| Salvatore "Sal" Romano | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrayed by | Bryan Batt |
| First appearance | Smoke Gets in Your Eyes |
| Final appearance | Wee Small Hours |
| Details | |
| Gender | Male |
| DOB | 1928 |
| Employer | Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency (formerly) |
| Occupation | Art director |
| Residence | New York City, NY |
| Relations | |
| Wife | Kitty Romano |
| Parent(s) | Mrs. Romano (mother) |
Biography[]
Salvatore "Sal" Romano worked for the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency advertising agency. ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") Sal was an Italian-American from Baltimore, MD and a closeted gay man. Lois Sadler had a crush on him and he also received advances from Elliot Lawrence, a salesman for Belle Jolie, and Lee Garner, Jr., owner of Lucky Strike cigarettes. Sal did not engage in any homosexual activity, however.
Sal married Kitty Romano, also from Baltimore, between seasons 1 and 2. It was implied that he had a crush on Ken Cosgrove. ("The Gold Violin")
On a business trip, Don Draper witnessed Sal in a compromising situation with a male bellhop, the first time Sal allowed himself to give into his sexual desires. To Sal's relief, Don did not mention or ask Sal about the incident. Instead, Don pitched the slogan "Limit Your Exposure" as both an idea for an advertisement and as advice for Sal's personal life. ("Out of Town") After the incident Don gave Sal's career a boost when he suggested that Sal should direct a commercial for Patio Cola. ("The Arrangements")
Sal's wife became frustrated by Sal's refusal to have sex with her, and began to suspect that he was gay after seeing his enthusiastic description of Ann-Margret's performance in Bye Bye, Birdie as part of his work for his new Patio Cola commercial.
He was eventually fired from Sterling Cooper when he brushed off Lee Garner, Jr.'s advances. Garner was angered and Roger Sterling and Don Draper fired Sal to keep the $25,000,000 Lucky Strike account with Don expressing anger that Sal refused to sleep with Garner. Sal is last seen at a truck stop, with the implication that he was there to meet a man for a sexual encounter. ("Wee Small Hours")
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