In Season One, Episode One of The Sopranos, James Gandolfini’s legendary character, mob boss Tony Soprano, sits in a therapy session in his hometown of New Jersey and laments: “Whatever happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type. That was an American. He wasn’t in touch with his feelings. He just did what he had to do."
Cooper was a laconic Hollywood movie star, famous for his understated, stoic acting, and masculinity, which becomes a recurring theme throughout The Sopranos – which is widely regarded as the greatest television series of all time. Tony develops a slight obsession with Cooper, and the idea of the strong, silent man in control of everything. A deliberate irony on the part of the show’s writer, David Chase, who has implanted a dark, impulsive nature and explosive temper in his main protagonist, making him Cooper’s polar opposite.
