\nThere was a time when all we could find in movie theaters and on television were productions that related to crime. The gangster genre was a fan favorite and Martin Scorsese\u2019s Goodfellas was one of them. The 1990 film boasted some big name actors and a big budget, allowing the film to get some seriously great effects. Martin Scorsese had quite a thing for gangster films and creating them alongside producer Irwin Winkler was his passion.<\/p>\n

Goodfellas includes big names like Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino. Almost all of the actors who were in this film found themselves on the set of yet another gangster production – The Sopranos. It really is startling how many of the men and women who were in this film and other organized crime films ended up being cast (and type-casted) on The Sopranos. Some of the actors used Goodfellas as a stepping stone to much bigger roles since they only got small ones in the film.
\nThe budget for the film was $25 million and the box office intake was almost double that at $46.8 million. Although the film came out in 1990, it is being introduced to new generations to this day. The film is a staple for all those who love crime dramas with a hint of Italian mafia. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, with Joe Pesci winning for his role in the film. Goodfellas won five BAFTA\u2019s as well as many critics\u2019 support. It\u2019s almost 30 years past the premiere and we were curious as to what the cast is up to so we went back to see what the many actors in this film did after Goodfellas wrapped up.
\n[post_page_title]Then – Robert De Niro[\/post_page_title]
\nDe Niro played the role of James Conway. Conway had a knack for stealing cars and all around criminal behavior. Like many men in the film and in real life, they liked hitting the nightclub to find a companion.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Robert De Niro[\/post_page_title]
\nToday, De Niro is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. He has enjoyed an extremely long and successful career, starring in films like Silver Linings Playbook, The Intern, Joy, and Dirty Grandpa, to name a few. De Niro has been awarded some of Hollywood’s most prestigious awards as well.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Ray Liotta[\/post_page_title]
\nRay Liotta played the role of Henry Hill. Hill was part of Conway’s group of criminals and friends. His character quite school in order to take the life of crime full time under the mob boss, Paul Cicero and James Conway.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Ray Liotta[\/post_page_title]
\nRay is still busy acting on film and television. His latest film venture was in the film Flock of Dudes, while his television project was in Modern Family and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Liotta is once divorced and has one child.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Joe Pesci[\/post_page_title]
\nJoe, once a legend always a legend, played the part of Tommy DeVito. DeVito was known as a man with a terrible temper and a love for armed robbery. This was Pesci’s second film with Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro – you don’t mess with a winning team.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Joe Pesci[\/post_page_title]
\nPesci won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role of DeVito. Since then he has been in films like Home Alone, Lethal Weapon and most recently the 2015 film A Warrior’s Tail which he lent his voice to.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Lorraine Bracco[\/post_page_title]
\nLorraine played the role of Karen Hill, Henry Hill’s wife. Karen starts out hating what Henry does but has a change of heart when she sees the luxurious lifestyle that comes with a life of crime.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Lorraine Bracco[\/post_page_title]
\nLorraine went on to play the role of Dr. Jennifer Melfi on The Sopranos. You will notice many actors who were in Goodfellas who went on to The Sopranos – something about the gangster way of life. Bracco’s most recent film appearance was in Son of Morning, and television appearance was in BoJack Horseman where she had a voice role.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Paul Sorvino[\/post_page_title]
\nPaul Sorvino landed the role of the mob boss Paul ‘Paulie’ Cicero. A line from the film that depicts what Paulie was about would be, “Tommy’s a bad seed. What am I supposed to do? Shoot him?”
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Paul Sorvino[\/post_page_title]
\nPaul is still very busy in the acting field. He has been in productions such as The Brooklyn Banker, Rules Don’t Apply, Sicilian Vampire, The Wild Stallion and Last Hour. Paul has been married three times and is currently still married to wife number thre, Dee Dee Benkie. He has three children.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Frank Vincent[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank played the role of Billy Batts. Batts was one of the members of the Gambino Family. Batts, also known as William Devino was a longtime friend of John Gotti.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Frank Vincent[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank’s character on Goodfella’s was a memorable one, but his career thereafter was booming. He, like many others was on The Sopranos for years. He was also in films like Made Men, Witness to the Mob, NetForce, and shows like NYPD Blue, and Stiffs.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Samuel L. Jackson[\/post_page_title]
\nSamuel L. Jackson played the role of Stacks Edwards. His role was minor and short but was based on a real life criminal who was part of the crew of the infamous Jimmy Burke.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Samuel L. Jackson[\/post_page_title]
\nIf you need us to explain who Samuel L. Jackson is to you then you have been living under a rock. Jackson shot to fame in films like Jungle Fever, Patriot Games, True Romance, Jurassic Park and most importantly Pulp Fiction. Since then he has been in The Avengers film franchise, as well as films like The Legend of Tarzan and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Michael Imperioli[\/post_page_title]
\nMichael played the role of Spider. Clearly Spider was his nickname but that’s what everyone called him. Spider was a stuttering bartender who had a relatively small role in the film.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Michael Imperioli[\/post_page_title]
\nSince Goodfellas, Michael has been in shows life The Sopranos (surprise, surprise! where he played the role of Christopher Moltisanti), Law and Order, Detroit 1-8-7, and Mad Dogs. Michael has been married to his wife Victoria sine 1995. The couple has three children together.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Frank Sivero[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank played the role of Frankie Carbone. The character of Frankie Carbone was based on the real man, Angelo Sepe. As were the other characters in the film, the main ones at least, Frankie represented Angelo.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Frank Sivero[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank has since been in films like Cop and a Half, Possessed by the Night, The Wedding Singer, Foolish, Little Nicky, The Aviator and Hotel California. The Italian-born actor also had a lawsuit against the creators of The Simpsons as he said they used his character to create one on their show which violated publicity right laws. The case was later dismissed.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Debi Mazar[\/post_page_title]
\nDebi played the role of Sandy in Goodfellas. Debi has always been good at portraying emotional characters who have sass and style. Her role of Sandy was no different.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Debi Mazar[\/post_page_title]
\nDebi has always been much more of a television actress than a film one. She has comedic timing which helps her out and has been in shows like Younger, Happily Divorced, Good Vibes, Entourage, That’s life and Providence. Her latest film role was in the 2015 film version of the show Entourage.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Chuck Low[\/post_page_title]
\nChuck played the role of Morris Kessler. Morris was based on the real life Martin Krugman who was associated with the Lucchese crime family. The real life Krugman disappeared and was pronounced deceased years later.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Chuck Low[\/post_page_title]
\nAfter his time on Goodfellas, Chuck went on to be a part of four more films before calling it quits. He was in Mistress, Night and the City, Sleepers, and Kill the Poor. The actor is currently in his late 70s and no longer acting.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Tony Darrow[\/post_page_title]
\nTony Darrow played the role of Sonny Bunz. Sonny was one of the owners of the Bamboo Lounge. The other men liked playing tricks on poor Sonny but in the end it all worked out.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Tony Darrow[\/post_page_title]
\nTony went on to appear in several Woody Allen films, such as Bullets Over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite, Deconstructing Harry, Sweet and Lowdown and Small Time Crooks. He was also one of the many member of this film to appear on The Sopranos.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Christopher Serrone[\/post_page_title]
\nChristopher played the young version of Henry (who was played by Ray Liotta as an adult). While his time on the screen was not long, he left a lasting impression as to who Henry was and what he was going to become.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Christopher Serrone[\/post_page_title]
\nSerrone went on to appear in two more films as an actor – Pathfinders: In the Company of Strangers, and A Strong Collected Spirit. There were many years between the 1990 Goodfellas and the 2011 Pathfinders, which was his first film back.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Mike Starr[\/post_page_title]
\nMike played the role of Robert ‘Frenchy’ McMahon. Frenchy was the night-shift cargo handling supervisor for Air France at JFK. He was a part of the great 1967 Air France robbery and was also suspected of the 1978 Lufthansa heist.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Mike Starr[\/post_page_title]
\nMike Starr on the other hand is one super nice guy who is very likable on film, even if he plays a bad guy. Starr has been in productions such as Chicago Fire, Bones, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Man with Van, and several productions to come out in 2017.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Gina Mastrogiacomo[\/post_page_title]
\nGina Mastrogiacomo played the role of Janice Rossi. Rossi was the mistress of Henry Hill. When it comes to gangster and crime films, there is always a guy with a mistress, no matter how happy his marriage is.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Gina Mastrogiacomo[\/post_page_title]
\nMastrogiacomo followed up her role on Goodfellas with several television show appearances in NYPD Blue, Under Suspicion, Seinfeld, ER, and The X-Files. She sadly passed away in 2001 from a rare heart infection that took her way too soon.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Tony Sirico[\/post_page_title]
\nTony played a Tony! Much like the other characters, they somehow all have the same name as the actors. Tony Sirico played the role of Tony Stacks. Sirico also ‘the look’ of the gagster which is why he has been playing almost only those kinds of roles.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Tony Sirico[\/post_page_title]
\nSirico is part of the long list of actors in this movie that landed roles in The Sopranos, he played the role of Paul ‘Paulie Walnuts’ Gualtiri. He was also in several Woody Allen films. Sirico still keeps very busy acting, landing roles in the recent film Cafe Society (playing another Italian, of course), Friends and Romans, and Jersey Shore Shark Attack.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Frank DiLeo[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank DiLeo played the role of Tuddy Cicero. Tuddy was yet another gangster in the film, whose best quoted when he says, “Why don’t you boys go down to Wall Street and find some real crooks? Whoever sold you those suits had a wonderful sense of humor.”
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Frank DiLeo[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank went on to appear in films like Wayne’s World and Kiss of Death. He sadly passed away in 2011 after complications following heart surgery.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Kevin Corrigan[\/post_page_title]
\nKevin Corrigan played the role of Michael Hill. Goodfellas was Corrigan’s fourth role ever and the beginning of a very long and successful career.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Kevin Corrigan[\/post_page_title]
\nKevin has since been in films like Superbad, Hit and Run, The Next Three Days, the Chaperone, The Dictator, Seven Psychopaths, Winter’s Tale, The Missing Girl, and Infinity Baby.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Tony Lip[\/post_page_title]
\nTony landed the role of Frankie The Wop, whose real name was Franceso Manzo of the Lucchese crime family as head mobster. You definitely don’t want to mess with Frankie The Wop.
\n[post_page_title]Now – Tony Lip[\/post_page_title]
\nTony then went on to appear in, guess what? The Sopranos. He played the role of crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi. Lip actually made his film debut in another gangster film, The Godfather. After Goodfellas, Tony went on to act in film like Donnie Brasco, A Brooklyn State of Mind, and Stiletto, which was his last acting role in 2008.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Illeana Douglas[\/post_page_title]
\nIlleana Douglas played the role of Rosie in Goodfellas. During the filming of Goodfellas, Douglas said that fellow actress Bracco took her under her wing and helped her find an agent and get her career afloat. It was thanks to Goodfellas that Douglas became Martin Scorsese’s girlfriend.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Illeana Douglas[\/post_page_title]
\nDouglas has since been in a long list of films and television shows. Her credits include, Message in a Bottle, The Next Best Thing, the Kiss, Alchemy, Factory Girl, She’s Funny That Way, and The Late Bloomer. Douglas has also been on television shows like Six Feet Under, Ugly Betty, Entourage, and Drop Dead Diva.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Frank Pellegrino[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank played the role of Johnny Dio. The character was based on the real man who had the same name and was an organized crime head. His most famous involvement was in the acid attack on a newspaper columnist. He also worked with Jimmy Hoffa. Woah.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Frank Pellegrino[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank went on to appear in shows like Big Apple, Third Watch, Law and Order, The Sopranos (again, surprise surprise) God’s Gift and his last role was in Odd Mom Out in 2015. Frank passed away in January 2017.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Vincent Pastore[\/post_page_title]
\nVincent had a small role in Goodfellas. He was the guy who rolled out the carpet through the kitchen of The Bamboo Lounge. Although it was a small role, it was the role that later inspired others.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Vincent Pastore[\/post_page_title]
\nVincent went on to be on The Sopranos as Salvatore Bonpensiero. He went on to be on many other shows and films but added a little zest with his participation in the reality television show Celebrity Fit Club in 2006.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Tobin Bell[\/post_page_title]
\nTobin landed the small yet important role of Parole Officer in Goodfellas. From all of the crime that was going on in the film, landing the role of the parole officer is kind of a big deal.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Tobin Bell[\/post_page_title]
\nTobin is a much bigger deal these days with a master film and television career at his feet. Bell has been a part of the Saw film franchise as Jigsaw, and is very much into the horror film genre with roles in Dark House, Boogeyman 2, and Manson Family Vacation.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Welker White[\/post_page_title]
\nWelker played the role of Lois Byrd. This was her sixth role in film ever. She started her career in 1988 with a role in the film Lemon Sky.
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Welker White[\/post_page_title]
\nWhite went on to be a big success in film and television. She has been in productions such as NYPD Blue, Spin City, Sex and the City, I Think I Love My Wife, The Accidental Husband, Law and Order (from 1991 through 2010), Eat Pray Love, Morning Glory, and The Wolf of Wall Street.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Frank Adonis[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank played the role of Anthony Stabile on the 1990 film. Scorsese liked the way Adonis auditioned for the role, like he was meant for it (although it was small).
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\n[post_page_title]Now – Frank Adonis[\/post_page_title]
\nFrank went on to appear in films such as King of New York, Bad Lieutenant, True Romance, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Casino (yet another Martin Scorsese film), The Juror, Black and White, and his latest film was in 2010 called The Trouble with Cali.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Paul Herman[\/post_page_title]
\nPaul had a small role in Goodfellas a one of the drug dealers. His natural gangster\u00a0look had him cast in other Scorsese films in other gangster roles.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Paul Herman[\/post_page_title]
\nSince Goodfellas, Paul has been one of the many actors who went on to appear in The Sopranos television hit on HBO. He has also bee in films like Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, Analyze That, The Fan, and Sleepers.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Vincent Gallo[\/post_page_title]
\nVincent played the role of Henry’s 70s crew of people as Vinnie Gallo. The use of his name was very helpful for the production. It works very well that his parents are immigrants from Sicily, Italy.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Vincent Gallo[\/post_page_title]
\nAfter his stint on Goodfellas, he went into modeling, directing, producing and starring in everything he does. He has been in films like Dirt, Metropia, Promises Written in Water, 2 Days in New York, and Human Trust. In addition to acting, Gallo is also a recording artist who has five studio albums.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Elizabeth Whitcraft[\/post_page_title]
\nElizabeth Whitcraft landed the role of one of Tony’s girlfriends at the club. There was a scene where she stated that she thought Sammy Davis Jr. good looking, much to Tony’s dislike.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Elizabeth Whitcraft[\/post_page_title]
\nAfter her time on the screen, Elizabeth decided to make a career change and become a fashion stylist. She currently works as a stylist in Los Angeles where she styles in television, print and film.
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\n
\n[post_page_title]Then – Margo Winkler[\/post_page_title]
\nMargo Winkler played the role of Belle Kessler, the wife of Morris Kessler. Margo is the real life wife of producer Irwin Winkler who produced Goodfellas.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Margo Winkler[\/post_page_title]
\nMargo was always cast in the small roles as a secretary, receptionist or some other small role or other. She has appeared in films like Guilty by Suspicion, Night and the City, The Net, Red Ribbon Blues, At First Sight, Life as a House, and Home of the Breave.
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\n[post_page_title]Then – Stella Keitel[\/post_page_title]
\nStella Keitel, who just happens to be the real life daughter of legendary actor Harvey Keitel, played the role of Karen and Henry Hill’s eldest child, Judy. Harvey just so happened to be a good friend of Martin Scorsese.
\n
\n[post_page_title]Now – Stella Keitel[\/post_page_title]
\nToday, Keitel is a stunning adult who decided to pursue acting as an adult as well. With a father like hers it’s no surprise that she lands roles and succeeds in them too. Stella was in films such as Perfect Sport, The Life of Lucky Cucumber, Holy Rollers and Landing. She was on Law and Order: Criminal Intent as well.
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There was a time when all we could find in movie theaters and on television were productions that related to crime. The gangster genre was a fan favorite and Martin Scorsese\u2019s Goodfellas was one of them. The 1990 film boasted some big name actors and a big budget, allowing the film to get some seriously […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":21831,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"yoast_head":"\n