COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) When John Diehl was hired for the part of ZITO, his character had not been fully developed. He took it upon himself to write a BIO about ZITO. Here's what John Diehl wrote about Zito on a piece of paper before the pilot episode: Larry is thirty-four years old, born and raised on Staten Island. The Statue Of Liberty is very important to him - it's a figure from his childhood and background and as he's gotten older, he's realized and appreciated it as a symbol of freedom and liberty. Larry's favorite color is emerald green. His Favorite food is Gnocci (his father made it great.) Gnocci is a potato noodle - something like the combination of his ancestry - his mom is Irish and his dad is Italian. Larry is well organized. He used to be a funiture mover so he's used to making lists, and putting everything in it's place. He's quite intolerant of disorganization. His mother's brother - his favorite Uncle - was a cop in New York City. He was Larry's idol. As a kid, he would go to the office with him and walk the beat with him. As he got older, he did some drugs until his little brother overdosed and died. At that point, Larry decided to be a cop. It seemed right and good that he could help and be a service to people. He became very anti-drug and eventually specialized in narcotics. Zito was married once, divorced. He now has a girlfriend. They live seperately in a hard-to-be-together, hard-not-to-be-together relationship. His appartment is in the South Beach deco area. Zito has been a cop for five years, first as a patrolman in NY. He has been in Miami two years and started in Vice with Switek. He likes VICE- the hours, being outside, the freedom, meeting new people, the adventure and intrigue. He hates sittingin a car surveillance for hours. He drinks too much coffee. He drives a blue-green '70 Fleetwood Cadillac named Ricky. Edited March 10, 2015 by COOPER&BURNETT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV86 Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Interesting fact that he wrote the bio himself! Thanks Coop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Your welcome! I too thought that this was very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators timm525 Posted March 7, 2009 Administrators Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Well that is pretty cool to know.Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Your welcome pal!Many of the things he wrote were taken from his real life, like he WAS a furniture mover before he started acting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 We also now know that TUBBS was not the only one from NEW YORK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Ell.a Posted March 7, 2009 Administrators Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 He took it upon himself to write a BIO about ZITO. I was fascinated by this fact as well when I wrote the bios of the main characters in the glossary.With John Diehl also Michael Talbott was busy to develop his own character.We gave Switek and Zito their first names' date=' Stanley and Larry' date=' and created their look, the clothes, that they go bowling and drink beer. Switek wears bowling shirts and golf shoes.[/quote'']Both gave their characters many of their own characteristics and parts of their own biography. This is what I like most - the fact that at least "something" of Vice isn't only TV but reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcmmv Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 BiosCoop, this is great! Thanks!!!!MJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 You know, if you read the BIO again, you can see where ideas for Zito made it into the show.1. He mentions the STATUE OF LIBERTY in the BIO and the show.2. He drinks way too much coffee.3. He lives in an appartment in the art deco strip (after his house burned down of course)4. His girlfriend issues seem to stem right before MADE FOR EACH OTHER. They must have liked each other at some point.5. His brother died of an overdose (like he did)6. His mother was Irish and his dad Italian (guess he could be Catholic.)Anybody spot more examples? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny-Burnett Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w17/steven-spielberg/newest%20photos/COOPER%20AND%20BURNETT/zito.jpgWhere did you find this C&B? Never knew this before. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 This was from an interview with John Diehl in his appartment by Rob Macgregor and Trish Janeshutz. I'm so happy everyone likes this cool Bio by John! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJAngel Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Very Interesting:clap: Thanks, Coop;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 DJAngel, after all you've done for this site, and all the postings and photos...It's an honor for me to post things that you like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJAngel Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 DJAngel' date=' after all you've done for this site, and all the postings and photos...It's an honor for me to post things that you like![/quote'] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Right back at ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger390X Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 One thing though...it's too bad we never saw the 70 Fleetwood.Zito always drove around with Switek (attatched at the hip sort of?) but he never had his own car?Switek of course drove the 63 TBird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted March 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 This is true. The only vehicle that Zito seemed to own was his motorcycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airtommy Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Very interesting that Diehl wrote Zito's bio! It sounds like you got this from the book "The Making of Miami Vice". I've read that book, but it was a long time ago and I had either forgotten this part or it didn't really register with me.When in the show did Zito mention the Statue of Liberty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted August 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Very interesting that Diehl wrote Zito's bio! It sounds like you got this from the book "The Making of Miami Vice". I've read that book' date=' but it was a long time ago and I had either forgotten this part or it didn't really register with me.When in the show did Zito mention the Statue of Liberty?[/quote']That would be "PAYBACK". Switek and Zito are in the bug van, and Stan asks Larry, "What would you do with 3 million dollars?" Larry replies, "Well, I guess I'd put a big chunk into the STATUE OF LIBERTY (they were renovating it during that time, and you could donate money for the repairs), and settle down in a nice place back in Staten Island...."Stan pretends to finish Larry's sentence, ".....Probably give some to your partner...."Hope that helps! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airtommy Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Kewl, I'm going to watch that tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vice Immersion Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 (edited) Now if only Miami Vice would have expanded his character throughout the series (as with the others: Gina, Trudy, and Stan), it would have brought a lot of depth to the characters and a richer experience of diverse characters for the show. ...And maybe... just maybe... John Diehl wouldn't have left the show. Edited June 21, 2015 by Vice Immersion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted June 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I'm pretty certain he would have stayed if his character had more to do. He had very little to do as the show progressed. He was bored to death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicefan7777 Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I'm pretty certain he would have stayed if his character had more to do. He had very little to do as the show progressed. He was bored to death. Coop, I agree with you. Diehl's character seemed to used less and less as Vice entered the third season. I can imagine as an actor waiting around for many hours to do a scene that last for a minute or two can get boring fast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOPER&BURNETT Posted June 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 John talked about that at the French Twist Reuion. He'd wait around all day, and sometimes when running late, they'd either just skip his scene, or do it another day. The Cast told him they didn't want him to leave, but he said jokingly, "I had to. If I didn't, I'd kill everyone, and myself." He'll never do another TV series. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B. Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 Hey Coop, another really interesting look inside the life of Miami Vice. You're a mine of information, pal. I agree, JD character was less and less used and that's just one of the many reasons why MV lost its magic as it "evolved" into the seasons from 3rd on. In the beginning there was a squad, a perfect blend of personalities and identities. That was a show's asset, and they wasted that. Zito was the first to be underused; then it was Tubbs turn. As for Switek, they also turned his character into a pathetic freak. I always found his bet addiction silly, not to mention his look with jelly hair and thick coats on the beach... I have a motto which sounds more or less like: everything gets worse in improvement. Got it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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