Characters in GTA Vice City

A number of recurring characters appear during various missions or cut scenes in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Prominent characters are listed here in rough order of appearance. (The order in which some of these characters appear in-game depends upon the sequence in which the player completes certain missions.) Note also that facts covered in this article is as of the release of GTA Vice City in 2002, and as such, primarily discusses the characters based on information in Vice City and earlier Grand Theft Auto games. For information on listed characters in later Grand Theft Auto games, see their respective "see also" link(s) at the end of each section (when available).

Central characters

Tommy Vercetti

• Introduced in: Introduction (GTA VC)

Tommy Vercetti is the protagonist and playable character of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Prior to events in Vice City, Vercetti had previously worked as a member of the Forelli Family of the Liberty City Mafia. In 1971, he was sent by Sonny Forelli to kill a man in the Harwood District, but as he arrived 11 men ambushed him. Vercetti was forced to kill them all, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence for multiple counts of homicide. He also earned the title "Harwood Butcher".

Fresh out of prison in 1986, Vercetti, at the age of 35, is keen to start work again for the Forelli family, and is immediately dispatched by Don Sonny Forelli to Vice City to participate in a crucial introductory drug deal. When an ambush of the deal by a group of masked assailants results in Vercetti losing both the money and the drugs, he sets out to find and kill the party responsible.

Tommy Vercetti is voiced by Ray Liotta.

Sonny Forelli

• Introduced in: Introduction (GTA VC)
• Last appearance: Keep Your Friends Close...(Killed)

Sonny Forelli is the main antagonist of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. He is the head of the Forelli crime family, a major crime family in Liberty City. Tommy Vercetti was one of his trusted men, but he became afraid of Vercetti's growing power. He orchestrated the Harwood massacre, sending Tommy on what was supposed to be a simple hit. Instead, there were assassins waiting for Tommy. Tommy managed to survive, but was put in prison for 15 years.

At the start of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Tommy has just been released from prison. Sonny, who believes that Tommy's presence and notoriety will bring the law down on the Mafia, sends him to Vice City to oversee a cocaine deal. When the deal goes wrong and unknown assailants make off with both the drugs and the money, he orders Tommy to retrieve both.

Sonny Forelli was voiced by Tom Sizemore.

Ken Rosenberg

• Introduced in: Introduction (GTA VC)
• Last appearance: Keep Your Friends Close...

Ken Rosenberg is a lawyer, and the contact in Vice City for the Liberty City Mob. He is suspected to have cheated his way through law school, and has defended Mafia associates in court, including Sonny Forelli's cousin Georgio.

He is supposed to mediate the cocaine deal, and narrowly escapes with Tommy Vercetti when it goes wrong.

Ken Rosenberg is voiced by Bill Fichtner.

Lance Vance

• Introduced in: Introduction (GTA VC)
• Last appearance: Keep Your Friends Close...(Killed)

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Lance Vance arrived in Vice City in 1984, and became one of the heads of the Vance Crime Family along with his brother Victor. However, during a cocaine sale to the Forelli Family, both parties were ambushed by the Diaz' Gang, and Victor was killed. Seeing Tommy Vercetti, the lone surviving member of the Forelli Family, as his best route to take revenge, Lance began buddying up to Tommy. He appears cool and collected on the surface, although below that he's impulsive and emotionally insecure.

Lance Vance was voiced by Miami Vice star Philip Michael Thomas, as another one of Vice City's many references to Miami Vice.

Main Characters

Juan Cortez

• Introduced in: The Party
• Last appearance: All Hands On Deck

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Colonel Juan García Cortez is a Cultural attaché. He is believed to facilitate trade in all areas of criminal activity, including, but not limited to, narcotics, firearms, weapons and military secrets. In his own country, he has been sentenced to death 9 times, but always survives and gets promoted.

Cortez has diplomatic immunity which is an asset when the cops are bugging his house. He has somehow survived up to 30 coups in his native country. Cortez likes to eat endangered species and considers this to be fine living. He lives with his daughter, a widower. He has a long term dislike for French secret service.

Colonel Cortez was voiced by Robert Davi.

Ricardo Diaz

• Introduced in: The Party
• Last appearance: Rub Out(Killed)

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Ricardo Diaz is a Gun Collector and is always armed. He has a private army/militia and is heavily guarded at all times. He has been involved in long running battle for control of Narcotics business in Vice City.

Diaz is known to have bribed police and officials within the town. He is feared due to his reputation for unpredictable behaviour and is thought to be responsible for 18 murders.

Ricardo Diaz is an extremey dangerous character. He bribed INS for Green card in 1978. He entered the country from Colombia. Contacts in Colombia believe he is a major player in narcotics industry and anti-government activity. Diaz is an extremely popular philanthropist. Gives to various Ricardo Diaz foundations and Central and South America. All are believed to be a front. He is extremely short, believed to suffer from Napoleon complex. Medical records show he has over-active glands and sweats more than is socially acceptable.

Ricardo Diaz was voiced by Luis Guzmán.

Kent Paul

• Introduced in: The Party
• Last appearance: Keep Your Friends Close...(Voice)

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Kent Paul is a young man from the UK, probably from London. He claims to work in the music business, but has no known employment, his INS papers are not in order, and although he claims to be a criminal mastermind no criminal record has been found.

Kent Paul is known to frequent the Malibu Club. Although he has no criminal record of his own, he has been described as "having his nose up the ass of most of Vice City" and is known to be a good source of information about the criminal goings-on in Vice City's underworld. He seems to have contacts in certain SWAT divisions, and is frequently seen together with SWAT in bars. He goes frequently to Malibu Club virtually every night.

Kent Paul was voiced by Danny Dyer.

Avery Carrington

• Introduced in: The Party
• Last appearance: Shakedown (GTA VC)

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Avery Carrington is a Texas property maganate and real estate developer. He likes to talk about his father and The Good Old Days . He is an extreme capitalist. Avery is suspected of doing anything to manipulate property prices and land value, including, but not limited to arson, rioting, bribery, intimidation and murder.

Avery always wears a cowboy hat. He is believed to be involved in several developments and slum-clearance programs. He is a known guest of Colonel Juan García Cortez. He uses Ken Rosenberg for legal advice who is a possibly weak link. Avery's hair is suspected to be fake.

Avery Carrington was voiced by Burt Reynolds.

Umberto Robina

• Introduced in: Stunt Boat Challenge
• Last appearance: Trojan Voodoo

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Umberto Robina is the Vice City's Cuban warlord. He has a long term feud with Haitian criminals and wants control of their turf. He is an extremely strong macho man. Umberto wants to wage a full scale war with the Haitians. He has never implicated in a crime personally. Umberto Robina's bravery has been questioned within Cuban circles.

Umberto Robina was voiced by Danny Trejo.

Auntie Poulet

• Introduced in: Juju Scramble
• Last appearance: Dirty Lickin's

Auntie Poulet is an elderly Haitian matriarch. She is believed to be involved in a long term feud with Cuban crime families for control of eastern and downtown Vice City. Poulet is heavily protected by Haitian thugs at all times.

Auntie Poulet was voiced by Youree Cleomili Harris, better known as infamous "psychic hotline" spokeswoman Miss Cleo.

Steve Scott

• Introduced in: The Party
• Last appearnce: G-Spotlight

Steve Scott is Film Director spotted at various parties where organized crime carries on. He is thought to be seeking any money he can to finance his films. He shows an unnatural obsession with sharks and mountains of mashed potatoes.

Steve Scott was voiced by Dennis Hopper.

Mitch Baker

• Introduced in: Alloy Wheels of Steel
• Last appearance: Hog Tied

"Big" Mitch Baker is a Vietnam veteran and motorcycle enthusiast. He has won the Purple Heart award for killing a village full of Vietcong. His extreme bitterness at treatment of veterans has led to violent clashes with authority. He has been jailed on 13 occasions. His character has been described in Rockstar Games's official website as a lawless degenerate sociopath. Big Mitch Baker's hobbies include bar sports, fighting, Pinball, Pool, eating live animals, Hard Rock music, wrestling, racing motorbikes, urinating in public places and scaring police.

Big Mitch Baker is believed to have been implicated in several civil disturbances. He runs the local gang of Bikers and is believed to be implicated in Narcotics distribution. He has extreme loyalty within his gang, the Bikers. His initiation rituals for the Biker Gang preclude getting a man on inside. Big Mitch Baker is known loathing for soft rock, Communists and wigs.

Big Mitch Baker is 6'4" in height Was born in 1944.

Throughout the game, Mitch makes numerous angry phone calls to local radio stations, complaining that they play too much hair metal and not enough hard rock.

Mitch Baker was voiced by Lee Majors.

Phil Cassidy

• Introduced in: The Shootist
• Last appearance: Boomshine Saigon

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Phil Cassidy is a redneck arms dealer. He is believed to be involved in weapons trade. Phil is a gun enthusiast and a member of various second amendment organizations and various Vice City gun clubs. Sources suggest he also distills boomshine in his own stills. Phil is fighting a war with Mexican gun-running gangs.

Phil Cassidy is linked with Cam Jones. Jones and Cassidy are believed to have worked together numerous times although Cassidy has avoided convictions. He is a degenerate and a patriot. It is also believed that Cassidy claims to have served in various divisions although Army records show he was repeatedly rejected for service drunkenness and an unsuitable temperament for combat.

Phil Cassidy was voiced by Gary Busey.

Mercedes Cortez

• Introduced in: The Party
• Last appearnce: Dildo Dodo

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Mercedes Cortez is Colonel Cortez's wayward daughter. She is initially set up as a possible love interest for Tommy Vercetti, but this plot line is never fully explored. Tommy is first introduced to her during a party aboard the Colonel's yacht. Afterwards, she asks Tommy to give her a ride to the Pole Position Club, Vice City's largest strip club which Tommy ends up owning. On another occasion, she has sex with the band Love Fist. She becomes involved in the porn film industry, co-starring with Candy Suxxx in a film directed by Steve Scott and produced by Vercetti and his movie studio.

Hidden and unused phone conversation between Tommy and Mercedes revealed that there were originally intentions by the game developer to include a deeper relationship between the two characters. Audio files of Mercedes' phone calls usually have to deal with the fact that she wants to "spend some time alone with Tommy" when she is mad, happy or bored. One particular phone conversation is thought to be triggered after the killing of Ricardo Diaz, in which Mercedes praises Tommy for being a real man for killing Ricardo, while Tommy attempts to cover the incident by saying that Diaz died in a fire in his mansion.

Mercedes Cortez was voiced by Fairuza Balk.

Minor Characters

Rico

Rico is a member of the Cuban Gang who assists Tommy Vercetti in his quest to wipe out the Haitian Gang. Like Umberto Robina, he constantly talks about men with "cojones", at first taunting Tommy and then praising him, as Tommy successfully completes a mandatory boating challenge as an initiation to the Cuban Gang. He was part of the Cuban Gang enforcers who invaded the Haitian Drugs Factory and stole a large amount of their cocaine. In another mission, he drives Tommy on his boat to ambush a drug transaction. He is seemingly killed during the transaction sabotage when a concealed Haitian Gang member blew up the boat that he was driving.

In Trojan Voodoo it is revealed that Rico survived but it is unknown how he survived.

Harry and Lee

Harry & Lee are two members of the Forelli Family. They were both sent away to Vice City with Tommy Vercetti to do some drug business, but they are both gunned down and killed, along with Victor Vance.

Donald Love

Donald Love, previously depicted as an influential media tycoon in Grand Theft Auto III, makes two minor appearanlces as an eager, young apprentice of real estate mogul, Avery Carrington, learning the tricks of the trade. The Vice City rendition of the character has little voice acting; Love remains silent throughout his appearances, and his second appearance sees him uttering only one or two minor words before being interrupted by Carrington.

Leo Teal

Leo Teal is a member of the Cuban gang, and has been known to work for Mr. Black. Rockstar Games have stated that he has a very complicated social life. He works in restaurant business and is a communications expert. The cops find it difficult to get a working tap on his phones.

Leo is believed to be working as a hitman in Vice City. Leo has a possible involvement in narcotics trade. Likely, both "Mr. Black" and "Mr. Teal" are references to Reservoir Dogs, where the main characters are also named after colors.

Love Fist

Love Fist is a hair metal band consisting of Jezz Torrent, Percy, Dick and Willy. The four of them are Scottish and bisexual, and believed to be cross-dressers. In 1986 they are on tour in Vice City.

Alberto Robina

Alberto Robina is the father of Umberto Robina, who is seen at Café Robina in Little Havana. He makes appearances in several cut-scenes, his only four lines are ("Si,men?"; "He called you dumb, son"; "No problemo, Tommy" and "Umberto, my son what happened?" and greeting Vercetti as he visits) and he works at Café Robina. He, like his son, is personally on good terms with Tommy Vercetti and regards him as Cuban. Umberto is protective of his father and mostly stays at the shop to look after him.

Pepe

Pepe is another member of the Cuban Gang. He assisted Tommy by helping him to blow up the Haitan drug factory.

Gonzalez

Gonzalez works for Colonel Juan García Cortez in various capacities. Gonzalez has diplomatic immunity, and his visa is believed to be issued as a Health and Fitness Commission. Gonzalez's character is described as greedy because he is known to take bribes. He has been seen leaving property of Diaz without Cortez which could be a possible weakness in Cortez's operation.

Gonzalez has problems with his weight. He is formerly very active in the Vice City underworld and now spends a lot of his time in his penthouse, away from Cortez.

Hilary King

Hilary King is an expert driver believed to have worked with Cam Jones and Phil Cassidy. His character is described as neurotic and a compulsive eater. Psychological profiling reveals obsession with abandonment issues. He has red, ginger hair. Hilary comes from a stable family background.

Hilary was voiced by Charles Tucker.

Cam Jones

Cam Jones claims to be an expert safe cracker but his expertise is dubious. In Vice City, Cam is currently awaiting trial for an attempted robbery. He was caught running down the street with a safe he could not open. He is likely to get 10 years in jail. Cam is a confirmed Kleptomaniac. The Police believe he often works with Phil Cassidy.

Cam Jones has a legal representation from Rosenberg and Associates and is certain to be sent down because Rosenberg can get even an innocent man sent away and Jones is known to be guilty. Jones is thought to have issues with women and bank managers.

Cam Jones is voiced by Greg Sims.

Mike

Mike (Dubbed Mike the Goon in the manual) is a member of Vercetti's Gang (formerly Diaz's Gang). He can be seen in "The Party" accompanying Ricardo Diaz in the Colonel Cortez's party. He later seen working in Cop Land. In the mission, Lance Vance is yelling at him for messing up an explosive attack on the Tarbrush Café in the North Point Mall. Vercetti formulates a plan B, which involves Mike stealing a squad car (which can be found behind the lockup) while he and Lance ambushed two officers for their uniforms, so that they can use them as a disguse. Mike is not seen again, but accompanies Lance Vance as off-screen backup in Hit The Courier.

Mike the Goon was voiced by Robert Cihra.

Cougar and Zeppelin

Cougar and Zeppelin are members of the VC Biker Gang. They are playing pool with "Big" Mitch Baker when Tommy first arrives to the Greasy Chopper Bar. Baker tells Tommy that he must defeat Cougar, Zeppelin and another biker in a motorcycle race to earn their trust. Cougar is seen again in the "Messing with the Man" mission. He is arm wrestling with Mitch.

Cougar was voiced by Blayne Perry.

BJ Smith

BJ Smith is the is the former star Tight End for Vice City Mambas. He has a very successful career in Professional Football, but he is haunted by problems off the field. He is famous for hurting opponents and now runs a celebrity endorsed used car lot, which the cops believe may be a front. He is thought to sell stolen vehicles and is believed to be heavily in debt with loan sharks and is now doing anything for money.

Candy Suxxx

Candy Suxxx (real name Candice Shand) is a porn star and escort. She wears a bikini with a United States flag motif, and red high-heeled shoes. She works as an escort out of the Downtown area; Congressman Alex Shrub is a regular of hers.

On recommendation Tommy Vercetti hires her as a feature actor at the InterGlobal Studios pornography studio after killing her "manager". He further uses pictures of her in a blackmail sting against Congressman Shrub, and spotlights a giant image of her breasts against the side of a building as advertisement.

Candy Suxxx would eventually rise to national fame as a pornographic actress, as she is featured on posters and video covers of several pornographic movies in Vice City (Bite, Closer Encounters), San Andreas (Vinewood Call Girls, This Can't Be Legal, Return of the Anaconda) and Liberty City Stories (Let Me Bounce), while billboards erected to her likeness are featured in Los Santos and Las Venturas in San Andreas. By the year 2002 she had left the pornography business and became an educator and philanthropist.

Candy Suxxx was voiced by real-life porn star Jenna Jameson, and was modeled after fitness model April Hunter.

Alex Shrub

Alex Shrub is an extreme Right Wing congressman. He is happily married. He is a known philanderer and will do anything for votes. Rockstar Games have stated that he is power obsessed, a usual politician. Alex Shrub is expected to go very far.

Congressman Alex Shrub was voiced by Chris Lucas.

Maude Hanson

Maude Hanson (dubbed "Maude the Ice Cream Lady" in the Vice City manual) is the owner of the Cherry Popper Ice Cream Factory before Tommy Vercetti purchases her business. Featured in only one cut scene, she claims that her business serves as a front for selling "other, non-dairy products." Maude also exhibits psychotic hatred towards children and uses stereotypes of children claiming that they're disgusting, spoiled and bratty. She is also believed to have once run a children's home.

Maude the Ice Cream Lady was voiced by Jane Gennaro.

Delores

Delores is a middle-aged dispatcher at the Kaufman Cabs taxi company. Appearing in one cut scene, she introduces the company and its dealings (competing aggressively against a rival taxi company) after Tommy purchases the business. Delores may also be heard on the dispatch radio of Kaufman Cab taxis.

It's Delores who dubs Tommy's gang as "The Vercetti Gang", since she says that the Kaufman Cabs have been bought about 20 times by gangs and she needs to tell the employees what gang is controlling Kaufman Cabs now.

The Taxi Controller was voiced by Blondie lead singer Deborah Harry.

Earnest Kelly

Earnest Kelly (dubbed "Old Man Kelly" in the Vice City manual) is the manager of the Print Works bordering Little Havana and Little Haiti, which is purchased by Tommy Vercetti. Having worked at the Print Works for a long time, Earnest has always printed counterfeit money, albeit on a small scale. With the help of Tommy, Earnest acquires high quality printing plates to produce better counterfeit money in a larger scale, eventually generating millions for Vercetti. It also appears that Tommy has a soft spot for the old man, as his own father managed a similar printing press when Vercetti was younger. Tommy seems to bond with Earnest and shows extreme concern and anger when Earnest is injured by Forelli family enforcers who have come to take "their cut." It is implied that these injuries were relatively minor and Earnest is later revealed to have survived the attack; some time after the final mission, Tommy receives a phone call from Earnest, who is recovering well from his injuries.

Old Man Kelly was voiced by George Dicenzo.

Dwaine and Jethro

Dwaine and Jethro were workers at the Viceport Boatyard, which is involved in building boats that may transport drugs. Appearing in one cut scene, their names were never mentioned in game, but inspection of Vice City's credits in the manual and internal files reveals their first names. It is not until San Andreas, where they would reappear with larger roles, that their names are mentioned. Dwaine's name is spelled "Dwayne" in the game's data files and credits. It appears that they left the Boatyard after Tommy Vercetti took it over, however, they can be seen watching Tommy in the Checkpoint Charlie mission.

Dwayne was voiced by Navid Khonsari, while Jethro was voiced by John Zurhellen.

Pastor Richards

Pastor Richards, first name unknown, is a maniac firebrand preacher, obsessed with money. Rockstar Games have stated that he has written several awful books which are all completely fabricated and most given away. Pastor is obsessed with degenerates and has been campaigning to build a large statue in his own image. He has been attempting to bribe officials at NASA for rocket technology. He is believed to be embezzling money from the fund for a private mansion in Hawaii.

Pastor Richards is a possible polygamist. He hates people who help others and he is a fervent Anti-Communist. He is obsessed with nuclear winter. His characteristics are described as a hateful human being but menace to society uncertain at present. He is a parody of many 80s right-wing televangelists who flagrantly failed to practice what they preached.

He was voiced by David Green.

Carl Pearson

Carl Pearson is a pizza deliverer from the Well Stacked Pizza restaurant in Vice Point. He must drive a Pizza Boy scooter around Vice City and supply 50 pizzas. Tommy Vercetti kills him on order Mr. Black, who seems to believe Tommy is Leo Teal. The cause of this murder is unknown.

Dick Tanner

Dick Tanner is a member of an unnamed European gang, under cover in Vice City as a member of the Patrol Invest Group.