Earlier Today, At peoria Illinois' Mob Makers convention Mr. Gandolphini himself was there! I dont think very many people saw him, but I did and i asked him on his perspective on the ending of the sopranos...he said that he just went with it but there are two other endings that could of been shown, he said the one that was aired was fine he didn't want to argue with chase and he wanted to be done with this whole show...:( I asked him do you think theres any chance of a movie??? he said you may never know. then he left...At least I met him!

That's awesome.

How the fuck didn't I know about that "convention"? And why's there no mention of it online?

Can you please tell us more about it?

Where in Peoria was the convention held?

Lucky you Christopher! I'm so jealous. Did he look the same as we see him on tv. Was he kind of standoffish? Did you get pictures?

I keep hearing several endings were filmed and then I heard/read that's just a rumor. I also heard last night on "E" that Gandolfini didn't go to the party afterward because he wasn't happy with the ending. Don't know what to believe.

One thing though, from Chase to now Gandolfini, "never say never" about a movie. I still say it'll happen. Maybe not real soon, but it will happen IMHO.
Thanks for sharing Chris. I am thrilled for you.

TIS

Man, wouldn't that have been a great "meet" for the BB???

TIS

I think this belongs in the Fantasy forum.

I'm starting to think so....


Wonder if I'll have to ban anyone for fibbing?

"Peoria Illinois' Mob Makers Convention"?

You lucky bastid. I think that goes along with what I've been reading that Gandolfini didn't like the ending. Maybe the two scenes that were shot were the one Jamie Lynn Segler said about her coming in and sitting down at the table. The other might have been Tony getting killed.

Christopher, it would be great if you could find an article on this or tell us more about this event. I was interested in it, so I check the Peoria news and mob makers convention and evidently it's not on-line. I, for one, would be interested in knowing a little more about this convention. Like if it is "annually" and what it's all about.

Thanks

TIS

I'm sure there must've been a great turnout for a convention held during the week...

Some people have all the luck. Good for you

Sonofabiatch. I take it we're being had. I think that ranks right up there with Shortcake threatening suicide.

Ha ha!!! Yea it sure looks that way doesn't it?

I do check at least a couple times a year or so just to see if there might be some kind of mobster/mafia convention type event that would be perfect for our group here. They are not easy to come by though!


TIS

Reminds me of some of those news articles that our buddy Neal Pulcawer wrote. Bless his heart.

It's right here :

THE PEORIA JOURNAL
Saturday June 14th 2007
By - Ron Caddi

For the first time ever, the Mob Maker's Convention has come to the Chicago area.. well, Peoria, IL. And actually, it's the first convention of this sort. Held June 11th - 14th, it's open to the public and will feature noted authors, collectors of gangster memorabilia, historians, and gangster movies and documentaries.

From the Sopranos, James Gondolfini ( Tony Soprano) Joe Gannascoli (Vito Spatafore) and John Fiore (Gigi Cestone) will make an appearance. Other featured guests are Georgia Durante - mobster driver turned stuntdriver, Dominic Capone - a descendant of Al's, and Antoinette Giancana - the daughter of Sam "Momo" Giancana.

Chicagoist was excited about a tour of Chicago gangster locations that is planned but then we realized that it is 5 hours long (from 7pm - 12am!) and costs $40. That's a little too 'core for us. So we did a quick Google search and found out about Chicago's original gangster tour, The Untouchables Tour. This tour is only 2 hours long and is $24.. and we can go almost any time we want - looks like it's time to play tourist for a day. Or if you don't want to put yourself through it, we found this awesome Al Capone Museum online (check out the timeline).


Photo of two conventioneers posing with Emilio Rebenga (middle) from the film SCARFACE


Photo of two locals posing with Big Frank, stunt double for Steve Schrippa's Bobby Baccala


________________________________________________________


CHRISTOPHER, is this the convention?

Ron Caddi?

He's a freelance journalist for that Preoria Newspaper. I believe that his mentor was a very famous and popular writer from New Jersey named Neal Pulcawer.

Having gone to college in Peoria I know that the newspaper's name is actually The Peoria Journal Star.

I wonder if Christopher took Gandolfini to Avanti's for a gondola.

I understand that Gandolfini loves onion rings.

Really??? I heard that whenever he eats them he blacks out.

Geoff! WTF, man? Why weren't you on top of this?

DC, Thanks for posting that article. I found it quite informative. I was only sorry that I wasn't in Peoria for this convention, so that I, too, could have touched the hem of the garments of THE James Gandolfini. However, after seeing some of the photos from that article, I'm sort of glad I didn't go. That guy in the first picture, the one on the left - scary!!! Like those stalkers you see at some of these conventions. I'm surprised he wasn't wearing a Satriale's shirt!

Haha, I actually did that one! well, it wasnt really an official tour. I grew up in Chicago so it was inevitable. I remember going with my friends on a 'Untouchables-Backdraft-Blues Brothers tour' once....ahh the memories.

You're welcomed SB.

Yes, I know the kind. That guy on the left in the first picture definitely fits the profile of one of those convention groupies.

Hey CHRISTOPHER, is the convention that you are talking about the same convention that they talk about in the article that I posted? Is that the one that you went to?

CHRISTOPHER must have gone black!

DC, Do you happen to know Ron Caddi? Tell him to keep posting these very news worthy articles. Ask him when the next convention is, I might want to go to the next one.

Yes Cardi sorry havent been on for a while that Convention goes all around illinois, I TOLD YOU ALL!!! IT WASNT A FAKE!!! and yes the peoria journal star is the newspaper company there, i bet he loves onion rings too, i know i do.

Yes Cardi sorry havent been on for a while that Convention goes all around illinois, I TOLD YOU ALL!!! IT WASNT A FAKE!!! and yes the peoria journal star is the newspaper company there, i bet he loves onion rings too, i know i do.