Non-Italians playing Italians

How many of these prominent mob parts weren't played by Italians? James Caan is not Italian, he's Jewish, right?

I know that Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who plays Meadow Soprano, is a mix of almost every ethnicity BUT Italian (and what a nice mix it is!).

How about Robert Iler, who plays AJ? What kind of surname is that? Doesn't sound Italian to me.

I also read that DeNiro is ethnically more Irish than Italian (true to his role in GoodFellas).

Any other examples?

I don't think Marlon Brando is Italian.

Robert Iler is Irish.

Andy Garcia is Cuban I think.

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: Rocky ]

Marlon Brando is Dutch and Irish. I read that his last name is deriven from Brandies. I think James Caan is French (Caan is a city in France!), but I may well be wrong. DeNiro had a Sicillian father and an Irish mother. 50-50. Andy Garcia is Cuban, Meadow is mostly Cuban, Tony Soprano's wife is half Polish, half Italian. That Leaves Pacino as the true Sicillian!!

Edward G. Robinson (real name: Emmanuel Goldenberg) made a career of playing Italian gangsters. Paul Muni (also Jewish) played Tony Camonti in the original "Scarface." Rod Steiger, the best movie Capone imho, is of German extraction. On the other hand, Jon Turturro has made a career of playing Jews.

First of all, James Caan is Jewish. This city in France that someone may have been thinking of is Cannes (Annual Film Festival, y'know....).

Also, I believe Jason Robards played Al Capone in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre film of 1967 or '68.

If we can go beyond films, Henry Winkler, who played the Italian Arthur (The Fonz) Fonzarelli in Happy Days, is also Jewish. Not exactly a 'mob' character, but still a pretty tough guy...

What ethnicity is Steve Van Zandt? He plays Silvio Dante from The Sopranos.