Chase drew on experiences from his personal life when writing scenes for the hit show. For instance, Lorraine Bracco’s character, Dr. Melfi, was based on his therapist, and Tony’s mother, Livia, was influenced by his mother. “I used to tell people stories about my mother, things she said and did,” Chase told 60 Minutes in a 2005 interview. “My wife, first of all, said, ‘One day you have to write about her because she’s hysterical.’”
