Steve R. Schirripa has appeared in such features as "Casino (1995)," "Detroit Rock City (1999)," "Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)" and HBO's "Welcome to Hollywood. " He recently become a regular on the Emmy-nominated hit television series " The Sopranos. " Schirripa will soon be seen in the upcoming releases "Adventures of Joe Dirt, The (2001)," starring David Spade and produced by Robert Simonds and "Monday Night Mayhem," currently in production, for TNT.
Until recently, Schirripa was the entertainment director for the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, conducting his acting career on the side. While working at the casino, he appeared in numerous feature films
including "Play It To The Bone (1999)," "Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, The (2000)" and "The Runner. " Schirripa completed a six-episode role for "The Sopranos" as Bobby Bacala, Uncle Junior's bodyguard and right-hand man, by secretly commuting to New York while still managing his casino responsibilities. Upon being signed as a series regular for the next season, the Brooklyn native finally gave up his day job. Other television credits for Schirripa include a recurring role on "The X Show" plus appearances on "Battery Park," "Angel" and "Chicago Hope. " His series work also includes "The King of Queens," "Pensacola - Wings of Gold" and David Steinberg's upcoming "Big Sound. " Schirripa has also performed in "Comedy Tonight" and "Mr. Vegas With Drew Carey. "