List of Grand Theft Auto III characters
A number of recurring characters appear during the various missions or cutscenes in the video game Grand Theft Auto III. Prominent characters are listed here in rough order of appearance. (Note that the order in which some of these characters appear in-game depends upon the sequence in which the player completes certain missions.)
Major characters
Claude
Claude (aka "Fido" and "Kid") is the silent protagonist and player control character of Grand Theft Auto III (GTAIII). He was left for dead after a bank heist with Catalina, resulting in his arrest by the police. Claude would later escape with 8-Ball when a bridge they were being transported on was blown up. Building a reputation among crime bosses and rising in the ranks of the underworld, Claude would eventually kill Catalina near the end of the storyline.
Although his real name was never mentioned in any part of the game, Claude's name surfaced in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA:SA), when, upon completion of the game's storyline, Carl "CJ" Johnson, the game's protagonist, receives a phone call from Catalina, in the midst of an orgasm, screaming Claude's name. In 1992, the game's timeframe, Claude is seen to have only recently established a relationship between himself and Catalina. The pair then left the fictitious West Coast state of San Andreas for Liberty City, after losing in a car race with Carl Johnson earlier in the game.
Catalina
Catalina is a notorious bank robber and Claude's former girlfriend, who had betrayed him during a bank heist, shooting him and leaving him for the police while she ran free with the profits. Catalina would later be seen running a SPANK drug manufacturing and distribution business with a new partner in crime, Miguel. Catalina was killed at the end of the game, as the helicopter she was riding in was shot down by a rocket propelled grenade launched by Claude.
In GTA:SA, Catalina appears as a temporary lover and crime partner of the game's protagonist, Carl "CJ" Johnson. During Catalina's time with Carl, she commits multiple robberies on several businesses in rural districts of San Andreas, and is seen as highly determined in obtaining any profit. She would later "break up" with Carl and leave for Liberty City with Claude, her new boyfriend.
Between the period in GTA:SA and GTA III, Catalina is known to had been on the move, committing robberies in multiple states, including the south, and the southwest, among others. It is suggested that both Claude and Catalina had only temporarily resided in Liberty City after their 1992 journey from San Andreas, before leaving the city to commit more robberies in other states. In 2001, the FBI discovered that both Catalina and Claude may have returned to Liberty City [1].
Catalina is of Dominican and Colombian decent and is a cousin of Cesar Vialpando, who is believed to be a Mexican and is a fellow associate of Carl Johnson.
Catalina was voiced by Cynthia Farrell.
Miguel
Miguel is an apparent Colombian Cartel member and Catalina's partner after Claude. Miguel is frequently seen with Catalina while running the SPANK drug business in Liberty City. During a mission in which Donald Love requests Claude to retrieve a package from the airport, the package was found stolen by the Colombian Cartel and was being handed over to Catalina and Miguel. Claude eventually tracks them down, resulting to Miguel handing over the package and Catalina shooting Miguel, leaving him at the mercy of Asuka, then enraged by the killing of her brother. Miguel would be tortured into revealing information about Catalina's operations, and was soon killed by the Cartel, while they killed Asuka and kidnapped Maria.
Miguel was voiced by Al Espinosa.
8-Ball
8-Ball is a firearms and explosives specialist who owns three bomb shops throughout Liberty City. 8-Ball meets Claude shortly after the beginning of the storyline, when he and Claude escape from a police convoy. As a token of his appreciation, 8-Ball introduces Claude to Luigi Goterelli, an old friend of his, for work. 8-Ball remains a close associate of Claude throughout the game.
8-Ball can be seen with both hands bandaged from an injury during his appearances, leaving Claude to do most of the more intensifying work (such as driving and shooting) when 8-Ball accompanies him. 8-Ball is believed to had sustain scaldings from hot fat accidently poured onto his hands, during a scuffle with the police in a raid at his home, before he was arrested [2]. However, in Grand Theft Auto Advance (which takes place roughly a year before Grand Theft Auto III), a mission near the end of the game features the main character (Mike) ambushed by the Colombian Cartel while meeting 8-Ball at a diner. During this attack, the Cartel members use flamethrowers as their primary weapons. Upon completion of the mission, 8-Ball reveals that he has been severely burned, and tells Mike to escape as police arrive on the scene.
While the character of 8-Ball is only present in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto Advance, 8-Ball explosives shops can be found in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
8-Ball was voiced by The Guru.
Luigi Goterelli
Luigi Goterelli aka "The Snake" is a small-time crime boss in the Leone Mafia Family and owner of a night club called "Sex Club 7" in the Red Light District of Portland Island. He uses this club as a base for his legion of prostitutes scattered throughout Portland. He is Claude's first boss in Liberty City, and gives him mundane jobs such as driving his girls around and chasing down minor gangsters who "mess with (his) girls."
Luigi Goterelli was voiced by Joe Pantoliano.
Joey Leone
Joey Leone is a member of the Leone Mafia Family and the son of Don Salvatore Leone, who works as a mechanic and big-time criminal in Portland. As he is constantly seen working on a BF Injection dune buggy which belongs to his favorite prostitute, Misty. Joey tasks Claude to perform theft, assassinations and body disposal. In the process, Joey introduces his father's "Capo", Toni Cipriani, allowing Claude to perform further jobs with the Family. Joey is also mentioned in San Andreas as Carl Johnson met Salvatore Leone in Las Venturas, stating that he had the pleasure of working with Joey while residing in Liberty City.
Joey is also believed to have been responsible for the killing of several Forelli Mafia members, which had in turn resulted in a Mafia war between the Leones and the Forellis.
Joey Leone was voiced by Michael Rapaport.
Toni Cipriani
Toni Cipriani is a member of the Leone Mafia Family, working as a "Capo" (possibly the Capo Bastone, the second in command to Don Salavatore Leone, the Capo Crimini; see Mafia structure) for Salvatore Leone. Early missions with Cipriani were primarily focused on extorting protection money from a Triad-controlled laundromat, by destroying several of the business's delivery trucks. Coupled with a Triad attack during the transportation of the Family's high-ranked members to one of Don Salvatore's meeting, a full-blown war between the Mafia and the Triads occurred, and Claude was now an enemy to the Triads. The war led to the destruction of the Triad's fish factory, with Toni instructing Claude to deliver a garbage truck armed with a bomb to the factory.
Toni lives with his mother, Momma Cipriani, and is frequently seen in his family-run restaurant, Momma's Restaurante (or Cipriani's Ristorante, as seen in its sign at the restaurant), providing jobs for Claude. The constant nagging from his mother about him not being able to match up with his father and failing to meet up to her expectations had forced him to call the local chat radio station, Chatterbox FM, and complain about his mother's constant bickering.
A prequel for GTAIII, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (GTA:LCS), features Toni Cipriani as the protagonist of the game in 1998 Liberty City. In it, he is criticized by his mother for being too thin, and in GTA III is significantly fatter. In addition, his mother calls a hit on him in LCS. At the end of that mission Momma Cipriani is seen running from the Restaurante, and the player has the ability to kill her. This would technically prevent her from showing up in GTA III, providing for a plot hole.
Toni Cipriani was voiced by Michael Madsen.
Salvatore Leone
Salvatore Leone is the Don who controls the Leone Mafia Family. He is introduced to Claude when Salvatore called a meeting with Joey Leone, Toni Cipriani, Luigi Goterelli; and Claude would be the limousine chauffeur who would bring the trio to Salvatore's mansion in Saint Mark's. Early missions instruct Claude to investigate the activities of Curly Bob, a member who appeared to be leaking information about the Leone's activities to the Colombian Cartel and, if found guilty, to kill him. Claude would later be tasked to destroy a tanker ship that was suspected to be a SPANK drug factory for the Cartel.
Salvatore is portrayed as growingly paranoid and suspicious with everyone around him, as stated by Curly Bob and his attempt to kill Claude with a trap, the latter done to try establishing a deal with the Colombian Cartel. Salvatore would be killed by Claude after leaving Luigi's club at a time, as instructed by Asuka Kasen to prove that Claude has finally broken ties with the Family.
Salvatore has appeared briefly in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as a boss for Carl Johnson during his stay at Las Venturas in 1992. From there, Salvatore orders Carl to fly to Liberty City and perform a hit on the Forellis at their base of operation in Marcos Bistro, Saint Mark's, in order for Salvatore to assume a larger share of Caligula Palace, a casino previously owned by three Mafia factions. Salvatore was also introduced to Maria Latore, who worked as a waitress in Caligula Palace at the time.
Salvatore has also appeared as a major character in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, where him and his crime organization would be involved in a turf war between the Forellis and the Sindaccos in 1998, and eventually the Sicilian Mafia.
Salvatore Leone was voiced by Frank Vincent.
Maria Latore
Maria Latore is Don Salvatore Leone's girlfriend (its revealed that she's actually his wife in Grand Theft Auto: Libetry City Stories). She is introduced to Claude after Salvatore requests that Claude "look after her for the evening". Developing a liking for Claude, she would save Claude's life by preventing Claude from entering a death trap set up by Salvatore and seek help from an associate, Asuka Kasen, to flee to Staunton Island. She would appear as a caller on Chatterbox FM to describe her feelings with Claude, but expresses doubt because Claude was seen as being uninterested to her, "always working and hanging out with the guys" instead.
Maria would still be seen with Asuka on occasions, including the period when Miguel was tortured and interrogated. Maria was then kidnapped by the Cartel and held ransom by Catalina. By the end of the storyline, Maria is rescued by Claude. Maria's fate remains unknown, however, when the screen portraying Claude and Maria (overwhelmed by excitement, talks continuously about Claude and herself) walking away fades to black, and a gunshot was heard. It is unknown whether the gunshot was just a warning shot to make Maria shut up or whether the gunshot was to kill Maria due to her constant nagging while the credits rolled.
Maria appears briefly in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as a waitress in the Caligula's Casino in 1992 Las Venturas, revealing how her relationship with Salvatore developed.
Maria was voiced by Debi Mazar.
Asuka Kasen
Asuka Kasen is a member of the Liberty City Yakuza, who is called on by Maria to bring her and Claude to safety from the Leone Mafia Family after Salvatore's attempted assassination on Claude. She would provide further jobs to Claude, after killing Salvatore, as well as introduce him to her brother, Kenji Kasen.
Later in the game, Asuka can be seen torturing Miguel and instructing Claude to further destroy Catalina's SPANK drugs operation, as an act of revenge for the killing of her brother by an unknown "Colombian" assassin. She would eventually be killed along with Miguel, most likely by the Colombian Cartel.
In Grand Theft Auto Advance, it is shown that she appears to be a dominatrix and enjoys sadomasochism. It is also hinted at that she is bisexual based on certain conversations with Maria.
Asuka Kasen was voiced by Lianna Pai.
Kenji Kasen
Kenji Kasen is the leader of the Liberty City Yakuza, who highly respects honor and is also the brother of Asuka Kasen. Kenji operates a casino in Downtown Staunton Island, where he provides jobs for Claude. He would be killed later in the game, during a meeting at a multistory car park, after Claude is asked by Donald Love to assassinate Kenji while posing as a Colombian Cartel member, in an effort to drive down local real estate prices with a gang war between the Yakuza and the Cartel.
Kenji Kasen was voiced by Les J.N. Mau.
Ray Machowski
Ray Machowski is a corrupt police officer in the Liberty City Police Department who works as an insider for the Yakuza. He is introduced to Claude while receiving a payment from Asuka for his previous job with the Yakuza.
Machowski is depicted as heavily cautious with his activities, and is willing to silence associates who attempted to expose any crime committed by either him or his partners. By the end of his presence in Liberty City, the CIA has begun investigating Machowski's links with the Colombian Cartel and the SPANK, forcing Machowski to flee the city and escape to Miami, Florida. In the process of working for Machowski, Claude is introduced to Donald Love, after helping to dispose embarrassing photographs of Love in a "morgue party".
Machowski makes a second appearance in Liberty City Stories, as a partner of Leon McAffrey. The game reveals that Machowski was initially uncomfortable working for criminals and taking bribes, suggesting that he had only turned corrupt recently.
Ray Machowski was voiced by Robert Loggia.
Donald Love
Donald Love is a media mogul and owner of Love Media, "the fastest growing US-run media conglomerate in the past five years". Operating from his apartment and office in south Bedford Point, Staunton Island, he primarily tasks Claude to complete jobs related to receiving a mysterious "package" delivered by plane. After successfully aiding in the return of the authenticated "package" to Love (by acting as a lure to the SWAT and police), he disappears, leaving behind an opened box in his apartment.
Love Media controls approximately "900 radios stations, 300 television stations, 4 networks, 3 satellites, (and) 10 senators", with the Love Media brand name, Love's announcements or related commercials evident in certain player accessed radio stations, including Head Radio, Flashback 95.6, Double Cleff FM, and Chatterbox FM. Love Media also owns the Liberty Tree, Liberty City's local newspaper.
Donald Love is believed to had only begun doing business in Liberty City from early-2001 onwards [3], indicating that Love Media was quick in founding or acquiring many companies in Liberty City within months (the time period of the Grand Theft Auto III is supposingly late 2001). This was done as a response to the return of Barry Harcross, a recently acquitted businessman and long time rival of Donald Love, to the city [4].
While little background information is known of Love, he is seen as a former apprentice of real estate mogul Avery Carrington, who appeared in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as a boss for Tommy Vercetti; the most evident sign of his link with Carrington is his use of a phrase that was also heard from Carrington, when Love asks that Claude assassinate Kenji Kasen:
Nothing drives down real estate prices like a good old-fashioned gang war, apart from the outbreak of a plague, but that might be going too far in this case.
In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Donald Love returns to provide missions for Toni Cipriani. Love was running in an election for the position as mayor of Liberty City, but is defeated by O'Donnovan, who remains mayor of the city in GTA III. Liberty City Stories also reveals Love's intention to murder Avery Carrington, and also depicts Love's cannibalistic tendencies and fascination by human corpses, thus explaining his connection to the aforementioned "morgue party" in GTA III. However, the Love Media building from which Love would operate from was already under construction in 1998, and he already owns several radio stations and newspapers, contrary to what the aforementioned 2001 Liberty Tree articles claims; this is a possible continuity error.
Donald Love was voiced by Kyle MacLachlan.
Minor characters
Mickey
Mickey Hamfists (as named in Liberty City Stories), or Micky, is a bodyguard for Luigi Goterelli and shares a rather close friendship with him. Mickey always checks Luigi's visitors for him, and will simply deliver a written letter to them at times. He's also an enforcer for the Leone family and attends all of the "made" ceremonies.
Misty
Misty is a woman who works for Luigi Goterelli at the "Sex Club 7", and is Joey Leone's "regular girl". On two occasions, Claude is asked by Goterelli to drive her from one place to another, with the blatant message to "keep his hands off her." She can be seen as an unofficial mascot of GTA III as she is featured prominently on the promotions and cover packaging for the game.
Misty was voiced by Kim Gurney.
Mike Lips Forelli
Mike Lips Forelli is a minor character who shows up briefly, when Joey Leone sends Claude to kill him, in an effort to teach the Forellis a lesson for not repaying debts. While Lips is eating at Marco's Bistro, (with a sign that says "eat 'till you explode") Claude attaches a bomb to his car. When Lips is finished eating, he leaves the restaraunt and is killed in the explosion. This act of aggression from the Leone family towards the Forelli family sparks a war between the two Mafia families.
"Chunky" Lee Chong
"Chunky" Lee Chong is a member in the Liberty City Triad who owns a noodle stand in the heart of Chinatown and is said to be pushing SPANK for the Colombian Cartel. When Joey Leone hears that "Chunky" Lee Chong is selling SPANK, he sends Claude to assassinate him. This incident would put relations between the local Triad and the Leone Mafia Family on ice.
Marty Chonks
Marty Chonks is the corrupt owner of the Bitchin' Dog Food company. His love for money causes him to do various illegal activities, which leads him to call for Claude. Claude works as a bus boy, moving people from various parts of Portland back to the Bitchin' Dog Food factory, where Marty turns them into dog food. But throughout most of his time as an employee, Claude never sees Marty's face since he gets his orders through a payphone.
Eventually, Marty employs Claude to pick up his wife, Mrs. Chonks. After she is killed, Marty finds that she had a secret lover named Carlos to whom he happens to owe money to. Marty figures he can overpower the man just as he had all the others, but Carlos brings a shotgun along with him, which he uses to kill Marty, and claims that he will be taking over Marty's dog food business.
Marty Chonks' missions are largely inspired by the 1989 film The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, given that the names of his missions and people he killed, in order, read "The Crook" (a bank manager), "The Thieves" (two burglars), "The Wife" (Mrs. Chonks) and "Her Lover" (Carlos, whom Chonks fails to kill); the theme of human meat being used as food is also prevalent in both the missions and the film.
Chris Phillips provided the voice of Marty Chonks.
Momma Cipriani
Momma Cipriani is the faceless co-owner of Cipriani's Ristorante in the game. She is the mother of Toni Cipriani and is known to nag frequently to her son about him not meeting up to her husband's capabilities. Momma Cipriani reappears in Liberty City Stories; not surprisingly, she is still depicted unsatisfied about her son.
Momma Cipriani was voiced by Sondra James.
Curly Bob
Curly Bob is the bartender at Luigi's "Sex Club 7." He is killed by Claude after being seen ratting on the Mafia.
Curly Bob was voiced by Hunter Platin.
Phil, the One-Armed Bandit
Phil (aka The One-Armed Bandit in the game's credits) is a friend of Ray Machowski, believed to have fought alongside Machowski during a military conflit in Nicaragua (a possible reference to the United States' military intervention on Nicaragua during the 1980s). As a former soldier, Phil owns a business dubbed "Phil's Army Surplus" in Rockford, at the edge of Staunton Island, specializing in selling military-grade weaponry, as well as providing military vehicles from within its compound. Phil appeared briefly during a mission when Claude was required to protect Phil from a group of Colombian Cartel members, who have been attempting to extort weapons from Phil's business.
Phil is portrayed as having only one arm; losing a left arm for an unconfirmed reason, although it is suggested that he may had lost it in Nicaragua.
Phil reappeared in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with a similar role, a full name (Phil Cassidy) and both arms intact, as an firearms specialist and an alleged Vietnam War veteran. It was revealed in Vice City that Phil had lost his arm in an explosion from a bomb containing "boomshine", a homemade explosive and alcoholic beverage.
Phil was voiced by Hunter Platin.
El Burro
El Burro is a member of the Puerto Rican Diablos gang who assigns Claude jobs from Portland Island, operating from a pay phone located in the Hepburn Heights housing projects. El Burro is believed to be running a pornography magazine publishing business, based on his phone calls and the magazines stacked in the player's Portland safe house upon completion of all of El Burro's missions.
El Burro was also featured previously in Grand Theft Auto, and mentioned in dialog in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Chris Phillips provided the voice of El Burro.
King Courtney
King Courtney is a member of the Jamaican Yardies who assigns Claude jobs from Staunton island, operating from a payphone located near Liberty Campus. The primary focus of his jobs are mostly related to attacks against rival gangs, with one of these mission requiring that Claude turn his back against the Diablos by killing several of its members. The final "job" involved Claude being lured into a trap, where Catalina has dispatched vans of "SPANK-ed up" suicide bombers to kill Claude, an act that subsequently fermented relationships between Claude and the Yardies.
King Courtney was voiced by Walter Mudu.
D-Ice
D-Ice is a member of the African-American Red Jacks gang who assigns Claude jobs from Shoreside Vale, operating from a payphone located in the Wichita Gardens housing projects. Several of its missions involved attacks and fights against a rival gang, the Purple Nines, which appeared to be supplied with SPANK and are pushing the drug onto the streets. Claude would eventually reduce the Purple Nines to only a few members at the time of the final battle between Claude with D-Ice's brother and the last of the Purple Nines.
D-Ice was voiced by Walter Mudu.
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