Frank Sivero, who played mobster Frankie Carbone in Goodfellas, claims that Simpsons writers living next to him in 1989 imitated his character for animated hoodlum Louie

Alongside Bumblebee Man, Doctor Colossus and German exchange student Uter Zorker, Louie is one of the more minor members of The Simpsons universe. He occasionally menaces Springfieldians at the behest of mob boss Fat Tony and he doesn’t even get a surname. But minor or not, he’s now at the heart of a $250m lawsuit, after Goodfellas actor Frank Sivero has claimed the Simpsons writers stole his likeness for the character.

Sivero played Frankie Carbone in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 mobster drama, memorably getting upbraided by Robert De Niro’s James for being too flashy with his money. The suit claims that Sivero was familiar to Simpsons producer James L Brooks, and that he lived next to writers of The Simpsons in 1989 as he was preparing for Goodfellas: “They saw each other almost every day ... they were aware the entire character of Frankie Carbone was created and developed by Sivero, who based this character on his own personality.” Sivero claims the Carbone character entirely as his own, and says he wasn’t working from a script.

Apparently quoting The Simpsons Wiki page for Louie, the suit then claims: “Louie’s appearance and mannerisms are strongly evocative of character actor Frank Sivero.” The pair do clearly share a shock of black curls, heavy brow and wiseguy attitude.

Sivero is claiming the money on the grounds of the producers appropriating his “confidential idea” for the character, as well as for “loss of likeness” and being subsequently typecast. He also claims that Gracie Films, The Simpsons’ production company, promised him that he “would be part of the future” and that they would make a film together, which never transpired. Fox is yet to comment on the suit.

The actor, who also appeared in the Godfather Part II, hasn’t been seen on screen since 2008’s crime B-movie Hotel California, but has kept busy with other extracurricular litigation. In July, he sued a deli in El Cajon, California, for creating a ‘Frankie Carbone’ sandwich without his permission.