Easily one of the most iconic television crime dramas of the early 2000s, The Sopranos was the brain child of screenwriter/director David Chase. Chase spent over 20 years developing the story of fictional mobster Tony Soprano, his family, and THE family (aka the Italian mob) that tony was part of. What was originally meant to be a film was eventually adapted into a series that would go on to win 21 Primetime Emmy Awards. The Sopranos amassed some of the most diehard fans that are still re-watching the show today. While the show may be long over, fans have kept the series alive through conventions, forums, and visiting the series’ most memorable locations, including the Tony Soprano house. Though you’ve probably seen plenty of outside shots of the Jersey residence, have you ever wondered what the home looks like inside? If you woke up this morning hoping to get an inside look at the real life Sopranos house, Velvet Ropes is giving you the full scoop below!
Tony Soprano House Address
So, exactly where is The Sopranos house? It’s located at 14 Aspen Drive, North Caldwell, NJ 07006.
Where Did Tony Soprano Live?
As a fan of the series, you’ve probably asked yourself at least once “Where is the Tony Soprano house?” The impressive piece of real estate is located in North Caldwell New Jersey. Unlike some productions that shoot in a completely different state than where they’re supposed to be located, The Sopranos house in NJ was legit.
Tony Soprano House North Caldwell
Built in 1987, The Sopranos house is a 4-bedroom, 4-and-a-half-bathroom residence in the NJ borough of North Caldwell. The 5,600 square foot home was not only featured in the opening to every episode of the Sopranos, it was also used for all exterior shots of Tony’s home.
There are even a few scenes from the pilot episode that were actually filmed inside the real home before a set was built that replicated the house’s interior.
The North Caldwell abode looks exactly like what you’d expect the fictional mobster to call home. The large remodeled kitchen features a curved breakfast bar, tons of cabinet space, recessed lighting, and a double wall oven.
The formal dining room is a seriously decadent space in the home with its pink floral wallpaper, tray ceiling, built in cream-colored cabinets, and stunning gold chandelier.
Yet another display of the home’s unending opulence is the great room. There, you’ll find a vaulted octagonal ceiling, stone fireplace, and 4 sets of French doors that lead out onto the patio.
Speaking of the patio – all scenes of Tony and fam in the backyard, with its stone benches, swimming pool, and perfectly manicure lawn, were filmed here. The home also features a powder room, detached one bedroom guest house, and 2 car garages.
After actor James Gandolfini passed away in 2013, a memorial was set up outside the home by series fans. Flowers, pasta, and a cigar, were left on the curb outside the property.
Who owns the Tony Soprano house?
Currently, the 1.5-acre property belongs to Victor and Patti Recchia, who built the residence back in 1987 and have called it home ever since. The couple put the home up for sale in 2019 at a starting price of 3.4 million. They asked that anyone interested in bidding email them by June 21 of that year.
According to property records, however, no sale was ever made. This could be due to the fact that most properties in the area usually only sell for around $1.5 million. Additionally, property taxes for the neighborhood are $34,000 annually.
While filming on the property, Victor Recchia said that the cast and crew were always very respectful of both his home and his family. The couple even posed for a picture once alongside James Gandolfini in between takes.
Where was The Sopranos Filmed?
The Sopranos filmed in numerous locations throughout New Jersey. The Tony Soprano home, however, was mainly filmed on a set at Silvercup Studios in Long Island. The set was greatly inspired by the real home where the Soprano family was supposed to live.
Sopranos Filming Locations
Ever wondered about the real-life locations that the production used for The Sopranos television show?
Bada Bing
Remember the strip joint that Tony and his men frequented? That was filmed at an actual go-go bar in Lodi, New Jersey! The real name of the business is Satin Dolls. If you look closely, you’ll actually see the Satin Dolls business logo still adorning the building in the show.
Nuovo Vesuvio
Restauranteur and chef Artie Bucco’s eatery, Nuovo Vesuvio, in reality is a Long Island restaurant called Brousko Restaurant. While most of the indoor scenes of Artie’s restaurant were filmed on a set, some speculate that the production did, in fact, film inside the actual location at times.
Holsten’s Ice Cream, Chocolate & Restaurant
Holsten’s Ice Cream, Chocolate & Restaurant is most notably remembered as the site of the final scenes for The Sopranos series finale. Unlike most of the other locations used for filming, this beloved mom and pop ice cream shop is actually featured with its real name.
Located in Bloomfield, NJ, Holsten’s became a hub for Sopranos fans looking to relive the final moments of the show in Tony’s actual booth. In addition to ice cream, the restaurant also offers candy, sodas, and classic diner food like burgers and fries.
What Is The Sopranos?
The Sopranos was a crime drama that aired for 6 seasons on HBO between 1999-2007. The show followed the life of Tony Soprano, an Italian American mobster living with his family in New Jersey. The series primarily focused on the difficulties Tony faces as he tried to balance his criminal life with his life as a husband and father of two children.
The strain of maintaining both lives, which results in a severe panic attack, leads Tony to begin attending therapy sessions with a psychiatrist. While Tony Soprano is the protagonist of the series, the show also tells the stories of Tony’s family as well as his friends and associates.
Tony Soprano Wife
Carmela Soprano, played by the very talented Edie Falco, was Tony Soprano’s wife (for better or worse) throughout the series. In the story, Carmela and Tony were high school sweethearts that wed at an early age. They share 2 children together: Meadow and Anthony “A.J.” Soprano.
Carmela is a homemaker in the show that spends the majority of her time tending to her family and household. Despite knowing, at least in part, that her husband is directly involved in organized crime, wife Carmela strives to maintain some form of normalcy in her family.
Does the star behind Carmela Soprano look familiar? That’s probably because Edie Falco went on to star as the lead in the Showtime hit Nurse Jackie.
Does Tony Soprano Die?
Well, yes and no…kind of, maybe? Okay, so if you watched the final episode when it first aired, you were probably like the rest of us at the time. When that screen went black, many of us were left frantically trying to figure out if the cable had just gone out on the final moments of the show.
Once it became apparent that this was, indeed, the real ending to the series – fans were left scratching their heads and feeling pretty unfulfilled overall. Over time, however, people eventually made peace with the fact that something bad was likely about to happen to Tony Soprano.
Series creator David Chase, when speaking about the final episode years later, said “yes, I think I had that death scene around two years before the end.”
So yeah, considering the show’s own writer and creator referred to the moment as a “death scene,” we can safely assume Tony Soprano was about to meet his end. Since it wasn’t explicitly featured on the show though, his fate will likely always be up for debate with fans.
Sources
https://www.today.com/home/sopranos-house-sale-it-looks-exactly-you-remember-t155957
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/14-Aspen-Dr_North-Caldwell_NJ_07006_M69043-33628
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmela_Soprano
https://www.facebook.com/pg/HolstensIceCreamParlor/photos/?ref=page_internal