Mad Men Continued: What Happened to Salvatore Romano?

Exploring Sal's life after 1963

For the most part, Mad World is a way for me to explore Mad Men as it relates to our own lives. I continuously make reference to not becoming absorbed in the past.

But there is so much of the past we do not know. Sometimes we imagine our own past to fill that void.

I often ask other fans what they believe happened to Salvatore Romano after he was let go from Sterling Cooper due to his sexuality. Fans went on hoping for four seasons that he would reappear but we never again see him and discover his fate.

The last shot of Sal in Mad Men. Season 3: Episode 9 - “Wee Small Hours” (© AMC/Lionsgate)

“He was one of the first rioters at Stonewall.”

“His work in directing gets him into The Factory with Andy Warhol.”

“Sal stays in the closet and moves to another city to start the whole thing over again.”

It is interesting to explore a possible future based on the rich history we are given of these characters.

I am going explore Sal’s life through the eyes of writer Ken Cosgrove. This is the first of a series of posts I’ll be doing called “Accounts by Ken Cosgrove” that are written from the perspective of Ken reflecting on his years in advertising and those he worked with. These will be my thoughts about where life took each took character after Mad Men ended.

Here is Ken’s chapter on the life of art director, closeted homosexual, and friend Salvatore Romano.