attack them, which results in a rumble in which both Victor and Louise beat the racers to death with baseball bats.
Introduced in: "Brawn of the Dead"
Spitz is another film director. Vic helps him out by being his stuntman in his movie scene while Lance and he talk about the coke that belonged to the Mendez brothers. He also sends a message to Vic on his pager to go meet Reni.
Introduced in: "Shakedown"
Mary-Beth (born 1984) is the new born baby from Louise and Marty that makes a few appearances in the game. It is thought that after both her parents die her aunt Mary-Jo takes care of her. She is the only infant to appear in the Grand Theft Auto series. She is seen briefly being cared for by Louise Cassidy-Williams in a blue Hawaiian baby blanket which has a similar pattern to that of Tommy Vercetti's aloha shirt, which he wears at the beginning of Grand Theft Auto Vice City.
Introduced in: "Snitch Hitch"
Javier is the boyfriend of Janet Vance. He is referred to being "very sweet with Janet."
Pete Vance is the third Vance brother who oversees the deal at the beginning of Vice City. He does not have a part in the game, but is mentioned at the start by Victor and mentioned later by name by Lance. Pete suffers from severe asthma and requires constant medical attention. Victor joined the army so he could provide for Pete, since Lance is never up to any good, and their mother Janet is a hopeless drug addict.
Introduced after "Soldier" via pager.
Aunt Enid Vance is Victor and Lance's aunt, who contacts Victor from time to time via pager. Lance credits Aunt Enid with raising the Vance brothers because their mother is a drug-addicted wreck. Aunt Enid is Victor Vance's paternal aunt.
Mentioned in: "The Colonel's Coke"
Colonel Juan García Cortez is a drug lord mentioned several times by his henchman Gonzalez. It was revealed that Gonzalez committed several acts of treachery against the Colonel, validating Juan's orders for Tommy Vercetti to murder him in GTA: Vice City.
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