Before The Sopranos became the most talked-about show in television history, someone had to be on the ground—hauling equipment, running logistics, and quietly documenting the magic being made.
For New Jersey’s own David Catalano—better known on set as “Dave Cat”—that front-row seat to TV history is a story he’s finally ready to tell in full.
This week, New Jersey Digest is proud to share the Season 3 premiere of “The Sopranos Experience with Dave Cat,” a brand-new retrospective series born out of a crossover episode between two podcasts: Ticketbastard and Cinemattix.
If you’ve ever wondered what it was actually like to work alongside James Gandolfini, walk the floors of Silvercup Studios, and grab a drink at the Season 3 World Premiere after-party with Keith Richards—this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.
Dave Cat’s path to The Sopranos started the way most great New Jersey stories do: with hustle. After studying at the New York Film Academy in 1997 and cutting his teeth on productions like The Thomas Crown Affair and the indie cult film Urbania, Catalano worked his way up through the ranks of New York and New Jersey film production.
By the time he landed on The Sopranos crew, he had already earned his stripes—including a memorable early credit as a Production Assistant on Jay-Z’s iconic 1998 “Hard Knock Life” music video.
But nothing quite prepared him for the world he was about to step into.
In this premiere episode, Dave Cat pulls out the photos, the memories, and the memorabilia to walk viewers through his time behind the scenes of one of HBO’s crown jewels. And the centerpiece of it all? The World Premiere of The Sopranos Season 3—held on February 21, 2001, at Radio City Music Hall. Dave still has his original ticket: Orchestra 5, Row J, Seat 508. Some things you just don’t throw away.
The premiere night stories alone are worth the watch. Dave shares candid photos and firsthand accounts from a star-studded after-party featuring cast members Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler, Sopranos legend Steven Van Zandt, and Rolling Stones icons Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood—all in the same room, celebrating a show that had already changed the cultural conversation. For a kid from Maplewood, New Jersey, it was surreal. And he got the photos to prove it.
The episode also pulls back the curtain on the production itself—from the inner workings of Silvercup Studios in Queens, where much of the show was filmed, to the legendary Satriale’s Pork Store, one of the most recognizable locations in TV history. Dave Cat’s behind-the-scenes photography—nearly 1,000 original shots taken during Seasons 3 and 4 on a 35mm Canon camera he kept on a belt clip—gives the episode a visual intimacy that no official featurette has ever captured.
Those who were there remember it the same way.
“I look back on that time with incredible fondness and gratitude,” said Kenyon Noble, a Production Assistant on The Sopranos. “The people I met there have become lifelong friends and chosen family.”
Joe Gannascoli, who played Vito on the series, was equally moved after watching the episode.
“This video made by Dave the Cat Catalano brought back so many memories,” Gannascoli said. “I’ve seen many shots or videos of scenes on social media but none like this. Dave’s video had pictures of the crew that so many of us worked with. What was touching was pictures of the crew that have passed on—which was most special. For any cast member that sees it, they will be touched by it. That’s what makes his video so special. I loved it.”
This is not a polished Hollywood retrospective. It’s something better—a genuine, personal account from someone who was in the room, told with the warmth, humor, and specificity that only a true insider can bring. A touching tribute to the Soprano days, made with care and admiration.
“The Sopranos Experience with Dave Cat” is the passion project of a man who has spent 25+ years in the film and television industry, taught the next generation of filmmakers at Middlesex College and Raritan Valley Community College, and never forgotten where he came from.
Season 3 is just the beginning. Watch the premiere episode now:
Tom is a lifelong New Jersey resident, Rutgers and FDU alumni and the publisher of The Digest.
