Silvio Dante
Silvio Manfred Dante (often just "Sil"), played by Steven Van Zandt, is Tony Soprano's consigliere on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.
According to The Sopranos, A Family History, his father was Joseph "Beppo" Dante, a soldier who was "gunned down" in 1959. Silvio was a childhood friend of Tony and his early criminal activity often involved Tony, Ralph Cifaretto and Jackie Aprile, Sr.. Silvio's profile in the DiMeo Crime Family began to rise following the robbery of Feech La Manna's card game alongside Jackie and Tony. He followed Tony into his father, John Francis "Johnny Boy" Soprano's crew. Silvio's support was instrumental in ensuring Tony took over as Capo following his father's death. Throughout his assocaition with the Sorpano crew Silvio formed friendships with Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero and Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri. Silvio's Al Pacino impressions were a constant source of amusement for the crew.
Silvio operates the Bada Bing, the most recent in a string of strip clubs that he has operated, which is also one of the crime family's major meeting spots. It was Silvio that reported to Tony that his Uncle Junior planned to murder someone in Artie Bucco's restaurant and he was later entrusted with bombing the place to save it's reputation. In the short and bloody war of 1999 with the Junior Soprano crew Silvio helped Tony to plan hits on Chucky Signore and Mikey Palmice and remained supportive when his friend revealed that he had been seeing a therapist.
Silvio is also one of the more level-headed associates of Tony Soprano. Where many of Tony's men immediately become hot-headed and resort to violence, Silvio generally helps to mediate many situations and accompanies Tony to most of his "sit-downs" - a formal venue in the organization to resolve disputes. Because of this, Tony relies on Silvio to be a clear-headed thinker and someone he can trust. Silvio's move to consigliere once Tony became acting boss seemed completely natural. Indeed, Silvio remains Tony's most reliable advisor and enforcer, and tends to confine aggression to mob hits and poker games. Despite Silvio's even temper, he is also known for his bad behavior, foul mouth and paranoia when playing poker.
Silvio is also a strong father for his teenage daughter, Heather, whom, along with his wife, Gabriella, he loves more than anything. When his daughter's soccer coach was found to be involved with one of his young players Silvio looked for vengeance but followed Tony's decision to allow the authorities to deal with him.
Silvio has a long record of executing traitors throughout the show. He whacked Jimmy Altieri in the end of season one. Later, along with Tony and Paulie Walnuts, he executes Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero in season two. In season five, he executes Adriana La Cerva. They were all killed when they were discovered to have been cooperating with the FBI in their ongoing investigation of the DiMeo Crime Family. Bonpensiero's killing haunted Silvio and he once dreamt he discovered his corpse in the dancer's room at the Bada Bing.
Silvio's judgement wavered a little when he realized Tony was positioning Christopher Moltisanti as an intermediary between him and the rest of the organization because of their family connection. This was made most apparent when Paulie was arrested on a gun charge and Tony made Christopher acting capo of his crew in his absence. Sil responded by encouraging Gualtieri crew soldier Patsy Parisi to steal from the esplanade construction site against Tony's and Chris' orders - creating problems for Chris. Silvio also became embroiled in a conflict over a Christopher Columbus Day celebration with native american protesters - something Tony saw as a distraction - going so far as to get many of the family's associates involved in a violent altercation with the protesters. Silvio found it hard to let the coflict lie even once Tony had exhausted all avenues of winning the dispute. Silvio did not take this uncharacteristic behaviour any further and, although Tony had noticed it, nothing came of it. Silvio got a chance to vent his frustration with Christopher at an intervention for his drug problem that ended with Chris being violently put in his place by Paulie and Silvio. Since Chris returned from rehab his relationship with Silvio seems to have returned to their previous friendly association.
Silvio maintains a realistic relationship with Paulie Gualtieri - well aware of his tight fisted attitude to money and dangerous tendencies. Silvio has remarked to Tony that they know that Paulie does not kick up his full tribute. Silvio also tried to warn Paulie that his distractedness had been noticed at the time when Paulie let his loyalties waver towards the Lupertazzi Crime Family; not long after Silvio's own crisis of faith in Tony. Paulie and Silvio argued about this - Paulie had been harbouring resentment for Silvio since an illness got Paulie into the Pine Barrens fiasco while making Silvio's rounds. However, it was not long before Paulie returned his attention to staying in Tony's good graces.
Silvio counselled Tony through difficult decisions about Richie Aprile, his dispute with Ralph Cifaretto, Feech La Manna and Tony Blundetto. He is sometimes forced to convince Tony to go against his impulses - something that he usually manages without setting off Tony's hair trigger temper.
When Tony ends up in a coma after being shot by his uncle in a fit of dementia, it falls upon Sil to take the reins as Acting Boss of the DiMeo Family. At first, Sil seemingly enjoys the job, and even feels a slight bit of regret that he did not accept an offer from the late Jackie Aprile, Sr. to become the boss back in the late '90s. His wife Gabriella prompts him to consider the possibilities of a permanent change. His ambitions quickly subside when he feels the immense pressure of being boss and begins to have asthma attacks. After a dreadful week of being hounded and pestered, coupled with the strain of worrying about his dear friend Tony, Silvio suffers an asthma attack brought on by anxiety. As boss SIlvio dealt with Paulie effectively in a dispute over the split of profits from a heist Paulie had undertaken from a tip from capo Vito Spatafore. However Silvio was indecisive in his handling of a dispute between Vito and Bobby Bacala over a collection route.
Since his return to the more comfortable role of Consigliere Silvio has again counselled Tony about contentious issues. When Vito was outed to the organization Silvio convinced Tony of the need to restrain his desire to "give him a pass" because of the effect it would have on the other captain's view of his leadership. When Tony responded with distasteful jokes to Bobby Bacala's serious injury a look from Silvio was enough to tell him he was being unfair.
