Writer Toni Kalem also played Angie Bonpensiero in 12 episodes and served as a story editor on the show.
This episode also features three celebrities playing themselves at the Sopranos' high stakes poker game:
Lawrence Taylor, David Lee Roth and Bernie Brillstein.
Legendary pop artist Frankie Valli makes his first of seven "Sopranos" appearances playing mobster Rusty Millio. Although Valli plays a New York City capo, the show must have felt like home since he was born and raised in an Italian neighborhood in Sopranos territory of Newark, New Jersey.
Bernie Brillstein was founder of Brillstein Entertainment Partners, one of the companies that produced The Sopranos (1999). Brillstein's protégé, Brad Grey, is always credited as one of the show's executive producers.
John Pleshette takes over the role of Dr. Fried from Lewis J. Stadlen. However, the latter will play him again later in the series.