List of Grand Theft Auto III characters

A number of recurring characters appear during the various missions or cut scenes in the video game Grand Theft Auto III, set in 2001. Prominent characters are listed here in rough order of appearance. The order in which some of these characters appear in-game depends upon the sequence in which the player completes certain missions.

Major characters

Claude Speed

Main article: Claude (Grand Theft Auto)

File:GTAIII Claude.jpg

Claude Speed.

Introduced in: Introduction; bank heist cutscene

Claude is the silent protagonist and player control character of Grand Theft Auto III (GTA III). He is left for dead after a bank heist with Catalina, resulting in his arrest by the police. Claude later escapes with 8-Ball when a bridge they are being transported on to prison, Callahan Bridge, is blown up. Building a reputation among crime bosses and rising in the ranks of the underworld, Claude eventually kills Catalina near the end of the storyline.

Claude's name is never disclosed in the game itself. As such, prior names given to him by fans included "the GTA III guy", "Fido" (after a nickname invented by Maria) and "Kid". Although it is revealed that his name can be found deep within GTA III's data files, the name is only formally mentioned and suggested in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Claude's first name and likeness is similar to that of Claude Speed, the player character of Grand Theft Auto 2; the connection between the two characters remains unclarified.

Throughout the game, Claude has largely remained speechless and is never heard talking (only making minor, yet quiet sounds if he is injured or killed), remaining so during his brief cameo in San Andreas. This trait is referenced in GTA III, when Maria suggests on the Chatterbox radio show that "[Claude] don't talk too much."

See also: GTA: San Andreas rendition

Catalina

File:GTAIII Catalina & Miguel.jpg

Catalina (right) and Miguel (left).

Introduced in: Introduction; bank heist cutscene

Killed in: "The Exchange"

Catalina is a notorious bank robber, Claude's former girlfriend and primary antagonist in GTA III, who betrays him during a bank heist, shooting him and leaving him for dead, while she runs free with the profits along with a new partner in crime, Miguel. Her reason for dating Claude is simply "business," while her reason for shooting Claude is his lack of ambition.

Catalina proceeds to cooperate with the Colombian Cartel, running a SPANK drug manufacturing and distribution business with Miguel. She betrays Miguel later, after Claude discovers them in a construction site; when Miguel attempts to get Claude to lower his gun, Catalina shoots Miguel and jumps out of the building into a pile of boxes several stories below, before Asuka emerges and proceeds to torture and interrogate Miguel.

Having escaped from Claude, she would later be responsible for the kidnapping of Maria and the killing of Asuka and Miguel at the construction site. Requesting a ransom to be given at the Cartel's mansion in Shoreside Vale for Maria's release, Claude does as instructed, but is fooled once again by Catalina, who instructs the Cartel to kill Claude. Despite overwhelming odds, Claude turns the tables by punching a Cartel goon and taking his gun, succeeding in escaping the Cartel compound and pursues Catalina, who rides a helicopter towards Cochrane Dam. Claude battles through the dam, and eventually succeeds in killing Catalina by the end of the game, as the helicopter she was riding in is shot down by Claude.

Prior to GTA III, Catalina and Claude are known to have been on the move, committing robberies in multiple states, including the south, and the southwest, among others. In October 2001, the FBI discovers that both Catalina and Claude may have arrived at Liberty City. Catalina is also of Dominican Republican and Colombian descent and is a cousin of Cesar Vialpando, who is believed to be of Mexican descent and is a fellow associate of Carl Johnson in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Catalina was voiced by Cynthia Farrell.

See also: GTA: San Andreas rendition

Miguel

Introduced in: Introduction; bank heist cutscene

Killed in: "Ransom"

Miguel is a Colombian Cartel member and Catalina's partner after Claude, frequently seen with Catalina while running the SPANK drug business in Liberty City. During a mission in which Donald Love requests Claude to retrieve a package from the airport, the package is found stolen by the Colombian Cartel and is being handed over to Catalina and Miguel. Claude eventually tracks them down, resulting in Miguel handing over the package and Catalina shooting Miguel, leaving him at the mercy of Asuka, who wrongly believes that he is responsible for the killing of her brother. Miguel is then tortured into revealing information about Catalina's operations, and is soon seen motionless and stabbed in the torso by a pole, killed by the Cartel while they killed Asuka and kidnapped Maria.

Miguel was voiced by Al Espinosa.

See also: GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

8-Ball

File:GTAIII 8-Ball.jpg

8-Ball. Note also his bandaged hand.

Introduced in: Introduction; jailbreak cutscene

8-Ball is a firearms and explosives specialist who owns three bomb shops throughout Liberty City. 8-Ball meets Claude shortly after the beginning of the game, when he and Claude escape from a police convoy. As a token of his appreciation, 8-Ball introduces Claude to Luigi Goterelli, an old friend of his, for work.

8-Ball can be seen with both hands bandaged from an injury during his appearances, leaving Claude to do most of the more intensive work (such as driving and shooting) when 8-Ball accompanies him. 8-Ball is believed to have sustained scaldings from hot fat accidentally poured onto his hands, during a scuffle with the police in a raid at his home, before he was arrested. However, in Grand Theft Auto Advance it is said that 8-Ball was ambushed with the game's protagonist, Mike, by the Colombian Cartel, who were predominantly using flamethrowers, resulting in the burning of 8-Ball's hands, and then his subsequent arrest by the police as they raided his workshop.

While the character of 8-Ball is only present in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Advance, and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, 8-Ball explosives shops can also be found additionally in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.

8-Ball was voiced by Guru.

See also: GTA Advance rendition and GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Luigi Goterelli

File:GTAIII Luigi & Mick.jpg

Luigi Goterelli (right) and Mickey Hamfists (left).

Introduced in: "Give Me Liberty"

Luigi Goterelli is a co-manager (along with Mickey Hamfists) of a night club called "Sex Club 7" in the Red Light District of Portland Island, and is linked to the Leone family of the Liberty City Mafia. He uses this club as a base for his prostitution business. He is Claude's first boss in Liberty City, and gives him mundane jobs such as driving his girls around and chasing down minor gangsters who mess with his operation.

Luigi Goterelli was voiced by Joe Pantoliano.

Joey Leone

File:GTAIII Joey & Misty.jpg

Joey Leone (right) and Misty (left).

Introduced in: "Drive Misty For Me"

Joey Leone is the Underboss of the Leone family and the son of Don Salvatore Leone. Known for his lack of ambition, Joey works as a mechanic with criminal side-dealings in Portland. In cut scenes he is constantly seen restoring a BF Injection dune buggy, and spending time with his favorite prostitute, Misty. The buggy can be seen (after completing the Portland mission string) parked in certain hours outside the apartment where Misty is picked up in the "Drive Misty For Me" mission. Joey's tasks intended for Claude include theft, assassinations and body disposal.

In the process, Joey introduces the family's Caporegime, Toni Cipriani, allowing Claude to perform further jobs with the Leone family. Joey is also mentioned in San Andreas when Carl Johnson meets Salvatore Leone in Las Venturas, stating that he had the pleasure of working with Joey while residing in Liberty City. Joey is referenced again in Liberty City Stories when Salvatore Leone states that he was not as involved in the family ("What more could a family guy ask for? Even my son don't got it so good").

Joey is also believed to have been responsible for the killing of several high-ranking Forelli family members, which had in turn results in a small war between the Leone family and the Forelli family.

Joey Leone was voiced by Michael Rapaport.

Toni Cipriani

Main article: Toni Cipriani

File:GTAIII Toni.jpg

Toni Cipriani.

Introduced in: "Cipriani's Chauffeur", although he may be heard on Chatterbox FM beforehand

Toni Cipriani is a member of the Leone family, working as a Caporegime for Salvatore Leone. Early missions with Cipriani are primarily focused on extorting protection money from a Triad-controlled laundromat, by destroying several of the business's delivery trucks. Coupled with a Triad attack during the transportation of the Leone family's high-ranked members to one of Don Salvatore's meetings, a full-blown war between the Leone family and the Liberty City Triads occurred, and Claude was now an enemy to the Triads. The war led to the destruction of the Triad Fish Factory, with Toni instructing Claude to deliver a garbage truck armed with a bomb to the factory.

Toni lives with his mother, Momma Cipriani, and is frequently seen in his family-run restaurant, Momma's Restaurante (or Cipriani's Ristorante, as seen in its sign at the restaurant), providing jobs for Claude. The constant nagging from his mother about him not being able to match up with his father and failing to meet up to her expectations had forced him to call the local chat radio station, Chatterbox FM, and complain about his mother's constant bickering.

Similarities can be drawn between his character and that of mobster Tony Soprano of "The Sopranos" television series,such as their similar names, demeanour and relationship with their mothers.

Toni Cipriani was voiced by Michael Madsen. His last name, Cipriani, is mispronounced once as "Kipirani" in GTA III.

See also: GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition, as the protagonist of Liberty City Stories.

Salvatore Leone

File:GTAIII Salvatore.jpg

Salvatore Leone.

Introduced in: "Salvatore Called A Meeting"

Killed in: "Sayonara Salvatore"

Salvatore Leone is the Don of the Leone family. According to GTA III's official website, Salvatore was originally from Palermo, Sicily and became Don of the family after a bloody power struggle in the mid-1980s.

Salvatore is introduced to Claude when he called a meeting with Joey Leone, Toni Cipriani and Luigi Goterelli (Claude was the limousine chauffeur who brought the trio to Salvatore's mansion in Saint Mark's). Early missions instruct Claude to investigate the activities of Curly Bob, a member who appeared to be leaking information about the Leone familly's activities to the Colombian Cartel and, if found guilty, to kill him. Claude is later tasked to destroy a tanker ship that is in fact a drug factory for the Cartel.

Salvatore is portrayed as increasingly paranoid and suspicious of everyone around him, indicated by Luigi. Salvatore attempted to kill Claude with a trap, trying to establish a deal with the Colombian Cartel. Salvatore is killed by Claude after leaving Sex Club 7, as instructed by Asuka Kasen to prove that Claude has finally broken ties with the Leone family. The leadership of the Leone family thereafter remains in doubt.

Salvatore has an unnamed brother, whom he claimed "the police associate Salvatore with." This revelation is never explored for the rest of the series, although The Introduction, a Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas prequel film, reveals he had an additional cousin who was killed by the Sindacco family before events in San Andreas.

Salvatore Leone was voiced by Frank Vincent.

See also: GTA: San Andreas rendition and GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Maria

File:GTAIII Maria.jpg

Maria.

Introduced in: "Chaperone"

Maria Latore (also referred to as Maria La Torra by several sources) is Don Salvatore Leone's girlfriend (it's revealed that she's actually his wife in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories). She is introduced to Claude after Salvatore requests that Claude "look after her for the evening". Developing a liking for Claude, she saves Claude's life by preventing Claude from entering a death trap set up by Salvatore (before telling him they were both an item) and seeks help from an associate, Asuka Kasen, to flee to Staunton Island. She is a caller on Chatterbox FM, describing her feelings for Claude, but expresses doubt because Claude was seen as being uninterested to her, "always working and hanging out with the guys".

Maria is seen with Asuka on occasions, sometimes with hints that the two were lovers, including the period when Miguel was tortured and interrogated, as Asuka seemed to gain a sexual thrill out of it. Maria is then kidnapped by the Cartel and held to ransom by Catalina, but is rescued by Claude by the end of the storyline. Maria's fate remains unknown, however, when the screen portraying Claude and Maria walking away fades to black Maria is heard, until a gunshot is heard. It is unknown whether the gunshot was meant to kill Maria due to her constant nagging while the credits rolled through, or to scare her into being quiet.

Maria has an interest in leopard skin furniture (evidenced from her Chatterbox phone call), and also sports an outfit with tiger stripe patterns. She is later seen in clothing of a similar fashion in Liberty City Stories.

Maria was voiced by Debi Mazar.

See also: GTA: San Andreas rendition and GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Asuka Kasen

File:GTAIII Asuka.jpg

Asuka Kasen.

Introduced in: "Last Requests"

Killed in: "Ransom"

Asuka Kasen is a co-leader of the Liberty City Yakuza, who is called on by Maria to bring her and Claude to safety from the Leone family after Salvatore attempted an assassination of Claude. She provides further jobs for Claude, including killing Salvatore, and introduces him to her brother, Kenji Kasen. She is also retconned in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories to have a deceased older brother, Kazuki Kasen.

Later in the game, Asuka can be seen torturing Miguel and instructing Claude to further destroy Catalina's SPANK drugs operation, as an act of revenge for the killing of her brother by an unknown Colombian Cartel assassin. She is eventually killed, along with Miguel, by Catalina.

Police records in GTA III's official website indicated that Asuka had only arrived in the United States in 1991, ten years prior to GTA III. In the records, it is also revealed that Asuka assumed a leadership role in the Yakuza for her senior "torture, security and information retrieval" skills, despite the fact that it is unusual for Yakuza families to appoint female authorities.

It is strongly hinted that she is a bisexual dominatrix; at one point she ties up Maria and plays sadomasochism games with her. She states that torturing Miguel is a little for her own pleasure. Also when Claude finishes killing and doing her missions she says "I like that in a man" She exhibited similar behaviors in Grand Theft Auto Advance.

Asuka Kasen was voiced by Lianna Pai.

See also: GTA Advance rendition

Kenji Kasen

File:GTAIII Kenji.jpg

Kenji Kasen.

Introduced in: "Under Surveillance"

Killed in: "Waka-Gashira Wipeout"

Kenji Kasen is a co-leader of the Liberty City Yakuza (alternatively known as the "waka gashira", as mentioned by Donald Love), who highly respects honor and is also the brother of Asuka Kasen. Kenji operates a casino in Downtown Staunton Island, where he provides jobs for Claude. He is killed later in the game, during a meeting at a multistory car park, after Claude is asked by Donald Love to assassinate Kenji while posing as a Colombian Cartel member, in an effort to drive down local real estate prices with a gang war between the Yakuza and the Cartel.

GTA III's official website hinted that Kenji is considerably inferior in leadership skills to Asuka, as "many cite his 'funny way of speaking' as seriously undermining his authority." Indeed, Kenji can be heard swallowing his words whenever he speaks in game. Kenji moved to the United States in 1996, five years after Asuka.

Kenji Kasen was voiced by Les J.N. Mau.

Ray Machowski

File:GTAIII Ray.jpg

Ray Machowski.

Introduced in: "Pay Day For Ray"

Ray Machowski is a corrupt police detective in the Liberty City Police Department who works as an insider for the Liberty City Yakuza. He is introduced to Claude while receiving a payment from Asuka for his previous job with the Yakuza.

Machowski is depicted as very cautious willing to silence associates who attempt to expose any crime committed by him or his partners, including Leon McAffrey. By the end of his presence in Liberty City, the CIA has begun investigating Machowski's links with the Colombian Cartel, forcing Machowski to flee the city and escape to Miami, Florida. In the process of working for Machowski, Claude is introduced to Donald Love, after helping to dispose of embarrassing photographs of Love at a "morgue party".

Machowski makes a second appearance in Liberty City Stories, as a partner of Leon McAffrey. The game reveals that Machowski is initially uncomfortable working for criminals and taking bribes.

Ray Machowski was voiced by Robert Loggia.

Donald Love

File:GTAIII Donald.jpg

Donald Love.

Introduced in: "Liberator", although he may be heard on Chatterbox FM before the mission.

Donald Love is a media mogul and owner of Love Media, "the fastest growing US-run media conglomerate in the past five years". Operating from his apartment and office in south Bedford Point, Staunton Island, he primarily tasks Claude with jobs related to receiving a mysterious "package" delivered by plane. Following Claude's help in retrieving an authenticated secret package Love disappears, leaving only an opened and empty box in his penthouse garden.

Love Media controls approximately "900 radio stations, 300 television stations, 4 networks, 3 satellites, (and) 10 senators", with the Love Media brand name, Love's announcements or related commercials are evident in certain radio stations, including Head Radio, Flashback 95.6, Double Cleff FM, and Chatterbox FM. Love Media also owns the Liberty Tree, Liberty City's local newspaper. Prior to arriving in the city in 2001, Love was residing in the Caribbean and lived on a private yacht (retcon in Liberty City Stories suggests Love was there to escape Colombian Cartel hostilities in Liberty City in 1998).

Donald Love is believed to have begun doing business in Liberty City from early-2001 onwards, indicating that Love Media was quick in founding or acquiring many companies in Liberty City within months (the time period of the Grand Theft Auto III is supposedly late 2001). This was done as a response to the return of Barry Harcross, a recently acquitted businessman and long time rival of Donald Love, to the city.

While little background information is known of Love, he is seen as a former apprentice of real estate mogul Avery Carrington, who appeared in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as an associate of Tommy Vercetti; the most evident sign of his link with Carrington is his use of a phrase that was also heard from Carrington, when Love asks that Claude assassinate Kenji Kasen:

Nothing drives down real estate prices like a good old-fashioned gang war, 'cept maybe a biblical plague, but that might be going too far in this case.

Donald Love makes a third appearance in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. Love is portrayed as a necrophiliac and possessing a fascination for human corpses, thus explaining his connection to the aforementioned "morgue party" in GTA III. However, several possible continuity errors are also noted: Love had apparently operated in Liberty City in 1998 (although he was seen working in a different office building) and already owns several radio stations and newspapers, contrary to what the aforementioned 2001 Liberty Tree articles claims.

Donald Love was voiced by Kyle MacLachlan.

See also: GTA: Vice City rendition and GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Minor characters

Oriental Gentleman

File:GTAIII characters oriental gentleman.jpg

The Oriental Gentleman.

Introduced in: Introduction; jailbreak cutscene

The unnamed "Oriental Gentleman" is a minor but key character in the game's storyline, who is also an accomplice of Donald Love. Shortly before GTA III, he was arrested, after arriving in Liberty City on a private jet plane from an "unknown departure point somewhere in east Asia", for "failing to satisfy the INS that he had a valid reason for entering the country" and having no proper travel documents (including a passport and visa, "nor a platinum credit card to bribe his way through customs"). As a result, he was to be delivered to a high security penitentiary before he is deported back later in October 2001.

Early in GTA III's storyline, the Oriental Gentleman boarded a police convoy to prison, along with Claude and 8-Ball, only to be abducted by Colombian Cartel commandos as the convoy crossed the Callahan Bridge (unintentionally allowing Claude and 8-Ball to escape). He was later held captive by the Cartel in an attempt to extort money from Love. Under orders from Love, Claude rescues the Oriental Gentleman.

The Oriental Gentleman is then tasked by Love to authenticate a mysterious delivery retrieved by Claude. He is also seen, in one cutscene, joining Love for T'ai Chi.

Mickey Hamfists

Introduced in: "Don't Spank Ma Bitch Up"

Mickey Hamfists is a bodyguard for Luigi Goterelli, and the co-manager of Sex Club 7 (along with Luigi). Mickey always checks Luigi's visitors for him, and will simply deliver a written letter to them at times. He's also an enforcer for the Leone family and attends all of the "made" ceremonies. Nevertheless, "police records" from the official GTA III website described him as "a moron." Mickey also has prior convictions for assault, racketeering, and multiple involvements with narcotics.

See also: GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Misty

Introduced in: "Luigi's Girls"

Misty is a woman who works for Luigi Goterelli at the "Sex Club 7", and is Joey Leone's "regular girl". On two occasions, Claude is asked by Goterelli to drive her from one place to another, with the blatant message to "keep (his) eyes on the road and off Misty." She lives at an apartment complex in Hepburn Heights.

Misty was voiced by Kim Gurney.

Mike "Lips" Forelli

File:GTAIII character Mike "Lips" Forelli.jpg

Mike "Lips" Forelli, shortly before he enters a bomb-fitted car.

Introduced/Killed in: "Mike Lips Last Lunch"

Mike "Lips" Forelli is a high-ranking member of the Forelli family who shows up briefly, when Joey Leone sends Claude to kill him, in an effort to teach the Forelli family a lesson for not repaying debts. Mike is eating at Marco's Bistro in Saint Mark's (their slogan reads "Eat 'til you explode," mirroring Mike's eventual fate) when Claude steals his car and fits it with a bomb. Mike leaves the restaurant and enters the car, only to be killed in the explosion. This sparks a war between the Leone and Forelli families.

"Chunky" Lee Chong

File:GTAIII characters "Chunky" Lee Chong.jpg

"Chunky" Lee Chong at a local Chinatown stall.

Introduced/Killed in: "Farewell 'Chunky' Lee Chong"

"Chunky" Lee Chong is a member of the Liberty City Triads who owns a noodle stand in the heart of Chinatown and is pushing SPANK for the Colombian Cartel. Once Joey hears that Chong is selling it for the Cartel, he orders Claude to hunt him down and murder him. Claude carries out Joey's commands and murders "Chunky" while he attempts to escape. This killing is the first instance seen in the game's storyline of the Leone family's hostility towards the Triads, which develops into a war between the two gangs.

Marty Chonks

File:GTAIII characters Marty Chonks & Carl.jpg

Marty Chonks (in trench coat) about to be killed by Carl (in red jacket).

Introduced in: "The Crook"

Killed in: "Her Lover"

Marty Chonks is the owner of the Bitchin' Dog Food company. His need for money causes him to perform various illegal activities, which leads him to call Claude. The tasks involve transporting various people to the Bitchin' Dog Food factory, where Marty turns them into dog food.

Chris Phillips provided the voice of Marty Chonks.

Carl

Introduced in: "Her Lover"

Carl is the lover of Marty Chonks' wife, who is angry over her death and is looking for revenge. Agreeing to meet Marty at the Bitchin' Dog Food company, he successfully avoids Marty's trap by killing him with a concealed shotgun.

Tanner

Introduced/Killed in: "Two faced Tanner"

Tanner is an undercover policeman who has infiltrated the Yakuza. When Asuka learns of this, she orders Claude to kill him—which he does, following a car chase. He is also a parody of the player's character in the first two Driver games, which featured similar 3D gameplay to the GTA series.

Momma Cipriani

Introduced in: "Taking Out the Laundry"

Momma Cipriani (aka Ma Cipriani in Liberty City Stories) is the faceless co-owner of Cipriani's Ristorante in the game. She is the mother of Toni Cipriani and is known to frequently nag her son about him not meeting up to her husband's capabilities.

Momma Cipriani was voiced by Sondra James.

See also: GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Curly Bob

File:GTAIII characters Curly Bob.jpg

Curly Bob.

Introduced/Killed in: "Cutting the Grass"

Curly Bob is the bartender at Luigi's "Sex Club 7," who is seen informing on the Leone family for the Colombian Cartel in exchange for SPANK. Under orders by Salvatore, Curly is to be killed if Claude witnesses him leaking information to the Cartel. This occurs at Portland Harbor after he is seen explaining the Leone's activities to Catalina and Miguel, in exchange for SPANK.

Curly Bob was voiced by Hunter Platin.

McAffrey

Introduced in": "Silence the Sneak"

Killed in: "Plaster Blaster"

McAffrey is a corrupt policeman who attempts to turn states evidence for an undisclosed crime in exchange for an honorable discharge. McAffrey is under armed protection when Claude arrives to burn his apartment. With his safehouse ablaze, McAffrey predictably flees in his car, but Claude is waiting for him and kills him as he tries to escape. He appears later in the game in an ambulance after surviving in which the character must try to kill him again, this time successfully.

McAffrey reappears in Liberty City Stories with a larger role as an aide to Toni Cipriani. In Grand Theft Auto III, his character model is that of a generic policeman, with no detail that Liberty City Stories illustrated.

See also: GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition

Phil Cassidy, the One-Armed Bandit

File:GTAIII characters Phil.jpg

Phil Cassidy, the One-Armed Bandit, armed with a rifle.

Introduced in: "Arms Shortage"

Phil Cassidy (aka The One-Armed Bandit in the game's credits) is a friend of Ray Machowski, believed to have fought alongside Machowski during a military conflict in Nicaragua. Phil owns a business dubbed "Phil's Army Surplus" in Rockford, at the edge of Staunton Island, specializing in selling military-grade weaponry, as well as providing military vehicles. Phil appears briefly during a mission when Claude is required to protect Phil from a group of Colombian Cartel members, who attempt to extort weapons from Phil. After fending off the cartel members, Phil returns the favor by offering Claude weapons to buy.

Phil is portrayed as having only one arm, losing his left arm for an unconfirmed reason, although it is suggested that he may have lost it in Nicaragua. At the end of the aforementioned mission, Phil jokingly states that he would "still have his arm" if Claude "teamed up with [Phil] at Nicaragua." In Vice City, Phil loses his arm in a boomshine explosion. This indicates his mention of Nicaragua is either a continuity error or, the fact that he was drunk and hallucinating, or he is covering up for the accident.

Phil's last name, "Cassidy", only appears in GTA III's instruction manual map of Liberty City, and is again used during appearances in three future GTA games (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories). Since his first appearance in GTA III, Phil has been repeatedly associated with the sale of heavy armaments, with his role and background (including his family) expanded.

Phil was voiced by Hunter Platin.

See also: GTA: Vice City rendition, GTA: Liberty City Stories rendition and GTA: Vice City Stories rendition

El Burro

File:GTAIII characters El Burro.png

Early game art of El Burro.

Directed to meet him after completing "Van Heist"; introduced in: "Turismo"

El Burro (Spanish for "The Donkey") is the leader of the Puerto Rican gang the Diablos who assigns Claude jobs from Portland Island, operating from a pay phone located in the Hepburn Heights housing projects. El Burro is believed to be running a pornography magazine publishing business, based on his phone calls and the magazines stacked in the player's Portland safe house upon completion of all of El Burro's missions. He is never seen in person during the actual game, although a game art of him was created, and used in publications and the game's interface.

El Burro was also featured previously as a character in Grand Theft Auto, and mentioned in dialog in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Chris Phillips provided the voice of El Burro.

King Courtney

Directed to meet him upon unlocking and entering Staunton Island; introduced in: "Bling-Bling Scramble"

King Courtney is the leader of the Jamaican Yardies who assigns Claude jobs from Staunton Island, operating from a payphone located near Liberty Campus. The primary focus of his jobs are mostly related to attacks against rival gangs, with one of these mission requiring that Claude turn his back against the Diablos by killing several of its members. The final "job" involved Claude being lured into a trap, where Catalina has dispatched vans of "SPANK-ed up madmen" suicide bombers to kill Claude, an act that subsequently fermented relationships between Claude and the Yardies. He is never seen in person in Grand Theft Auto III, but does during his appearances in Grand Theft Auto Advance.

King Courtney was voiced by Walter Mudu.

See also: GTA Advance rendition

D-Ice

Directed to meet him upon unlocking and entering Shoreside Vale; introduced in: "Uzi Money"

D-Ice is the leader of the African-American Red Jacks gang who assigns Claude jobs from Shoreside Vale, operating from a payphone located in the Wichita Gardens housing projects. Several of its missions involved attacks and fights against a rival gang, the Purple Nines, which appeared to be supplied with SPANK and are pushing the drug onto the streets. Claude would eventually reduce the Purple Nines to only a few members at the time of the final battle between Claude with D-Ice's brother and the last of the Purple Nines. He is never seen in person in the game.

D-Ice was voiced by Walter Mudu.

Removed characters

Darkel

File:GTAIII characters Darkel.jpg

An early pre-release screenshot depicting Darkel.

Darkel is a character dropped during the development of Grand Theft Auto III. Little is known about the character, except that he was to be a revolutionary urchin who vowed to bring down the city's economy. One mission involved stealing an ice cream van, using it to attract pedestrians, then blowing it up (this mission would eventually be given by El Burro instead in the final version of game to kill a group of gang members). Darkel was also originally expected to give out Rampage-esque missions. Little is disclosed about when or why Darkel was removed. Fans there after have speculated that he was perhaps removed due to his "Terrorist" like qualities.

Darkel had his voice recorded for this part by Bill Fiore, but was never used in game. However, the character remains listed in GTA III's manual's credits, as well as having a character texture retained in the game's data files. The official GTA III website suggests that Darkel was to reside in the Harbour Tunnel that runs underneath a portion of Portland.

Curtly

Curtly is the second known character to be deleted during game development, who was to be voiced by Curtis McClarin. Unlike Darkel, no information has been released regarding his role in the game or his significance to the original storyline. He is however also listed in the game's manual alongside Darkel, which led players to question his and Darkel's involvement.

See also

• Grand Theft Auto III soundtrack, for radio disc jockeys and personalities.