Excerpts from the Orginal Press Release from HBO Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JAMES GANDOLFINI, LORRAINE BRACCO, EDIE FALCO, MICHAEL IMPERIOLI AND NANCY MARCHAND STAR IN NEW HBO SERIES THE SOPRANOS, A LOOK AT THE FAMILY LIFE OF A MODERN-DAY MOB BOSS; 13 WEEKLY EPISODES DEBUT JAN. 10
Series Created By David Chase

Dec. 15, 1998-- Mob boss Anthony "Tony" Soprano is having a midlife crisis. He's a loving husband and father, a dutiful son to his widowed mother, and the head of a "waste management consultant" business in New Jersey. However, the multiple responsibilities of family and "family" are taking their toll. After suffering a series of anxiety attacks, Tony turns to a psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi. But for a mob boss, therapy can have serious consequences.

Combining drama with comic irony, THE SOPRANOS debuts the first of 13 one-hour episodes SUNDAY, JAN. 10 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET). The show will air Sundays at 9:00 p.m., with encore presentations Tuesdays at 11:00 p.m. The new HBO series stars James Gandolfini ("A Civil Action") as Tony Soprano, Lorraine Bracco ("GoodFellas") as his therapist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Edie Falco (HBO's "Oz") as his loyal wife Carmela, Michael Imperioli ("GoodFellas") as his ambitious and impatient nephew Christopher, and Nancy Marchand ("Lou Grant") as his mother Livia Soprano. The cast also includes Stevie Van Zandt (a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band), who makes his acting debut as Silvio Dante, a member of Tony's crew. The series is created by David Chase ("I'll Fly Away"), who also serves as executive producer.

THE SOPRANOS updates the mob story to give a glimpse into the everyday family life of a modern-day mob boss. To some, Tony is a typical middle-aged businessman who provides a good life for his wife Carmela, teenage daughter Meadow (Jamie Lynn Sigler) and son Anthony Jr. (Robert Iler). He has a problematic relationship with his widowed mother Livia, while his nephew Christopher is impatient with the old-fashioned protocols of the family. Then there's Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese), who resents the fact that Tony is next in line to head the family business. So what is a mob boss to do when business is not what it used to be, and life appears to be closing in on him? January's episodes.......

David Chase executive produced, with Josh Brand and John Falsey, the series "I'll Fly Away," as well as writing and directing many of the episodes. He was also executive producer of "Northern Exposure" for two seasons and was a director/writer of the recent "The Rockford Files" television movie "Punishment and Crime," starring James Garner and Kathryn Harrold.

THE SOPRANOS is an HBO production in association with Brillstein-Grey Entertainment; executive producer and creator, David Chase; executive producer, Brad Grey; co-executive producers, Mitchell Burgess and Robin Green; supervising producer, Frank Renzulli; producer, Ilene S. Landress.