John Ventimiglia Biography: Born on July 17, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York, American actor John Ventimiglia is known for his role on HBO's critically acclaimed series The Sopranos. Prior to that, he appeared in movies such as Mickey Blue Eyes and Cop Land. His TV credits include Law & Order and NYPD Blue. Artie Bucco is played by John Ventimiglia on HBO's hit drama series The Sopranos. Artie, a friend of Tony's, is the owner of Nuovo Vesuvio, a local Italian restaurant that is the favorite hangout place of Tony and his crew. He is well aware of Tony's occupation, and the mob business both excited and repelled him. He got angry over Tony's decision to burn down his restaurant in order to prevent a planned hit. He decided to forgive Tony, however, and he built a bigger and more prosperous restaurant.