Dwight Harris
Encyclopedia
Special Agent Dwight Harris, played by Matt Servitto
, is a fictional character
on the HBO TV
series The Sopranos
. He is an FBI agent assigned to Tony Soprano
's case. A minor character during the first five seasons of the series, he plays a pivotal role throughout the sixth season as a de facto ally to Tony Soprano
in his war against Phil Leotardo.
after being assigned to counter-terrorism duty in Pakistan
, where he caught a bad stomach parasite. Nevertheless, he frequents Satriale's pork store, apparently for the familiar food and company, but has also approached Christopher for information on terrorism
-related organized crime
. With Harris now focused on terrorism, he and Tony seem to develop a more genuine friendship. In the Season 6 episode "Kaisha", Harris appears at Satriale's
to inform Tony that someone in his crew could be in danger, although he had no specific details.
Later on, Agent Harris and his partner, Agent Goddard, approached Tony at his home, requesting that Tony inform them should he come across any terror-related information in his line of work. Tony initially rejects the overture, but has a change of heart after suspecting that two Muslim former patrons of the Bada Bing
, who had been paying Christopher Moltisanti
for stolen credit card numbers, were involved in terrorist activity. Tony provides their names and a cell phone numbers to Agent Harris, who is appreciative. In return, Agent Harris promises to write a letter detailing Tony's assistance that will be placed in Tony's FBI file for a judge to consider in sentencing should Tony ever be convicted of a crime. Harris and Soprano seemed to have established a mutual respect at this point; Tony views anti-terrorism as an important issue and Harris appreciates that Tony's leadership is preferable to that of mobsters like Leotardo. He later tells Tony at Satriale's that an informer amongst Phil Leotardo's crew has told them that Tony is being targeted by the Lupertazzi family. Agent Harris meets with Tony Soprano, who offers him the name of the Muslim men's bank. In return, Harris tells Tony that Leotardo has been making calls from a pay phone in Oyster Bay, Long Island, information he apparently obtains from an agent with whom he is having an affair. When Agent Goddard later reports Leotardo's murder, Harris exults in the success of his ploy.
Matt Servitto
Matt Servitto is an American actor, probably best known for his role on The Sopranos as FBI agent Dwight Harris. He also appeared on all 3 seasons of the Peabody Award-winning series Brotherhood as Rep. Donatello and had a guest appearance on Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's editor...
, is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the HBO TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. He is an FBI agent assigned to Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
's case. A minor character during the first five seasons of the series, he plays a pivotal role throughout the sixth season as a de facto ally to Tony Soprano
Tony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
in his war against Phil Leotardo.
Biography
Harris is an FBI agent long specializing in investigation of the DiMeo/Soprano crime family. While investigating the family, he develops a somewhat friendly rapport with several of its members, particularly Tony Soprano. Recently returned to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after being assigned to counter-terrorism duty in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, where he caught a bad stomach parasite. Nevertheless, he frequents Satriale's pork store, apparently for the familiar food and company, but has also approached Christopher for information on terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
-related organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
. With Harris now focused on terrorism, he and Tony seem to develop a more genuine friendship. In the Season 6 episode "Kaisha", Harris appears at Satriale's
Satriale's Pork Store
Satriale's Pork Store is a fictional establishment on the HBO series The Sopranos. As told in the television show, during the 1970s, the pork store was taken over by Johnny Boy Soprano, a member of The DiMeo Crime Family, when Francis Satriale failed to make payments on a gambling debt and later...
to inform Tony that someone in his crew could be in danger, although he had no specific details.
Later on, Agent Harris and his partner, Agent Goddard, approached Tony at his home, requesting that Tony inform them should he come across any terror-related information in his line of work. Tony initially rejects the overture, but has a change of heart after suspecting that two Muslim former patrons of the Bada Bing
Bada Bing
The Bada Bing! is a fictional strip club from the HBO drama television series The Sopranos. It was a key location for events in the series, named for catchphrase "bada bing", a phrase popularized by James Caan in The Godfather. The popularization of the fictional club benefited the real-life go-go...
, who had been paying Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:...
for stolen credit card numbers, were involved in terrorist activity. Tony provides their names and a cell phone numbers to Agent Harris, who is appreciative. In return, Agent Harris promises to write a letter detailing Tony's assistance that will be placed in Tony's FBI file for a judge to consider in sentencing should Tony ever be convicted of a crime. Harris and Soprano seemed to have established a mutual respect at this point; Tony views anti-terrorism as an important issue and Harris appreciates that Tony's leadership is preferable to that of mobsters like Leotardo. He later tells Tony at Satriale's that an informer amongst Phil Leotardo's crew has told them that Tony is being targeted by the Lupertazzi family. Agent Harris meets with Tony Soprano, who offers him the name of the Muslim men's bank. In return, Harris tells Tony that Leotardo has been making calls from a pay phone in Oyster Bay, Long Island, information he apparently obtains from an agent with whom he is having an affair. When Agent Goddard later reports Leotardo's murder, Harris exults in the success of his ploy.
Reference to the DeVecchio FBI case
- Upon hearing that Phil Leotardo was killed, Agent Harris jubilantly cries, "We're gonna win this thing!" This is a reference to former FBI supervisor R. Lindley DeVecchioLindley DeVecchioLindley DeVecchio is a former U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation agent in charge of managing mob informants. DeVecchio worked for the FBI during the Mafia wars in New York during the 1980s and 1990s....
, who said the same thing when he was told Lorenzo "Larry" Lampasi had been shot to death in front of his Brooklyn home. DeVecchio was later indicted for providing the ColomboColombo crime familyThe Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
family with information that led to four murders, much as Harris provides Tony with information leading to the death of Leotardo. Agent Harris' motivation may be personal. In an earlier Season 6 episode, Agent Harris tells Tony that he has never liked Phil Leotardo ever since Phil tried to set up a female agent for rape and murder. Late in Season 6 we learn that Agent Harris is either married to or more likely having an affair with a female FBI agent who indirectly appears to be the source of his info on Leotardo.