Al Giardello

Alphonse Michael Giardello, Sr. is a fictional character from the television drama Homicide: Life on the Street. The character was played by Yaphet Kotto. He is based on Baltimore Police Department Shift Lieutenant Gary D'Addario, a member of the BPD homicide unit described in David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets which served as the inspiration for the series as a whole. Al Giardello — nicknamed "Gee" after the only thing he... More

Alphonse Michael Giardello, Sr. is a fictional character from the television drama Homicide: Life on the Street. The character was played by Yaphet Kotto. He is based on Baltimore Police Department Shift Lieutenant Gary D'Addario, a member of the BPD homicide unit described in David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets which served as the inspiration for the series as a whole. Al Giardello — nicknamed "Gee" after the only thing he could say when called to his first murder scene as a rookie as well as a reference to his last name — is the commander of the Homicide unit shift followed by the series. Holding the rank of Lieutenant, he encounters a number of opportunities for promotion during the series, only to have his hopes dashed by the political maneuvering of his superiors. He is introduced early in the series as a widower of mixed Sicilian American and African American heritage. He originates from Southeast Baltimore, where his father was from Baltimore's Little...

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