Podcast appearances and mentions of Frank Costello

The Godfather 1 & 2, Any Given Sunday Rush Hour 2I just read on impactful book called : Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & The Mob! I read it cover to cover because it was intense & fascinating.Actor Gianni Russo has led an intriguing life.Gianni Russo was a handsome 25-year-old mobster with no acting experience when he walked onto the set of The Godfather and entered Hollywood history. He played Carlo Rizzi, the husband of Connie Corleone, who set her brother Sonny—played by James Caan—up for a hit. Russo didn't have to act—he knew the mob inside and out: from his childhood in Little Italy, where Mafia legend Frank Costello took him under his wing.Along the way, Russo befriended Frank Sinatra, who became his son's godfather, and Marlon Brando, who mentored his career as an actor after trying to get Francis Ford Coppola to fire him from The Godfather. Russo had passionate affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli, and scores of other celebrities. He went on to become a producer and starred in The Godfather: Parts I and II, Seabiscuit, Any Given Sunday and Rush Hour 2, among many other films.Hollywood Godfather is a no-holds-barred account of a life filled with violence, glamour, sex—and fun.Gianni Russo Wines launched nationally in 2009. And he has an expanded product line coming out this year.Born in Manhattan and raised in Little Italy and Staten Island, Russo overcame polio as a child to start his first “business” at the tender age of twelve, selling pens and erasers on the street corners. At eighteen Russo made his first trip to Miami, where he began to dabble in show-business, working in nightclubs and hotspots before deciding to pursue acting and move to Hollywood.His Book: Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & the Mob is an eye-opening read.All Rights Reserved © 2025© 2025 Building Abundant Success!!Join Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

The writer and podcaster Will Sloan returns for a show about Robert De Niro's latest film, Barry Levinson's The Alto Knights, where he plays two parts on screen, the mob boss Frank Costello and his hotheaded rival Vito Genovese, and their decades-long struggle for control of the New York mafia.The Alto Knights was the pet project of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who brought this expensive vanity production to the screen seemingly as a personal favour to the veteran screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, a film made by elderly creatives that flopped hard at the box office on release. So why this project? And why is Robert De Niro playing both lead parts? This is what Will and I wanted to know, and so we discuss the failures of The Alto Knights along with a look at De Niro's public persona as one of Trump's biggest haters and how he can still deliver as a great actor from time to time, depending on the director. Over 30% of all Junk Filter episodes are only available to patrons of the podcast. To support this show directly and to receive access to the entire back catalogue, consider becoming a patron for only $5.00 a month (U.S.) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/junkfilterFollow Will Sloan on Twitter and Bluesky and subscribe to his wonderful podcasts The Important Cinema Club and Michael and Us.Will's new book Ed Wood: Made in Hollywood USA (OR Books) can be purchased now! Trailer for The Alto Knights (Barry Levinson, 2025)

Barry Levinson er tilbage med en rigtig spillefilm. Robert De Niro spiller igen gangster. Vi skal tilbage til 30'erne og 50'ernes USA og følge historien om Frank Costello og Vito Genovese. To gangsterbosser, der startede som venner, men endte som fjender. Kan The Alto Knights overkomme et bizart casting-valg og et lavt budget og levere endnu en klassisk gangsterfilm? https://www.ikassenshow.dk/2025/04/i-kassen-1153-alto-knights-2025.html

On The Mark with Howard Mark Rubin, Episode 7 In this episode of On The Mark, Howard Mark Rubin speaks with Gianni Russo, an actor, singer and author. Gianni is best known for his role as Carlo in "The Godfather." Tune in to the episode to hear about: Gianni's philanthropy, diverse career, and contributions to entertainment industry Fascinating stories about Gianni's connections with notable figures like Frank Costello, Marlon Brando, and Frank Sinatra, and how these relationships influenced his life and career The dramatic circumstances around Gianni's casting in "The Godfather" and his subsequent friendship with Marlon Brando, who initially tried to have him fired from the film The mob's impact on entertainment and business, including Gianni's personal experiences with organized crime figures and events The importance of adaptability and change, concluding the podcast with a motivational quote from baseball legend Nolan Ryan about the necessity of being open to change for success Learn more about Gianni Russo: Visit Gianni's website: https://www.giannirusso.com *********************************** On The Mark with Howard Mark Rubin: This podcast series addresses our rapidly changing world and how it is affecting industries and people in unique and interesting ways. As John F. Kennedy once said, change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. The business leaders and personalities who are interviewed in these podcasts all look to the future. We hope our listeners and viewers come away with information and inspiration that help them adapt in both their business and personal lives. Watch more episodes of On The Mark: YouTube:    / @goetzplatzer   Website: https://goetzplatzer.com SoundCloud:   / 6tkws6vb8khev7um6   Connect and learn more from your host, Howard Mark Rubin: Connect with Howard on LinkedIn:   / howardrubingf   Call: 212-695-7753 Email: hrubin@goetzplatzer.com

Send us a textBrothers Paul & Pete review "Snow White", the controversial remake of the Disney animated classic. This film stars Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and Emilia Faucher and directed by Marc Webb.Next, they review "Novocaine", an action dark comedy starring Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder.Then, Paul reviews the newest Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp collaboration, "Black Bag". This CIA spy thriller stars Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, and Pierce Brosnan.Next, they review the big budget Netflix movie "The Electric State", directed by the Russo Brothers and written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, and Simon Stalenhag. The movie stars Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Woody Harrelson, and Ke Huy Quan.Then, Paul reviews "Alto Knights", a new gangster film from the makers of Goodfellas, Director Barry Levinson and Producer Irwin Winkler. The film stars Robert DeNiro playing the dual roles of Frank Costello and Vito Genovese.Next, Pete reviews "In the Lost Lands", starring Milla Jovovich, Dave Bautista, and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.Then, Paul reviews "Magaizine Dreams", winner of the Sundance Film Festival and starring Jonathan Majors.Next, Paul reviews "Ash", a mind-bending Sci-fi thriller directed by White Lotus and starring Eiza Gonzalez and Aaron Paul.And lastly, Pete give his review of "Last Breath", based on a true story, and starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole.To listen on Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aaaction-podcast/id1634666134To listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1L78fn3C6RlKKdUihtiLyR?si=f31450db95724290Please make sure to like and subscribe to the Aaaction Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzJFoiUHvdbaHaiIfN37BaQ#aaactionpodcast #podcast #film #movie #moviereview #moviepodcast #newmovie  #amc #amctheatres #alist #amcpass #snowhite #disney #snowwhiteandsevendwarfs #novocaine #blackbag #thriller #electricstate #netflix #Altoknights #gangster #robertdeniro #inthelostlands #magazinedreams #bodybuilding #Ash #scifi #lastbreath 

In this bonus episode of Gangland Wire, I follow up on my interview with Mafia historian Anthony DeStefano to discuss New York City's organized crime more. One of the most significant topics Anthony and I covered was the Alto Nights social club. This was not only the title, but also the central character in the recent Mafia film written by Goodfellas scribe Nicholas Pileggi, who starred Robert De Niro in dual roles. Gary sets the record straight on two pivotal New York crime hangouts—the Ravenite Social Club and the Alto Knights Social Club—which the media frequently confuse. The Ravenite at 247 Mulberry, tied to Carlo Gambino, played a crucial role in his rise to power after Albert Anastasia's assassination. Meanwhile, the Alto Knights Social Club, at 86 Kenmarre, emerged from the old Cafe Royale, a well-known bookmaking hub, solidifying its place in Genovese family history. Only three blocks separated these clubs, but they were miles apart in Mafia history. Listeners will hear about notorious gangsters who frequented the Alto Knights, including Vito Genovese, Michael Miranda, and infamous enforcer Buster Ardito. Through historical anecdotes and law enforcement surveillance records, this episode paints a vivid picture of mob life—its power struggles, criminal enterprises, and the relentless pursuit by federal authorities. Click the link on Anthony DeStefano's name to see his mob books. Subscribe to get gangster stories weekly Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to "buy me a cup of coffee" To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent Brothers against Brothers, the documentary, click here.  To rent Gangland Wire, the documentary, click here To buy my Kindle book, Leaving Vegas: The True Story of How FBI Wiretaps Ended Mob Domination of Las Vegas Casinos. To subscribe on iTunes click here. Please give me a review and help others find the podcast. Donate to the podcast. Click here! Transcript [0:00] Well, hey, all you wiretappers. Good to be back here in Studio Gangland Wire. A little bonus episode here. Hopefully, you just listened to or watched my interview with Anthony DeStefano, who had these books about Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, and from which Nick Pileggi researched to write his screenplay for the most recent movie that's just released, Alto Nights, It's a pretty interesting movie. We haven't seen a movie about the mob in the 50s since the 50s or the 60s, I don't think. And they talk about the Alto Knight Social Club. That's what this was all about, the Alto Knight Social Club. It was a Genovese social club. But what I've noticed is there's a lot of discussion about where was this club? And there's a whole school of thought, thanks to the New York Times or another New York newspaper, were obviously conflating the Ravenite Social Club and the Alto Knights Social Club. Two different clubs. So let's look at the Ravenite, which was at 247 Mulberry Street. And what the papers are saying, that the Alto Knights name was changed by Carlo Gambino when he inherited it from Albert Anastasia after he was killed. Barbershop Quartet, if you remember, murdered him in the Barbershare most famous mob photos ever, I think. Bosley Gambino changed it to the Raven Knights, Raven Knights, like, you know. [1:26] Knights with a sword and the raven, because he loved the Edgar Allan Poe poem so much, the one called the Raven, you know, the Raven, quote, the Raven nevermore. Now, it seems kind of weird that Gambino must have been a pretty erudite, sophisticated mob boss. If you read Edgar Allan Poe and poems, you know, I remember it because it's just so immensely popular. It got to, you know, quote the Raven nevermore. It's such a great line that, you know, you've heard of it. I don't think I ever read the whole thing. It's certainly not for fun, maybe in school.

In this episode, we discuss the upcoming film ALTO KNIGHTS and the real history behind the legendary mob bosses it portrays. Frank Costello and Vito Genovese-two of the most powerful figures in organized crime- are both played by Robert De Niro. We explore their rivalry, their impact on the Mafia, and how Hollywood is bringing their story to the big screen.

In this episode of Gangland Wire, I sit down with award-winning journalist and Mafia historian Anthony DeStefano to discuss New York City's organized crime. We discuss his meticulous research on New York's most infamous mobsters and how his background in newspaper journalism has shaped his storytelling. One of the most significant topics we cover is Alto Nights, the highly anticipated Mafia film written by Goodfellas scribe Nicholas Pileggi and starring Robert De Niro in dual roles. Anthony shares how his books Top Hoodlum, which focuses on Frank Costello, and The Deadly Don: Vito Genovese Mafia Boss played a crucial role in Pileggi's research. He also gives us an inside look at the film's development, including how real-life mob history is translated to the big screen. We explore the legendary rivalry between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, diving into their power struggles, assassination attempts, and Costello's efforts to legitimize himself while staying deeply tied to organized crime. Anthony reveals new details from unseen FBI interviews, shedding light on Costello's complex underworld dealings. We also discuss Costello's mentorship under Lucky Luciano, the infamous Manhattan meeting that escalated tensions with Genovese, and how Vincent “Chin” Gigante played an unexpected role in Costello's fate. Beyond the mobsters, we also examine the women behind the Mafia men, discussing how the personalities of Costello's and Genovese's wives influenced their rise and fall. Anthony breaks down the casting choices for Alto Nights and the creative liberties taken to heighten the drama. Finally, we reflect on why the public remains fascinated with Mafia history, from books to films to documentaries. If you love true crime, mob history, and behind-the-scenes Hollywood insights, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Click the link on Anthony DeStefano's name here to see his mob books. Subscribe to gangster stories weekly Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to "buy me a cup of coffee" To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent Brothers against Brothers, the documentary, click here.  To rent Gangland Wire, the documentary, click here To buy my Kindle book, Leaving Vegas: The True Story of How FBI Wiretaps Ended Mob Domination of Las Vegas Casinos. To subscribe on iTunes click here. Please give me a review and help others find the podcast. Donate to the podcast. Click here!   Transcript [0:00] Well, welcome, all you wiretappers out there. Good to be back here in the studio of Gangland Wire. We have a show today with Anthony DeStefano. Now, any of you guys that read my books, and especially about the New York Mafia families, you probably know this name, Anthony DeStefano. And welcome, Anthony. I'm really glad to have you on the show, because you have been a huge contributor to the knowledge base of Mafia history in this country. Welcome. Well, thank you. Thank you for having me, and thank you for that very kind word. You know, I've read some of those books, and you're a good writer. You're like an old newspaper guy, right? [0:38] Well, yeah, I still am. That's right. You still are. You and, well, Nick Pileggiis an old newspaper guy. Larry McShane is a newspaper guy. There's several of you guys in New York that kind of cut your teeth on the mob news, and there's a lot of news there. And speaking of Nick Pileggi, you got involved with this movie that he's written a screenplay for called Alto Knights. It's creating quite a stir among mob fans right now. They're really anxiously waiting for this movie to come out with Robert De Niro playing two parts of [1:13] all things. I don't know how that works, but we'll see when the movie comes out. So how did you get involved with this? I'm sure you know Nick Pileggi and known him for quite a while.

Es 1957, en Nueva York. Más de 60 capos de la mafia estadounidense se reúnen para una ocasión especial: Vito Genovese está por ser nombrado el jefe absoluto. A lo lejos se escuchan sirenas acercándose con rapidez, la policía recibió una llamada y prepara una redada. A la distancia y desde su auto se encuentra el aún líder de la mafia, Frank Costello, quien decide tomar venganza contra ellos. ¿Qué ocurrió? Te lo vamos a compartir en este episodio edición especial.

Acaba de llegar a las pantallas españolas “The Alto Knights”, una película en la que Robert De Niro interpreta a dos capos de la Mafia de Nueva York, Frank Costello y Vito Genovese. Dos personajes que se vienen a sumar a la larga lista de gángsters que De Niro a interpretado en el cine y que en este episodio repasamos. Recordamos también el 60 aniversario del fallecimiento de Ladislao Vajda, un director nacido en Hungría que se convirtió en uno de los realizadores más importantes del cine español de los años 50 del siglo pasado, responsable de películas como “Marcelino, pan y vino” o “El cebo”. Charlamos con el profesor y crítico cinematográfico Fernando Molero sobre cine y educación y en la sección de Jack Bourbon dedicada al cine del Oeste tenemos esta semana un western de John Ford: “El hombre que mató a Liberty Balance” con James Stewart, John Wayne y Lee Marvin de protagonistas.

Plonge dans "The Alto Knights", le dernier film de Barry Levinson, où Robert De Niro se dédouble pour incarner deux figures emblématiques de la mafia new-yorkaise des années 1950 : Frank Costello et Vito Genovese.Le film nous entraîne dans les méandres du crime organisé, explorant la rivalité croissante entre ces deux anciens amis devenus ennemis jurés. Malgré la performance solide de De Niro, certains critiques estiment que le film peine à atteindre la profondeur des classiques du genre.Ensemble, on se penche à chaud sur les points forts et les faiblesses de "The Alto Knights", en le replaçant dans le contexte des grands films de mafia.Alors, installez-vous confortablement, préparez votre boisson préférée, et rejoignez-nous pour ce débrief sur "The Alto Knights" et la carrière impressionnante de Robert De Niro ! Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

A little birdie told us you were looking for a new episode of our Breakfast All Day podcast, so we whipped one up for you (and whistled a happy tune while we did it). We have a full slate of reviews for you this time. "Snow White" is the big movie of the week: the latest live-action reimagining of a Disney animation classic. Rachel Zegler stars as the O.G. princess, with Gal Gadot playing the Evil Queen. Lots of people are mad at this movie for a variety of ridiculous reasons. If you decide to see it for yourself, let us know what you think. It's in theaters. Also opening this week, finally, is "Magazine Dreams." This is the film that was supposed to cement Jonathan Majors' status as a major talent of our time -- then he was arrested and convicted of assault and harassment. He gives an incredible performance in a film filled with craft, if you can separate the art from the artist, and we don't blame you if you can't. It's tough. In theaters. We also catch up with the indie baseball movie "Eephus," which is a delightfully shaggy hang. Carson Lund fills the screen with eccentric characters and a rich sense of place, inspired by his baseball-obsessed youth in Nashua, NH. We both loved this movie. In limited release; find out here when it's playing near you: https://www.eephusfilm.com/ Finally, we review a movie you probably had no idea existed: "The Alto Knights," starring Robert De Niro in dual roles as New York gangsters Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. Director Barry Levinson goes through the motions in trotting out mob tropes. It's also in theaters, but you can miss this one. Thanks for hanging out with us! * Subscribe to Christy's Saturday Matinee newsletter: https://christylemire.beehiiv.com/

Hope Hopkinson talks to director Barry Levinson about his new film, The Alto Knights. Directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robert De Niro, The Alto Knights follows two of New York's most notorious organized crime bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, and how their separate paths to power place them on a deadly collision course. If you'd like to send us a voice memo for use in a future episode, please email podcast@picturehouses.co.uk. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Follow us on Spotify. Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with @picturehouses. Find our latest cinema listings at picturehouses.com.  Produced by Stripped Media. Thank you for listening. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends. Vive le Cinema.

The incredible Robert De Niro and producer Irwin Winkler talk about their new movie 'The Alto Knights'.De Niro tells Dave about how Irwin Winkler came up with the brilliant idea of Robert De Niro playing both mob bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese and how he hitchhiked in Cork when he was a teenager.

Considerado um dos melhores atores da história do cinema, Robert De Niro nunca havia interpretado dois papéis em um mesmo filme. A dupla jornada do astro é a grande atração de “The Alto Knights – Máfia e Poder”, que chega aos cinemas brasileiros nesta quinta-feira. Como o próprio nome indica, a trama gira em torno de dois mafiosos, ambos vividos por De Niro e ambos baseados em figuras reais: Frank Costello e Vito Genovese, que cresceram como grandes amigos, mas com o tempo tomam rumos diferentes e entram em conflito. Neste episódio do CPop, Carlos Corrêa e Victoria Rodrigues comentam a produção, que tem direção de Barry Levinson, de Rain Man e Bugsy. Confira o vídeo do episódio:

Sen. Chuck Schumer joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss the new Israeli strikes on Gaza, his leadership in the Senate and his new book, "Antisemitism in America: A Warning." In the book, he calls the surge in antisemitism a "five-alarm fire" that threatens democracy. "The White Lotus" heads to Thailand for season three, where luxury and drama collide. Leslie Bibb stars as Kate Bohr, a woman navigating rekindled friendships that aren't as picture-perfect as they seem. She breaks down the season's rising tensions and what fans can expect. Emmy-winning actor Debra Messing, best known for "Will & Grace," takes on a dramatic new role in "The Alto Knights." She stars as Bobbie Costello, the wife of notorious crime boss Frank Costello, played by Robert De Niro. Messing talks about the film and her experience working with the legendary actor. According to the IRS, 61.4 million tax returns have been received and more than 60.7 have been processed. CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss how to get your refund quickly, this year's average refund amount and how to invest it. Universal Music Group is asking a judge to throw out Drake's defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar's hit song "Not Like Us." The label's court filing uses strong language to defend Lamar's lyrics, escalating the ongoing feud between the hip-hop stars. Adriana Diaz reports. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Soutenez nous sur Patreon https://www.patreon.com/shitlistForfait 3€ épisode en accès anticipé sans pub Forfait 5 € épisode en accès anticipé sans Pub + Accès aux Podcasts Exclusifs Abonnez vous sur Peakgaming pour les streams jeu vidéo https://www.twitch.tv/peakgamingfrA l'occasion de la sortie du film de gangster The Alto Knights réalisé par Barry Levinson et mettant en scène Robert De Niro qui joue le rôle à la fois de Vito Genovese et Frank Costello. Nous en profitons pour vous parler du film zéro de l'exploitation des maladies et altération mentales au cinéma avec Rain Man qui a cartonné à la fin des années 80's. Un produit purement cadré pour la pêche aux prix se basant sur le cliché de l'autiste savant qui a emporté les foules et les statuettes mais fallait-il vraiment donner du crédit à ce film ? Produit avec un budget de 25 Millions de dollars par United Artists et distribué par MGM. Scénario de Barry Morrow et réécrit par Ronald Bass et réalisé par Barry Levinson accompagné à la photo par le grand John Seale responsable de la photo du Cercle des poètes disparus, La Firme, Lorenzo et Mad Max : Fury RoadMusique d'Hans Zimmer qui est pour la première fois crédité pour un film américain À la mort de son père, Charlie Babbitt interprété par Tom Cruise, vendeur de voitures italiennes, hérite d'une vieille Buick qu'il convoitait depuis longtemps par son père qui vient de décéder avec qui il n'avait plus de contact depuis des années, mais il se voit spolié de trois millions de dollars versés à l'Institution psychiatrique Wallbrook au profit d'un bénéficiaire anonyme qui se révèle être son frère caché Raymond Babbitt, un homme atteint d'autisme. Enregistré en live sur notre chaîne twitch ABONNEZ-VOUS ! Rattrapez le live sur notre chaine youtubeChroniqueur.e.es : Emmanuel.e PEUDON, Wonder Vesper et présenté par Luc LE GONIDECHost : Luc LE GONIDECMusique Jean Baptise BLAIS Montage et mixage son : Luc LE GONIDEC Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

We meet with Fox News anchor and reporter, Eric Shawn. to discuss the series Frank Costello-The Real-Life Godfather. We dive into Costello's powerful influence, his connections to the Mafia and politics, and the lasting legacy of the man they called the Prime Minister of the Mafia. Don't miss this fascinating look at one of organized crime's most notorious figures.

In this episode, Gary Jenkins interviews Kansas City-based screenwriter and author John Sanders, who brings compelling insights into the life of Owney Madden—a notorious figure in organized crime. As a former Kansas City police detective, I've always been fascinated by mob history, and John's unique perspective, intertwined with personal family stories, provides a captivating look into Madden's life. We trace Madden's journey from his early days with the Gophers gang in New York City to his days as a respected citizen in Hot Springs, Arkansas. John shares gripping tales of Madden's resilience, including surviving multiple gunshots, which underscore the brutal realities of the gangster lifestyle. Madden's transformation from street thug to savvy businessman during Prohibition paints a picture of a man whose rise to power was fueled by sharp business instincts and connections with major players like Frank Costello. Our conversation explores Madden's partnerships with colorful characters, including Big Frenchy DeMange, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky, as he navigated the cutthroat world of organized crime. From his ownership of the famed Cotton Club to his brewery, Madden's ventures reveal the strategic moves that solidified his influence in 1920s New York. We also discuss Madden's eventual downfall and the power struggles that led to dramatic events, such as Mad Dog Coll's kidnapping of Big Frenchy. This episode ultimately sealed Coll's fate. These stories shed light on the treacherous nature of mob alliances, where loyalty is fleeting and betrayals are often fatal. Finally, John delves into Madden's later years in Hot Springs, where he became a respected figure in the community. His transition from notorious gangster to local businessman highlights redemption themes and human behavior's complexities. Alongside John's family anecdotes, we discuss Hot Springs as a place of historical intrigue—a resort town with a darker past as a haven for mobsters. Tune in to this fascinating conversation on Owney Madden's life and legacy as we unravel the cultural and historical threads that make his story unforgettable. Subscribe to get new gangster stories every week. Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to "buy me a cup of coffee" To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent Brothers against Brothers, the documentary, click here.  To rent Gangland Wire, the documentary, click here To buy my Kindle book, Leaving Vegas: The True Story of How FBI Wiretaps Ended Mob Domination of Las Vegas Casinos. To subscribe on iTunes click here. Please give me a review and help others find the podcast. Donate to the podcast. Click here! Transcript [0:00] Well, hey, welcome all you wiretappers out there. It's good to be back here [0:03] in the studio of Gangland Wire. You know, this is Gary Jenkins, your host and producer of Gangland Wire podcast. I am a former retired, not former, retired Kansas City police detective and sergeant. I was in the intelligence unit for 13 years, 14 maybe altogether. [0:21] And, you know, after I left, I got into making documentary films and i made three documentary films you can find on amazon just search for my name and mafia you'll find all kinds of stuff about me and what i've done so we won't belabor that but i let's get on to the show i have a man that i recently met a kansas city man is john sanders he's a kansas city based screenwriter and author welcome john thanks carrie i appreciate it all right well john got hold of me and he just wanted to meet and talk about the mob because he had this big interest in it so we met the coffee shop here close to me and had a had a nice long conversation and and he was telling me in particular he's been working on something about only madden and i hadn't done anything on only madden or if i did it was a long time ago and the early begin...

Anthony "Little Augie" Carfano was a powerful figure in New York's mafia, rising through the ranks during Prohibition and establishing himself as a key player in the Luciano crime family, running lucrative gambling operations in New York and Miami. His loyalty to Frank Costello and refusal to align with Vito Genovese during a power struggle in the late 1950s marked him as a threat. On September 25, 1959, Carfano and socialite Janet Palermo were executed in a mafia hit likely orchestrated by Genovese. Carfano's murder symbolized the end of the old guard in the mafia and the rise of a more ruthless generation of mobsters. Despite being a significant mafia hit, the case remains unsolved, and Carfano's death is remembered as a turning point in the violent evolution of organized crime.(commercial at 9:38)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

Anthony "Little Augie" Carfano was a powerful figure in New York's mafia, rising through the ranks during Prohibition and establishing himself as a key player in the Luciano crime family, running lucrative gambling operations in New York and Miami. His loyalty to Frank Costello and refusal to align with Vito Genovese during a power struggle in the late 1950s marked him as a threat. On September 25, 1959, Carfano and socialite Janet Palermo were executed in a mafia hit likely orchestrated by Genovese. Carfano's murder symbolized the end of the old guard in the mafia and the rise of a more ruthless generation of mobsters. Despite being a significant mafia hit, the case remains unsolved, and Carfano's death is remembered as a turning point in the violent evolution of organized crime.(commercial at 9:38)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

Anthony "Little Augie" Carfano was a powerful figure in New York's mafia, rising through the ranks during Prohibition and establishing himself as a key player in the Luciano crime family, running lucrative gambling operations in New York and Miami. His loyalty to Frank Costello and refusal to align with Vito Genovese during a power struggle in the late 1950s marked him as a threat. On September 25, 1959, Carfano and socialite Janet Palermo were executed in a mafia hit likely orchestrated by Genovese. Carfano's murder symbolized the end of the old guard in the mafia and the rise of a more ruthless generation of mobsters. Despite being a significant mafia hit, the case remains unsolved, and Carfano's death is remembered as a turning point in the violent evolution of organized crime.(commercial at 9:38)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

The Godfather I & II , Seabiscuit,  Any Given Sunday Rush Hour 2Gianni's impactful book called : Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & The Mob! I read it cover to cover because it was intense & fascinating.Actor Gianni Russo has led an intriguing life. The Movie The Godfather was young Gianni's debut as an actor.The Godfather is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made, as well as a landmark of the gangster genre. It was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1990, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and is ranked the second-greatest film in American cinema (behind Citizen Kane) by the American Film Institute.Gianni Russo was a Mid- Twenties handsome  mobster with no acting experience when he walked onto the set of The Godfather and entered Hollywood history. He played Carlo Rizzi, the husband of Connie Corleone, who set her brother Sonny—played by James Caan—up for a hit. Russo didn't have to act—he knew the mob inside and out: from his childhood in Little Italy, where Mafia legend Frank Costello took him under his wing.Along the way, Russo befriended Frank Sinatra, who became his son's godfather, and Marlon Brando, who mentored his career as an actor after trying to get Francis Ford Coppola to fire him from The Godfather. Russo had passionate affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli, and scores of other celebrities. He went on to become a producer and starred in The Godfather: Parts I and II, Seabiscuit, Any Given Sunday and Rush Hour 2, among many other films.Hollywood Godfather is a no-holds-barred account of a life filled with violence, glamour, sex—and fun.Gianni Russo Wines launched nationally in 2009. And he has an expanded product line coming out this year.Born in Manhattan and raised in Little Italy and Staten Island, Russo overcame polio as a child to start his first “business” at the tender age of twelve, selling pens and erasers on the street corners. At eighteen Russo made his first trip to Miami, where he began to dabble in show-business, working in nightclubs and hotspots before deciding to pursue acting and move to Hollywood.His Book: Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & the Mob is an eye-opening read.All Rights Reserved © 2024© 2024 Building Abundant Success!!Join Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

Vincent "The Chin" Gigante was a notorious mob boss who led the Genovese crime family, one of the most powerful Mafia organizations in the United States, from the early 1980s until his arrest and conviction in the 1990s. Born in 1928 in New York City's Lower East Side, Gigante rose through the Mafia ranks by carrying out violent enforcement tasks, including a famous assassination attempt on mob boss Frank Costello in 1957.Gigante became infamous not only for his control over the Genovese family but also for his bizarre public behavior, which earned him the nickname "The Oddfather." He would often wander the streets in a bathrobe, appearing mentally unfit, which was later revealed to be a calculated act to avoid prosecution. For decades, this ruse successfully kept him out of prison as his lawyers argued he was too mentally ill to stand trial.Despite his efforts to evade justice, Gigante was eventually convicted of racketeering and other charges in 1997 and sentenced to prison, where he continued his insanity act until finally admitting it was a ruse in 2003. He died in 2005, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most enigmatic and cunning figures in organized crime history.(commercial at 11:52)to contact me:bobbyapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Today's episode of "We the 66" is with none other than "The Godfather" actor Gianni Russo, who played the drunken, abusive son Carlo Rizzi in the iconic film. Russo overcame insurmountable odds to land that role: First, he was a child with with polio, and second he had never had a movie role in his entire life. He went from zero acting experience to starring in what many consider to be the greatest movie of all time. How did he get there? Well, he would tell you it came down to his mob connections. He started working for Frank Costello as a kid and gradually rose the ranks, beating his polio and allegedly sleeping with Marilyn Monroe along the way. After starring in "The Godfather," he became a successful nightclub owner in Vegas. On one fateful eve in 1988, he shot and killed a man in his club. The bad news, Russo says, is that the guy was an underboss for Pablo Escobar. Among many others, Russo recounts the outlandish tale of going down to Colombia to see Pablo Escobar and ask for forgiveness. He says Escobar only granted him forgiveness because he loved the Godfather. We discuss the mafia's involvement with various the most important figures and events of the mid-20th century, from JFK to Ronald Reagan.

THE DEPARTED Undercover cop Billy Costigan infiltrates gangland chief Frank Costello's organization, while career criminal Colin Sullivan acts as a spy in the State Police for his syndicate boss. As both sides discover a mole, Billy and Colin must uncover each other's identities to survive. Craig, Alan and guest Brendan Agnew talk about Boston food, nasty weather, bloody falls and the movie “The Departed” on this week's Matinee Heroes! Show Notes 0:51 Craig, Alan and Brendan Agnew talk about the nasty weather down south. 7:53 Craig, Alan and Brendan discuss "The Departed" 32:04 Recasting 54:54  Double Feature 58:14 Final Thoughts 1:02:40 A preview of next week's episode "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" Next week, we talk alternative history with Quinton Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeMaP8EPAA

Jack O'Halloran : Family LegacyJack Pagano has always felt he is different. Smart and physically talented, the normal pursuits of youth―women and sports―have always come a little too easy to him and left him unfulfilled. At age seventeen, Jack is eager to leave high school and begin his college career.But the schooling that lies ahead of him is of a far different variety than he could have ever imagined.Albert Anastasia, the notorious leader of Murder, Inc., appears and claims Pagano as his son. But before Jack can make heads or tails of his new-found father, Anastasia is gunned down at the Park Sheraton Hotel.Under the tutelage of his late father's associates, Meyer Lansky and Frank Costello, Jack enters a world where crime and politics, money and murder, and the American way of life are all but a hand's breadth apart and inextricably linked.At the same time, another father is grooming his son to further his plans: Joseph Kennedy, the patriarch of what will become American's ruling dynasty, has set his sights on the White House―and with the help of some old friends in Chicago, his son, also Jack, will rise to power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

RITA GIGANTE - HEALER PSYCHIC & MEDIUM DAUGHTER OF NEW YORK MAFIA BOSS VINCENT "THE CHIN" GIGANTE RITA GIGANTE LIFE WITH THE "CHIN" Rita is an acclaimed author, healer, and psychic, who connects with her “Spirit Crew” on a journey to the answers that you have been waiting for. This show is filled with love, laughter, and a provocative tell-all about how to live your life authentically and abundantly. Plus a cameo appearance, channeled by Rita, of Vincent and Olympia Gigante! ABOUT THE "CHIN" For nearly 30 years, reputed Genovese Family crime boss Vincent Gigante pretended to be mentally ill to avoid prison. And it almost worked. An old man wandering around in his pajamas, a bathrobe, and a ratty pair of house slippers muttering nonsense to nobody in particular is a fairly typical sight in New York City, but Vincent Gigante was anything but typical. Partly because he wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in an elaborate performance of insanity, Mafia boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante eluded prosecution for decades as a supposedly unstable and incompetent man. From Wikipedia Vincent Louis Gigante - March 29, 1928 – December 19, 2005), also known as "The Chin", was an American mobster who was boss of the Genovese crime family in New York City from 1981 to 2005. Gigante started out as a professional boxer who fought in 25 matches between 1944 and 1947. He then started working as a Mafia enforcer for what was then the Luciano crime family, forerunner of the Genovese family. Gigante was one of five brothers. Three of them, Mario, Pasquale, and Ralph, followed him into the Mafia. Only one brother, Louis, stayed out of the crime family, instead becoming a Catholic priest.[1] Gigante was the shooter in the failed assassination of longtime Luciano boss Frank Costello in 1957. In 1959, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for drug trafficking, and after sharing a prison cell with Costello's rival, Vito Genovese, Gigante became a caporegime overseeing his own crew of Genovese soldiers and associates based in Greenwich Village. Gigante quickly rose to power during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1981 he became the family's boss, while Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno served as front boss during the first half of the 1980s. He also ordered the failed murder attempt of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in 1986. With the arrest and conviction of Gotti and various Gambino family members in 1992, Gigante was recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the United States. For about 30 years, Gigante feigned insanity in an effort to throw law enforcement off his trail. Dubbed "The Oddfather" and "The Enigma in the Bathrobe" by the media, Gigante often wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in his bathrobe and slippers, mumbling incoherently to himself. He was indicted on federal racketeering charges in 1990, but was determined to be mentally unfit to stand trial. In 1997, he was tried and convicted of racketeering and conspiracy, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Facing obstruction of justice charges in 2003, he pleaded guilty and admitted that his supposed insanity was an elaborate effort to avoid prosecution, as he was sentenced to an additional three years in prison. He died in the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners on December 19, 2005.

Renowned for his expertise in 19th-century history, Nevada & Las Vegas welcomes a distinguished historian to the show to delve into the rich history of Tropicana. Beginning our discussion with his experiences in Las Vegas and his tenure at The Valley Times, which intersected with organized crime, we segue seamlessly into his initial impressions upon hearing the name "Tropicana."Set to become the new home of the Las Vegas A's baseball stadium, Tropicana has a storied past intertwined with the city's underworld. Initially touted as "The Tiffany of the Strip," its true colors were revealed following a failed assassination attempt on Frank Costello in New York.From Joe Agosto's oversight of the Folies Bergere, operating without a license, to Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal's residence at the Tropicana, which sparks anecdotes about Michael's father's views on Sharon Stone's portrayal of Geri in "Casino," the property has navigated a complex path to the present day, often contending with larger competitors.The integration of a new resort alongside the baseball stadium prompts reflections on past events, such as the 1984 labor dispute that culminated in a bomb explosion in the Tropicana's parking lot. The venue has hosted a myriad of legendary performers, from Ernie Kovacs and Benny Goodman to contemporary acts like Wayne Newton and productions like "Mamma Mia." Notably, the Tropicana also served as a backdrop for iconic television shows like "Charlie's Angels" and the filming of "The Godfather" in 1972.Contemplating the announcement of the Tropicana as the stadium site, concerns arise about preserving the essence of old Las Vegas amidst the city's rapid evolution. The fate of the iconic stained-glass ceiling in the casino is pondered, along with reminiscences of what will be missed about the Tropicana.In summary, the discussion illuminates Tropicana's multifaceted history and its role in shaping the identity of Las Vegas, while also raising questions about the city's future direction and the preservation of its nostalgic landmarks.Michael Green Link:https://www.unlv.edu/people/michael-greenTropicana Links:Hotel Site (if still operational): https://casinos.ballys.com/tropicana-las-vegas/Folies Bergere Last Dance Video: https://bit.ly/4bXpRSlPhoto of Iconic Stained-Glass Ceiling: https://www.casino.org/vitalvegas/say-aint-tropicana-casino-lose-stained-glass-ceiling/Before the Lights Links:A Heartbeat & A Guitar: Johnny Cash & the Making of Bitter Tear Docuseries: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/docuseries/bitter-tearsHire Tommy to Speak: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/public-speakingBecome a BTL Member: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/supportBefore the Lights Website: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/Get Tommy a Glass of VinoSupport the showFollow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforethelightspodcast/Follow the show on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/beforethelightspodcast/Follow the show on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beforethelightspodcast?lang=enFollow Tommy on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/tcanale3Rate & Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-the-lights/id1501245041Email the host: beforethelightspod@gmail.com

One of the most famous mobsters in the history of the United States, Costello rose to the top and knew went to retire at the right time.

Our guest at this time made his name on the set of Godfather, but the life of Gianni Russo is a film of its own. During our conversation, Gianni told us stories about characters like Frank Costello, Frank Sinatra, and Robert De Niro while uncovering the history of organized crime in the United States and giving us snippets of his upcoming book "Mafia Secrets". Enjoy!

À l'assaut de la Maison Blanche ! Assassinats politiques, corruption massive, chantages sexuels, fraudes électorales, menaces de mort, pactes machiavéliques, la Cosa Nostra a appliqué des méthodes impitoyables pour infiltrer le sommet de l'État. Dans la deuxième partie de cet épisode, Gaël et Geoffroy dévoilent les relations secrètes des présidents Roosevelt, Truman et Kennedy avec la pègre et relatent les innombrables complots mafieux qui ont influé sur l'exercice du pouvoir pendant quatre décennies. Une relecture fascinante de l'histoire des Etats-Unis qui éclaire la part d'ombre de la démocratie américaine sous un nouveau jour. Musique : Thibaud R.  Habillage sonore / mixage : Alexandre Lechaux Facebook  Instagram  Twitter www.toutsavoir.fr Contact : tousparano@gmail.com  

The Godfather I & II , Seabiscuit,  Any Given Sunday Rush Hour 2Gianni's impactful book called : Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & The Mob! I read it cover to cover because it was intense & fascinating.Actor Gianni Russo has led an intriguing life. The Movie The Godfather was young Gianni's debut as an actor.The Godfather is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made, as well as a landmark of the gangster genre. It was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 1990, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and is ranked the second-greatest film in American cinema (behind Citizen Kane) by the American Film Institute.Gianni Russo was a Mid- Twenties handsome  mobster with no acting experience when he walked onto the set of The Godfather and entered Hollywood history. He played Carlo Rizzi, the husband of Connie Corleone, who set her brother Sonny—played by James Caan—up for a hit. Russo didn't have to act—he knew the mob inside and out: from his childhood in Little Italy, where Mafia legend Frank Costello took him under his wing.Along the way, Russo befriended Frank Sinatra, who became his son's godfather, and Marlon Brando, who mentored his career as an actor after trying to get Francis Ford Coppola to fire him from The Godfather. Russo had passionate affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli, and scores of other celebrities. He went on to become a producer and starred in The Godfather: Parts I and II, Seabiscuit, Any Given Sunday and Rush Hour 2, among many other films.Hollywood Godfather is a no-holds-barred account of a life filled with violence, glamour, sex—and fun.Gianni Russo Wines launched nationally in 2009. And he has an expanded product line coming out this year.Born in Manhattan and raised in Little Italy and Staten Island, Russo overcame polio as a child to start his first “business” at the tender age of twelve, selling pens and erasers on the street corners. At eighteen Russo made his first trip to Miami, where he began to dabble in show-business, working in nightclubs and hotspots before deciding to pursue acting and move to Hollywood.His Book: Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & the Mob is an eye-opening read.All Rights Reserved © 2024© 2024 Building Abundant Success!!Join Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

(***TIMESTAMPS in Description Below) ~ Gianni Russo is an actor, businessman, and author. He is most well known for playing Carlo Rizzi in the greatest movie ever made, “The Godfather.” EPISODE LINKS: - BUY GIANNI'S BOOK IN MY AMAZON STORE: https://amzn.to/3RPu952  - Julian Dorey PODCAST MERCH: https://juliandorey.myshopify.com/  - Support our Show on PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey  - Join our DISCORD: https://discord.gg/QD7VhWWV  JULIAN YT CHANNELS: - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@UChs-BsSX71a_leuqUk7vtDg  - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily  - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP  GIANNI LINKS: - INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/realgiannirusso/  - WEBSITE: https://www.giannirusso.com/  ***TIMESTAMPS*** 0:00 - Gianni's childhood; Battling Polio  9:22 - Gianni Assassination attempt; Gianni gets Stems 15:32 - Gianni meets Mafia Boss Frank Costello 23:31 - Carlo Gambino; JFK 28:05 - The 5 Families of New York; Joe Bonanno; John Gotti 34:22 - Gianni never “made”; The Vatican & the Underworld 40:33 - Sicily; Owning rights to Marlon Brando's Don Corleone from “The Godfather” 49:11 - The Sopranos backstory; Gianni's Nightclub Killing Incident 59:13 - Gianni meets Pablo Escobar 1:09:43 - Gianni in his 20s working with Frank Costello; JFK Thoughts 1:16:46 - The Mob & New York Skyscrapers; Who really got Kennedy; Fidel Castro 1:23:32 - Week before JFK; Gianni has a lot of kids 1:31:31 - Behind the scenes stories of “The Godfather 1:40:46 - Little Italy & the Mob during “The Godfather” Days 1:44:50 - Did Gianni think “The Godfather” would be as big as it was?; Gianni & Marlon Brando Story 1:54:45 - Carlo gets beat up scene; Crazy Joe Gallo 2:02:04 - Gianni helped on set of “The Godfather”; Hanging out w/ Marlon Brando 2:12:40 - Gianni's relationship with Frank Sinatra 2:18:49 - Marilyn Monroe & Gianni 2:27:50 - Gianni remembers Marilyn Monroe's death 2:36:21 - Kennedy Family & Bootlegging; The Copacabana Yankees Altercation 2:44:37 - Gianni's fame after “The Godfather” 2:53:30 - Gianni's Next Move CREDITS: - Hosted & Produced by Julian D. Dorey - Intro & Episode Edited by Alessi Allaman ~ Get $150 Off The Eight Sleep Pod Pro Mattress / Mattress Cover (USING CODE: “JULIANDOREY”): https://eight-sleep.ioym.net/trendifier Julian's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianddorey ~ Music via Artlist.io ~ Julian Dorey Podcast Episode 184 - Gianni Russo

A nearly homeless supreme hostess gets back to what she does best at a luxury hotel, and many don't want to miss out.January 20th – February 1st, 1933, Cobina Wright reorients her new life at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel hostessing several activities like the Beaux Arts & Charity Balls and resuming her Supper Club to great success. One attendee is making an even bigger splash as he defies Ellis Island to re-enter the U.S. and attend his favorite annual ball.Other people and subjects include: Barbara Hutton, Prince Alexis Mdivani, James HR Cromwell aka “Jimmy,” William May Wright aka “Bill,” Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, Consuelo Vanderbilt, Balsan, Doris Duke, Lil' Cobina Wright, Jr., Prince Serge Obolensky, Josep Maria Sert, Princess Roussadana “Roussie” Mdivani Sert, Prince Michael Dmitri Alexandrovich Obolenski-Romanoff (Oblensky-Romanov) – Hershel Geguzin – Harry Gerguson – Ferguson, Jessie Woolworth Donahue, Brenda Frazier, Diana Barrymore, Gloria Vanderbilt, Reginald Vanderbilt, Alice Vanderbilt, Florence Vanderbilt Whitney, Grace Wilson Vanderbilt, Virginia “Birdie” Graham Fair Vanderbilt, President Herbert Hoover, Prince David – Prince of Wales – King Edward III – Duke of Windsor, Count Henri de Castellane, Countess Silvia de Rivas de Castellane, Lucius Boomer, Nancy Randolph, Frank Costello, Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Deems Taylor, Arturo Toscanini, Cecil Beaton, Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Baruch, Mr. & Mrs. Jay Gould, Beatrice Lillie, Fannie Brice, Noel Coward, Cole Porter, George Eastman, Rockwell Kent, French Revolution, Russian Revolution, Russian Empire, Bolshevik Russia, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Peter III, Empress Elizabeth of Russia, Tsar Paul I of Russia, royal pretenders, orphan, Scepan Mali – Stephen the Little of Montenegro, Princess Vladimir – Princess Augusta Tarkanova, Cossack Yemelyan Pugachev, Pugachev Rebellion, Kondrati Selivanov, Skoptsy sect, castration, Leon Trotsky, Franziska Schanzkowska – Anna Anderson – Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, James “One-Eyed” Connelly, Eton, Oxford, Cambridge, Heidelberg, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Waldorf-Astoria, New York's the Tombs, jail, hospitals, ocean liners, Olympic, Ile de France, London, Paris, Ellis Island, New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Hillsboro, Illinois, Bucharest, Romania, Latvia, Romanoff restaurant, Noodles Romanoff - beef stroganoff, Jayne Mansfield, Sophia Loren, Weekend in Havana film, Hulu's The Great series, FX's Feud Season 2: Truman Capote vs. The Swans, Truman Capote, William “Bill” Paley, Babe Paley, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles – Prince of Wales – King Charles III, Naomi Watts, Treat Williams, Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, frequency illusion – Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon--Extra Notes / Call to Action:Come visit As The Money Burns via social media and share your own related storiesShare, like, subscribe--Archival Music provided by Past Perfect Vintage Music, www.pastperfect.com.Opening Music: My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance BandsSection 1 Music: One In A Million by Brian Lawrance, Album The Great British Dance BandsSection 2 Music: Royal Garden Blues by Benny Carter, Album Perfect JazzSection 3 Music: Organ Grinder's Swing by Jack Payne, Album The Great British Dance BandsEnd Music: My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Billy Cotton, Album The Great British Dance Bands--https://asthemoneyburns.com/TW / IG – @asthemoneyburnsFacebook – https://www.facebook.com/asthemoneyburns/

Voilà la deuxième partie de notre documentaire sur Frank Costello.  Plongez au cœur de son ascension vers le sommet du crime organisé, notamment grâce à son entreprise florissante de machines à sous dans les années 30 et son incroyable influence dans la politique new-yorkaise.  Découvrez alors comment Frank Costello s'est retrouvé face à la commission Kefauver, un tournant crucial qui a jeté les projecteurs sur l'empire criminel qu'il avait soigneusement érigé. Un récit captivant qui nous plongera dans les premiers ennuis pour Costello, marqués par sa confrontation avec la justice et les menaces grandissantes de rivaux acharnés, dont celle avec Vito Genovese. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy Hoffa, Detroit, labor unions, Teamsters, Syndicate, New Orleans mafia. the Five Families, the Chicago Outfit, the Detroit Partnership, Frank Costello, Krogers, labor violence, mafia infiltration of labor movement, Kennedy family, JFK, RFK, Joseph P Kennedy, Joseph P in Hollywood, JFK assassination, RFK assassination, "Get Hoffa," Richard Nixon, Hoffa's role in drug trafficking, 1948 Italian elections, Gladio, the forces behind Hoffa's disappearance, Frank Sheeran, Russell Bufalino, Atlantic City, Pennsylvania mafia, "The irishman", why Hoffa still matters, Marilyn Monroe, conspiracy theories about Monroe/Kennedys & Monroe's death, Jack Clemmons, Frank Capell, Sovereign Order of Saint JohnMusic by: Keith Allen Dennishttps://keithallendennis.bandcamp.com/ Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gianni Russo (The Godfather, Any Given Sunday, Seabiscuit, Super Mario Bros, and host of The Hollywood Godfather podcast) joins SOMETHIN' CRUNCHY to discuss playing Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather, losing his virginity to Marlyn Monroe, life in Hollywood, his days in the mob working for Frank Costello, stories with Elvis Presley & Frank Sinatra, escaping Pablo Escobar, his latest ventures, and more! Sponsored by: Magic Mind (Discount Code = CRUNCHY20)

This is a conversation with former mobster now mafia historian Louis Ferrante about his intriguing new book BORGATA: RISE OF EMPIRE. The former “chop shop” small time thug now erudite Ferrante is like a cross between Sonny Corleone & Niall Ferguson. Essential viewing/listening. Transcript below.AK (00:18): Hello everybody. It is Tuesday, January the second, 2024. We're in a new year, but old themes. Last year we did several shows on the Mafia, one with the historian Paul Moses on the what he calls, at least the true story of the immigrant cops who fought the rise of the Mafiaa. He had a new book out called Appropriately Enough, the Italian Squad, another with an interesting writer, Matt Beck, the Life We Choose about a series of conversations he had with a Mafiaa member called William Big Belly Delia. He talked about not just Donald Trump and Michael Jackson, but also Jimmy Hoffer, and we're going one better in 2024 rather than writing or talking to people who have spoken to people in the Mafiaa. We have a man, Louis Ferrante, who once upon a time was a member of the Mafia. And since become a very successful writer, the author of many books, bestselling books, including particular Mob Rules, what the Mafia Can Teach the Legitimate Businessman. It was a huge hit. And he has a new book out. It's a history of the Mafia, the Borgata Trilogy, volume one, rise of Empire. It came out in November of last year in the uk, and it's out this week in the US. Louis Ferrante is joining us from his home in Sarasota on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Louis, before we went live, you told me it's very nice in Florida.Louis Ferrante (02:01): Florida's beautiful, the Sunshine State, a lot of sun. I need sun. I grew up in New York, and the winters are dark and dreary, and London's a beautiful place too. I like the people in London, but once again, the weather's not the best part.AK (02:17): Dreary. Yeah, I'm talking to actually from California. So Louis, when you fly out and you get on a plane, you happen to sit next to someone and you get into conversation and they ask you what career you have or had, what would you say?Louis Ferrante (02:31): I'd tell 'em a hijacker if I'm on a plane.AK (02:36): And what do they do?Louis Ferrante (02:38): They look for the attendant or they go to the bathroom? No, I mean, I was a truck hijacker, a little different from a plain hijacker, but I tell them I'm a writer and a television host, which is the truth. I'm a bestselling author. My books have been translated into 2020 languages, and I hosted a show for Discovery Channel.AK (03:04): It's a good trade being a writer. But did you always intend to be one, or how did you go from being, as you say, a truck hijacker, someone who knows the Mafia, the American Mafia to actually writing about it.Louis Ferrante (03:21): I faced the rest of my life in prison, and I was lucky to get out of it with a 13 year sentence. I was represented at the time by the civil rights attorney, William Kunstler, who was very instrumental in, yeah, he helped Martin Luther King, Malcolm X. He went in to negotiate with the convicts during the Attica riots, and he defended me, and I was able to get a plea of 13 years without cooperating against anyone, and I didn't have to go to trial and possibly get the rest of my life sentenced to rest of my life in prison. And while I was there, I started to think through my life and eventually I picked up my first book, fell in Love with books, became an avid reader, and at some point or another I was reading a book a day, and that's what made my time go. And I started to teach myself how to write by reading all the great authors and taking notes as to how Leo Tolstoy begins and ends a chapter, how Dostoevsky Begins and Ends a plot, how Charlotte Bronte introduces a character, et cetera, et cetera. And that's how I taught myself how to write. And by the time I came home from prison, I was ready to be a writer. And my last book, Mob Rules was an international bestseller in 20 languages. And my current book will hopefully get picked up in a lot of languages as well. And it's a trilogy.AK (04:42): Yeah, it's already been picked up by the Germans. You imply that in prison, you were a meticulous reader. Is meticulousness something that's prized within the mafia? Was that one of your skills?Louis Ferrante (05:00): Skills? Yeah, I mean, I was a heist guy. I ran a crew of heist guys, heist and hijackings, and you need to know what you're doing and everything's, you got to cross your T's and dot your i's make sure that everybody knows their role. Make sure that you need a well-oiled machine when you're going to do a heist or a hijack in one mistake. And everybody's lives are at stake, including innocent people. Something I might regret now, but something that was just a fact then. But we wanted to get away with it. We wanted the money. I wasn't thinking about people's lives back then. I was thinking about money and we wanted to get away with it, and you need to know what you're doing and everybody needs to know what they're doing. And I was a big planner. I would make drawings, I would go over everything with everyone. I would do mock runs to the highway to make sure we had an escape route, a backup escape route. I made sure we had backup guys in place. I never just pulled the trigger too fast. At one point, I was picked up by the feds in California where you are. We were in San Francisco and we were looking to hit an armored car, and the feds swooped in on us and grabbed us the day before we were going to hit that armored car. And it was a crucial thing. I was one guy short, and the reason why we waited was I was waiting for an extra guy to come from New York so that he could make sure we had enough guys on the heist. But yeah, so I guess I was meticulous in that sense. I was ignorant and naive in a million other ways, but I was meticulous in that sense.AK (06:27): Yeah, you should come back, Louis. It's much easier to do your heist these days. I don't know if there are any police left in South Africa. Yeah,Louis Ferrante (06:34): I don't know if anyone would care anymore.AK (06:36): Yeah, you'd probably be encouraged. Lots of films and books about how young kids get into the mafia. There's The Godfather, of course, & the Irishmen. How did you get into it?Louis Ferrante (06:48):  If you start committing big enough crimes, they'll find you. And that's what happens. Once I started hijacking trucks, I ran an auto crime, a chop shop. I supplied car parts to auto collision shops for a long time when I was a kid, stole cars, chopped them up and sold them to a shop. That little operation started out with just a few car thieves, me and my friends, and eventually grew into, as I said, a chop shop. And then at some point, once we started hijacking,AK (07:18): What is a chop shop?Louis Ferrante (07:22): Chop shop is you have a shop where you steal a car, you get an order from a collision shop. So a collision shop, for example, has, let's say they got a Mercedes and they got to spend $30,000 in parts because it's a hundred thousand dollars car and the car's wrecked, so they need 30,000 in parts. They might tell us, look, we'll give you five grand, can you get us all the parts? And then they'll put the stolen parts on the customer's car and sell them back the repaired car. So we would get paid then to go out, steal the car, try to get the same color so they wouldn't even have to paint it, but if you had to, you paint it. It's not always easy to match colors, but we would steal the car, chop it up, give them the parts they needed, and then dump the skeleton somewhere in the beginning we dumped it in the woods. And then at some point or another, we started renting. Back then you could lease a building under a phony name and then just abandon the building when you were done with it. I don't think you could get away with that. Nowadays there's too many identifications and stuff required, and people are hip at things like that, but back then you could even fly. When I told you I went to California to knock off an armor car, we flew under different names. Pre 9/11, you just booked an airline ticket under any name. I just picked the name out of the phone book. Just get on a plane.AK (08:35): Those were the days. You mentioned your bestselling book, Mob Rules, what the Mafia can Teach the Legitimate Businessman. There's a sort of cliche, Louis, I'm sure you've heard it a thousand times, that had you been born into the New York or Boston upper classes, you would've ended up at Harvard Business School and made a million dollars that way, is what you were doing. Is that a form of innovation and in some ways equivalent to what kids are taught at Stanford or Harvard Business School these days to think and be meticulous and accomplish what they set out to do?Louis Ferrante (09:19): Yeah, I don't know if they're taught any more to think. I don't know what an Ivy League upbringing is like, so it would be unimaginable for me to even,AK (09:33): But you've met those types.Louis Ferrante (09:36): Oh, all day long. Yeah, all day long. Some of them can't tie their shoes. I mean, just can't fix a flat. I was with a doctor once who got a flat and didn't know what to do, had no idea where the jack was, where to even begin. If I wasn't with him, he would've sat on the side of the road probably for the rest of his life until he died of starvation. So yeah, I would rather grow up and have to learn how to do things yourself.AK (10:01): Where did you grow up? What town?Louis Ferrante (10:03): In Queens? Yeah. I grew up in Queens and one of the five boroughs in New York, lower New York. The lower borough.AK (10:08): Yeah. My son lives there now.Louis Ferrante (10:10): Does he really? What part?AK (10:13): On the border with Brooklyn.Louis Ferrante (10:17): Oh, okay. They're building it up. It's probably up.AK (10:20): Yeah. It's much more fashionable now than it, I'm sure it used to be.Louis Ferrante (10:23): Yeah. I mean, I was in a lower income section of Queens, middle to lower income, so it wasn't all that, but a lot of people now, they've bought up a lot of big real estate in Brooklyn, and I guess they're moving to Queens now too.AK (10:37): Did your family know what you were doing? How old were you when you started your chop shop?Louis Ferrante (10:42): I was in high school when I was running the chop shop, so I kept it from them as best I can. I remember the first time I came home with a tagged car. A tagged car would be if, let's say I bought a wrecked vehicle, let's say a wrecked Cadillac, and I bought the completely, it was totaled out. So you pick up the wreck for a couple hundred bucks. Nobody wants it, but it's got a clean title. If you have a clean title, you don't have to go to motor vehicle and go through an inspection at that time. I don't know if things have changed. Now, this is many years ago. So if you bought a wrecked car, you had a clean title, you could then go out and steal a car, pop a couple of the tags off, for example, the VIN number in the dashboard, pop that tag off, put it on your stolen car, and then drive that as if it's yours. If you get pulled over by a cop, usually the cops just checked the dashboard tag. They never went through the rest of the car unless it was auto crime, which was something different. They'd have to be looking for you. So I came home with a beautiful brand new El Dorado, and I remember my mother was heartbroken. She came out on the porch and looked at it and said, you're killing me. You're breaking my heart.AK (11:48): Right, because she knew what you were doing.Louis Ferrante (11:50): Yeah, of course. How would I afford that car? I didn't have a job. So I tried to tell her that my friend who I work at the Body shop for part-time, he gave me the car and he's going to let me pay it off, but she wasn't buying it. She came from a family who was crooked, although she was law abiding. She was hip to the streets in a way, and she knew something was wrong. And she said, you're breaking my heart. And I never forgot that I did break her heart. She eventually died in my arms. And when I was young, she died at 47. I was 19, turning 20, and I went off the deep end after that. But to this day, I regret that she had to go through that and no, did I admit it to her? No. Did I tell her? But she, no, she knew she was hip.AK (12:33): Louis, talk to me about why you've written this history. Is it bound up with your own history? I mean, much of this history, this first volume is set in the 19th, late 19th, early 20th century when of course you weren't around. But is this a very personal narrative or have you tried to step back and write about the history of the mafia as an objective historian?Louis Ferrante (13:18): Both. And so first answer, I'll answer that question and tell you how the book came about. I do try to be as objective as possible. I don't want anybody to believe that I'm inserting myself where I don't belong. I want to tell a real history. And Publishers Weekly gave me a rave review saying that I did not rest on my own experiences alone.AK (13:40): You didn't threaten them, did you?Louis Ferrante (13:42): No, I did not. No, I didn't hang anybody out of a window or anything. No. And then handed them a pen and said, you know what to do? No, I didn't. Basically, they just said it was Well-researched all my notes. My source notes are in the back years, years reading articles, books. But what I was able to bring to the table from my own insights was I have an extra sense that most people wouldn't have. Being I was a criminal when I read something, I know if it was true or if it wasn't. I know if the writer has been, they don't, usually a writer wouldn't intentionally mislead the reader, but sometimes writers themselves are misled and they may get information, and because they don't know the world or the culture, the subculture, they write the wrong story. And a lot of times I'd be in jail when I was reading history, biographies, science philosophy. I would hear other guys, mob guys reading mob books, and you would hear a lot of guys blurting out b******t never happened, who wrote this crap? And when I finally started to do my own research, I realized that I came across a lot of things that were untrue, and I was able to decipher that stuff for the reader, which I think is interesting. I debunked a lot of old mafia myths that have been around for decades about leading Mafia figures. And I would explain to the reader, this is why it could have never happened. I don't want the reader to just take my word. I want the reader to have confidence in me as a writer to know that this is why this could never have happened. So time and again, I do that. To go back to your original question is where the book came from, how it came about. It wasn't something I really thought about. I was invited to Mob Rules, as we mentioned, was an international bestseller. And I was invited to Sicily by the German media conglomerate at Axel Springer, and it was a retreat for editors in Argento, Sicily. And I was seated next to an older man who happened to be there, and his name was George. And him and I hit it off. He was in his nineties, but a very young nineties, sharp as nails. And we talked all evening, and at the end of the evening, he said, I would like to publish the next book. And it turned out to be Lord George Denfeld, one of the biggest of the 20th century. And the next day we had lunch in Argento overlooking the ruins with Lord George and his charming wife, lady Annabelle. And Lady Annabelle had some priceless input as well, which persuaded me to write the book, what turned down to morphed into a trilogy. Originally, I was contracted to write a book, but I said, you can't squeeze all this into a book. There's too much here. It has to be stretched out. And I probably could have wrote 10 volumes, but I ended up writing a trilogy, and that's how the book came about. Lord George, as I understand it, he had a reputation of connecting writers with subjects, and I was the last one he had personally did that with before he unfortunately passed away.AK (16:39): Louis, if you were to write a history of the Mafia itself, would that begin in Sicily? There's a very strong Sicilian quality, but the mafia existed throughout Italy, of course. Is there something about the Sicilian Mafiaa and the history of the American mafia that are inseparable?Louis Ferrante (18:23): There is, as I pointed out in the early chapters of the book, I dug deep into how the mafia was formed inside the Sicilian womb, and it did indeed start in Sicily and then spread throughout the peninsula up and down the peninsula of Italy. But it was born in Sicily, and it had a lot to do with socioeconomic reasons, culture, family tradition, as I point out all these things in the book. And there was also, I point out a strong Arab influence in Western Sicily, which is interesting because Sicily was invaded by so many different people's over the course of centuries, whether it be the Spanish, the French, the Austrians, and the Arabs at some point. So the Arabs had a strong, I believe, where it developed in Western Sicily for the most part, in places like Palermo and Argento and Casa Lama del Gulfo, there was a strong Arab influence there, which is still present, still prevalent in a lot of places in the architecture and stuff, in words, in people's names, et cetera. So I was able to trace the history deep into Sicily and how it started in America was during the Southern Italian mass exodus wave into the United States after slavery was abolished in the United States in the 1860s. That came on around the same time when the unification of Italy occurred in Europe. And Sicilians were not happy with the unification of Italy being sort of absorbed by Italy proper. And they felt like a lot of Sicilians felt like it was just the newest conqueror, the newest ruler, no different from the bans in France or whoever else was there. So they were like, Hey, you know what? We're not happy with this. And there was a lot of poverty. And when America abolished slavery, we needed labor. We needed cheap labor quick because we no longer had slave labor in the United States. And at that point, we started looking around and there were plenty of poor people in Europe, and we invited them, and they came here in droves, and the mafia rode in on those boats. A lot of them, and I go to detail, I go very, very close detail throughout the early chapters of how exactly that happened. And I'm also very, very careful to point out that most Italian-Americans came here to work hard and to make a new life for themselves and their children and grandchildren, and had nothing to do with the mafia and never committed crimes. But the unfortunate circumstance, the unfortunate byproduct of that mass immigrant wave was the Italian criminals that came with them. A lot of them were fugitives from justice in Sicily, and they planted new flags here in American cities throughout the country, in metropolitan areas. At one point or another. There were just as many Mafia families as there were metropolitan areas across the United States. There was one in every metropolitan area, and then the strongest one survived and went on sort of like Arnold Toby's Darwinian theory of how empires are built, the strong survive. It was the same thing with a lot of these.AK (21:27): Why was it that the Mafia, that the Sicilian Mafia became so dominant, and there were many immigrants from Naples and other parts of mainland southern Italy. What is it about the Southern Sicilian, and is it different in its principles organization, morality or lack of morality from the Neapolitan Mafia, for example?Louis Ferrante (21:51): Yeah. Well, the Neapolitan Mafia was the Kimora. I had done a documentary for the History Channel about them very different from the Italian Sicilian, the Sicilian Mafia in Sicily. A lot of these other mafias from Calabria, from Naples, and even there were a few in northern Italy, very weak. None of them had that sort of Sicilian, the Sicilians. They had something very special on that island. It was an island different throughout up and down the peninsula of Italy. You had city states throughout the Renaissance and stuff. So they were all very, I'm still asked, her father was from Naples, and her mother was from Sicily. So I have two grandparents on my mother's side from Naples and Sicily. And my father's, both parents were from Bari, all from southern Italy. But I'm still asked by people who are Italian American, where are you from? And they sort of connect with you a lot faster if you're from the same place they were from. So you can only imagine back then how territorial Italy was and how people really responded to people like themselves. So at that time, Sicily was an island away from even all those city states, and they were really, really isolated, and they really, really relied on themselves. And throughout history, there were always weak central governments in Sicily, no matter who ruled Sicily, they really never cared about the Sicilian people and implementing any positive changes, whether social changes or institutional changes. They just wanted to pretty much rape Sicily of whatever agrarian products they could get off the island. So most of the time, the Sicilian people relied on themselves, and that went a lot into it as well. And it was a patriarchal society, which in some cases comes from the Arab influence in Sicily.AK (23:33): Are you presenting then the Sicilian Mafia as a resistance, organizational resistance to colonialism of one kind?Louis Ferrante (23:41): Believe it or not, at one point they were. Now, I know that they evolved or devolved extremely quickly into something much more treacherous and less upstanding than that. But I do make the argument that in the very beginning, they were indeed just that in my book, even the word I trace, for the first time, people were, historians were sort of in agreement that it came from an Arabic word, but they threw out a half a dozen different Arabic words that it might've come from one meaning a cave dweller, another one meaning a proud horse, and all kinds of different words from the Arabic language, I was able to trace the word mafia. Those of us in the West who are familiar with the siege of Khartoum, where the Victorian general Gordo, the British General Gordo,, was sent to sort of hold off against the Muslim guy who sort took control and launched this rebellion and said, I am the sort of the prophet. I am the prophet incarnate. And he was sort of like a rebellious character against the status quo all throughout the world, throughout the east and the Middle East. And in this particular case, when the Arabs were pushed into the western region of Sicily, after the unification of Italy, the modest regime was known as the Media, which was one letter away from Mafia. So I left it, look, I'm not an etymologist, but I left it to future historians to debate this. And I make a cogent argument that this is where it came from, my quote, encyclopedia Britannica. I quote people who were on the scene at the time, I quote history books, et cetera, to make this argument. And I do believe it came from that particular word.AK (25:29): As I said, Louis, we've done lots of shows on the mafia infiltration, the response of the police, but is the reason why the Mafia became so powerful and perhaps remained so powerful in the United States because it's a country with a tradition of weak central government, of federal government, of government that isn't for the most part, very effective or efficient. So in other words, was there something, and you have to be careful using this word as a historian, but was there a degree of inevitability about the mafia's rise to power in late 19th century America?Louis Ferrante (26:12): It's a great question, and the answer is yes. There was a Sicilian mobster, and I don't recall his name, but he said, why in the world can anybody think why? When Sicilians left Sicily for New life in America, and a lot of them landed in South America, central America, a lot of them landed in North Africa. They went everywhere. Sicilians were scattered everywhere. But why only in America did the American Mafia, did the Mafia really take root as it did? And that goes to our system, which is we have always had a very corrupt system. And I traced that it was very easily manipulated by mobsters who really learned how to bribe politicians and law enforcement officials during prohibition. And that was a prime time because during prohibition, which took place the roaring twenties into 1930, we had people in America who wanted to drink and were told by their government, you're not allowed. And so the people as a whole didn't agree with this. So they were really, really suddenly the mafiaa who wanted to provide them with liquor, with alcohol and supplying the demand for alcohol weren't seen as these animals anymore. These killers, these beat bad guys, they were all of a sudden these romantic sexy figures who were giving the United States, the people of the country, alcohol when they desperately wanted it. And that's when the mafia began to corrupt a lot of politicians and political machines. And the influence ran throughout law enforcement agencies and that deep influence they had during prohibition, basically, once prohibition was repealed and Americans could drink again, the mafia kept a lot of those deep corrupt alliances that they had made, and they moved on to use them for gambling and stuff, to open up casinos, to have a casino, to have a casino. So a lot of why the mafia was able to prosper here in America had a lot to do with the easily corruptible local governments. And at that point, there wasn't an overarching federal government who could come in and say, Hey, you've been all corrupted. We'll take over from here. We know you're all bought and paid for by the Mafiaa here in your local town. So here the federal government's going to move in with j Edgar Hoover's, FBI, et cetera, et cetera. That didn't happen.AK (28:44): Yeah. And of course, j Edgar Hoover's, FBI began in some ways as a response, not always a particularly effective one to prohibition. To what extent the book covers legendary figures and legendary mafia figures like Lucky Luciano & many others. To what extent do these kind of guys capture the spirit of a violent independent 19th century America?Louis Ferrante (29:16): They do and don't. By the time we get to Luciano and Genovese and Costello, they're sort of this newer generation of American mobsters. So the first generation with these sort of old mustache, peats, grease balls, all the derogatory names that they were called in this country, they were sort of like off the boat, Italians. That was the first generation. Then there was the second generation that were more American, and they weren't as clannish as the Sicilians were. They understood that if they were going to prosper in America, they needed to form these diverse relationships with Jews, with blacks, with Irish. They needed to really, if they were going to get somewhere, they basically came up with the plan that they were going to, Hey, we're going to keep this thing of ours, this thing of ours, this our thing, La Cosa Nostra. We're going to keep that to ourselves.Nobody's allowed entry into this secret organization that we have, but let's deal with everyone. We're not going to get anywhere if we stay to ourselves. And they made alliances with everyone across the country. And that was the key. And that was sort of like that second generation, even though Costello and Luciano came to the country when they were eight or nine years old, they may as well have been born here. They were just as good as Americans, just as good as American born citizens. They were a second generation of this. And they did away with the old ones, the old clannish Mafiosos, who felt like, no, we have to defend ourselves. We have to stick with ourselves. We have to continue to live amongst ourselves, and we can't trust the Irish. We can't trust the blacks or the Jews. This second generation of Italian-Americans said, no, we can trust them and we're going to, and we're going to deal with them.And for example, Frank Costello not only partnered with a million Jews in business, but he married a Jew. So he had a Jewish family. And at one point or another, Al Capone in Chicago, his guy Jake, greasy Thumb Gik was his best friend. He was a Jew. And when somebody had bragged that he made this little Jew greasy thumbs wine, Capone was beside himself, and he went looking for the guy, and he unloaded a revolver in his face and murdered him because Capone wasn't going to allow that to happen. He says, Jew or Italian, it doesn't matter if you're my friend, I protect you, I defend you. So these relationships really started by that sort of next generation of Italian American mobsters. And by my generation, I mean, I had a hijacking heist crew. The two of the toughest guys in my crew were Jews, and they were treated the same as any other Italian. We were all from the same neighborhood. We all grew.AK (31:50): It extend to race as well? I mean, in The Godfather, we all remember the explicit racism of many of the fictional figures were black Americans, African-Americans, were they as welcome as Jewish Americans?Louis Ferrante (32:08): Yes. Now, even in my time you had at one time, I said, for example, mobsters weren't going to go, oh, that African American owes me money. Let's go over there and pay him a visit. Obviously, the lingo would be that N owes me money. Let's go over there and pay him a visit. And the N would refer to us as a grease ball or whop a Guinea. So the words that we used back then would be considered racist today. But were we racist? And what were the Italians or the blacks racist against each other? Absolutely not. The only color we all saw was green. And that was it. And I point out in my book, they made a strong alliance, Lucky Luciano Luciano did with Bumpy Johnson. Bumpy Johnson, when they took over the policy racket in Harlem, they needed to smooth things over with the blacks because the black was a huge population in Harlem blacks. So Luciano struck a deal with Bumpy Johnson, where Bumpy Johnson was going to pretty much handle any black problems in Harlem and deal directly with Luciano. And bumpy Johnson's wife wrote a memoir years later that praised Luciano and said that him and my husband were best friends. And it was a real legitimate friendship. It wasn't just business. They had a real friendship. So all that racism they try to make, that's all television now because it sells. But for the most part, yeah, the talk, you told jokes about each other. You called each other what would be considered horrible names now, but were we really racist toward each other? Absolutely not. People will say Italians. And the Mafia hated gays. The Genovese family ran all the gay clubs in Greenwich Village. They controlled all the gay clubs.AK (33:53): How about women? We did a show last year on female drug gang leaders in Latin America. There aren't that many women in your narrative, are there?Louis Ferrante (34:03): No. I mean, if you want to say misogynistic, then I have to agree. Yeah. Not racist, but misogynistic. The Italian, theAK (34:09):Women in all the movies, the women are at home cooking the past, and the men are out killing each otherLouis Ferrante (34:14): Yeah, go home and cook. No Italian man wants his wife buttoned into his business. So I have to concede that point. I won't give in on racism because it wasn't there. But I will give in on misogynistic outlook toward women.AK (34:27): And I don't necessarily mean that critically. One way. The other narrative, Louis, which of course is most clearly articulated in the Godfather, the movies, the Godfather, maybe even Godfather three, is that the mafia began in a sort of communal way, reasonably decently, even if there was a great deal of violence, and it went really badly wrong with drugs. And of course, that was the foundation of the narrative in The Godfather, the cause of all the bloodshed. Is there any truth in that? There is tell you that veto Corleone in the Godfather wasn't a bad guy, and then it all went wrong when his family got in the drug business.Louis Ferrante (35:07): Yes, there definitely is a direct correlation between the movie and real life and the movie, whether Putto, I believe Mario Puzo, who was the author that they based the movie on, but either Puzo or Francis Ford Coppola adopted it from a real life story, which was Frank Costello. Frank Costello was the acting boss when Lucky Luciano went to jail and then was deported. And when Costello was boss, he was dead set against drugs. He did not want his Borgata dealing drugs because he felt that he had all these big political leaders in Tammany Hall who did everything that they could do for the mob to keep them out of jail, to help them with things. They had judges, they put judges in. They chose the head of Tammany, who in turn helped choose the mayor of New York slash the governor. And then obviously through the governor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt started out in New York and ended up being the president. So it's no telling how high you could go. Well, Costello said, if we continue to deal drugs, these political alliances are going to run away from us. They're not going to, this is something the American people do not like. They're fine with alcohol. They wanted alcohol. We gave it to them. They're fine with gambling. If the United States prohibits gambling and we allow them to gamble, that's fine. The people have no problem with that. They feel like we're providing them with a desire that they have. Even Luciano ran a chain of bordellos. That's an ointment for the hard up. That's fine. But obviously it's human slavery.AK (36:40): can I quote you on that ointment for the hard up?Louis Ferrante (36:44): Well, that's what, yeah, it basically was. It was like an outlet for social frustration maybe. Obviously. Obviously it's woman trafficking. It's disgusting. However, however, Luciano really didn't have a direct connection to it, but it was taking place, but it wasn't thought of by the American people, I should say, as the worst thing in the world.AK (37:10): I mean, the way the Godfather presents it is that this was the argument I think Sonny Cordone made with his father is that if we don't do it, someone else will. There's going to be other groups who do it. Was there any truth to that?Louis Ferrante (37:24): Yes. Yes. And everyone uses that argument today. There are still mobsters who sell drugs and say, if I don't do it, somebody else will. Somebody's got to do it. And me, myself, I never went near drugs. I had an uncle who was a drug addict. He was a heroin addict. And my mother from when me and my sister were little kids, she would beg us, please don't ever do drugs. Please don't ever do drugs. Don't put us through this hell that your uncle put us through. And we never did. I never did it, and I wouldn't sell it. I wouldn't call that curse down upon another person's family. I was dead set against it, but some people did. I knew people who sold drugs. I was in jail with a million different people who sold drugs. I don't think a lot of them sat down and really, really thought deeply about the consequences that could have with regard to mothers crying for the rest of their lives. And some kid dropped dead on his bed because he OD'ed or some, yeah, IAK: Excuse the Dimwittedness of this one. Louis, you've mentioned the word “Borgata” a couple of times. You might define it. Why did you title your book “Borgata”?Louis Ferrante (38:37): Borgata is what we called a crime family is the Borgata or the Broga, we would say, and it's a slang for a crime family. We wouldn't say we belong to a crime family. We wouldn't say we belong to the Mafiaa. We would say, I'm in so-and-So's Borgata or Borgata, and a Borgata. In the Italian definition of the word, it stems from the Latin burial. It's sort of like a poorer neighborhood of Italians would be a Borgata. A poorer community of Italians would be considered a Borgata. And that became, somehow, it became the name of a crime family, which is a little bit of a community. And obviously they don't start off super well off, or they wouldn't be committing crimes. People typically aren't born into wealth and commit crimes. So whoever the name came to mean, a crime family, that's what it means. And nobody had ever used it for a book before. So I figured, what the hell? It's perfect. So I went with the Borgata trilogy.AK (39:32): Well, I hope in this trilogy we're going to get to have you on at least two more shows for volume two and three. You end in the sixties, of course, in The Godfather, there were a wonderful moment in Godfather two, filmed in Cuba. Cuba was central. You make Cuba an important place in this narrative. Why'd you end in the sixties? Did something happen? Did something profoundly change?Louis Ferrante (39:58): Yes. There's a major shift that occurs in 1960 from the beginning of Borgata volume one until the end of Borgata volume one, there really isn't any concerted effort to destroy the Mafia. Thomas Dewey, who went on to become the Governor of New York and eventually ran as the Republican candidate for President against FDR, he did take a shot at locking up some gangsters in New York, but there was never really a concerted effort by the institutions of law enforcement to go after the mob. When Bobby Kennedy, when John f Kennedy's elected president in 1960, or begins his term in 1960, he appoints Bobby Kennedy, his younger brother, the Attorney General of the United States. And Bobby always had a thing against the mafia. He had started out in the McClellan Committee where he went after Jimmy Hoffa, and he went after other gangsters and called them to testify. And he was incensed that they took the Fifth Amendment all the time, and he didn't like that they would hide behind the Fifth, how dare them. And he swore he would go after them one day. And when John F. Kennedy becomes president, and Bobby is appointed Attorney General of the United States, he now suddenly has all of the Justice Department's, 30,000 employees under his control, treasury, I-R-S-I-N-S-F-B-I, et cetera, et cetera.AK (41:18): Although Bobby Kennedy used to call j Edgar Hoover, j Edna Hoover. He never seemed to listen very much to what Bobby Kennedy said.Louis Ferrante (41:27): No, he demeaned Hoover to, I mean, beyond what we would even consider. I mean, our standards today, forget it. They'd cancel Bobby Kennedy in a minute. But he was horrible to Hoover. And Hoover hated him. But Hoover did not. Hoover was dragged into the fight kicking and screaming. Hoover knew that if you made a concerted effort to destroy the mob, a lot of those mobsters, their backgrounds led to Congress led to congressmen, politicians, senator,AK (42:00): And of course, Hoover wonderful new biography, Al Prize winning biography. I'm sure you've read it. He was more interested, I think, in racial divisions in America. He might've been slightly sympathetic to the Mafia because they were white.Louis Ferrante (42:15): Yeah, I mean, he probably was at some point or another, he used the Mafiaa to uncover, I don't know if you're familiar with when those three civil rights workers were killed down in Mississippi.  Johnson put tremendous pressure on Hoover to crack the case, and Hoover probably got dragged into the fray kicking and screaming. I'm sure he didn't want to go after that. He was not deferential to blacks at all, Hoover. But he knew that that's what Johnson wanted. And the public wanted to know who these people were that killed these three civil rights workers, two whites and one black. And Hoover called one of his FBI informants down south and told them, here's the KK guy. The agents told, not Hoover himself, but Hoover's agents told this mob guy, here's the KKK guy. We believe the KKK guy we believe had something to do with it. You could beat it out of him if you want. Go for it. And this guy did. And then they dug up the bodies and they cracked the case. But Hoover, Hoover didn't like Italians, but he didn't go after them. And of course he didn't like blacks. Hoover was old school, very conservative in his views. Yeah. I mean, he was a man of his own time, but he was only concerned with groups trying to advocate the destruction of the United States. He was big on communists. He did not like communists Obviously, blacks and Italians weren't trying to overthrow the United States, but groups for the most part, like communist groups…AK (43:50): Right. His obsession with anti-Communist. And finally, Louis ending in the sixties, of course, in the sixties, America descended into a great deal of political violence, and particularly the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, of Bobby Kennedy, of Martin Luther King, many others. Lots of stories. And I'm sure you covered this in the book about Mafia involvement in one kind of assassination or another in the sixties, is in an odd ironic way at the end of this first volume, did America and the mafia kind of come together? Are they increasingly inseparable in the 1960s in the public use of violence of one kind or another?Louis Ferrante (44:31): That's a great question. I guess they've always remained, there's some sort of inseparability between them. But yeah, America became a very violent place.AK (44:44): Always was, but politically much more violent in the sixties.Louis Ferrante (44:48): Correct. I mean, we didn't have assassinations like we did. There's still a song. I heard it the other day. Where's my old friend, Johnny Martin, Luther King, John and Bobby, they died. Where are they? I forget the lyrics of the song, but it was made on the heels of that violence, and it still plays on the radio today. Where's my old friend Johnny? I think it is. But yeah, I mean, America became a violent place. I do believe that the mafia had something to do directly with John f Kennedy's. I present tremendous evidence in volume two of the Borgata Trilogy, trilogy. They had something to, andAK (45:24): That book's not out yet, right? Louis?Louis Ferrante (45:25): It's not out yet. But they did have something to do with his murder. And I also believe at some point or another, I intend to write a book about the Mafia's involvement with Martin Luther King's murder as well. I do believe there was a mafia informant who had something to do with Martin Luther King's murder as well. And I think if Hoover's hands aren't dirty in each of those cases, he definitely had his head in the sand and he heard things that he chose to ignore. And I think that that was the type of person, Hoover was where if I want a certain outcome and I just didn't see it or didn't hear it, it's like if you have a neighbor whose dog's been crapping on your lawn for the last 10 years, and then somebody beats up the neighbor, maybe you didn't see it. Maybe you looked the other way when it happened. I don't know. Maybe you get the outcome you wanted. So that could be what happened with Hoover.AK (46:19): Final question. I got to ask you this. We will get more next time you come on the show with volume two, talking about JFK and all that. What about you grew up in Queens? What about, you know who, I'm not sure if you've ever met him or come across him, but there's a mafia quality in the way, maybe a wannabe mafiaa quality to your fellow queens in New Yorker?Louis Ferrante (46:43): I never met him. I will say a lot of people have accused him of his construction business and the buildings that went up in New York having some type of mafia involvement. But I will say this, I know for a fact all of the buildings that went up in New York had some sort of mafia involvement. So you couldn't operate as a building developer in New York, especially back then, without having to deal with the mafia controlled unions without having to deal with the mafia controlled construction companies without having to deal with the mafia controlled concrete companies. There was something the mafia had, which was called the Concrete Club. And any bid over a million dollars, which would be any bid for a skyscraper, was controlled by the mafia. They let any bids under a million, they let them go, but anything over a million, they wanted to control. My friend, my former friend, I haven't seen him in years, I did time with him also. Tommy Rizzo supplied the rebar for the Trade Center. He was a Colombo gangster, Colombo family mobster. The guy who was supposed to fireproof the supports in the trade center was a Gambino family mobster. And the Port Authority cleared him of any wrongdoing when the towers fell. But I mean, these are mobsters who have all these contracts in New York and all these building developers to some extent have to deal with them. Now, usually there's a GC on the job, a general contractor, and at some point or another way below, someone like him or someone like somebody, his associates in that industry, somewhere down there, there's someone dealing with the cash envelopes under the table and stuff. But I don't think it ever rises to the height of himself or people like him in the developing industry. I think they're much bigger. They go to the parties. If he has a flamboyant nature, that's a completely different thing. But I mean, as far as incriminating something that he may have done incriminating, I don't believe so. I believe it was done lower, much lower than him. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Hear from:Alan Geik on Murder Inc. Gianni Russo about Frank Costello. Blair Kenny on the Rochester Mob. Georgia Durante on being a getaway driver for the mob. Greg Stejskal photographing the Detroit Family Induction as a FBI Agent. Dan Moldea on the status of Jimmy Hoffa investigation. Tamer Elnoury dealing with a recording mishap and busting terrorists. Sean Patrick Griffin on the NBA Betting Scandal. Frank Hayde talks about Oscar Goodman. Gary Jenkins & Geoff Schumacher on the and LV Skim and Alan Glick. Larry Henry about the violence to investigative reporters & Jeff German tells a story about Tony Spilotro. Geno Munari on theories on the murder of Johnny Hicks. Full EpsiodesAlan Geik: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/j7dyhpzh43owyule4iaegt2fgsy22sGianni Russo: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/q933s1rqem1alh6g6fo71juqs5coshBlair Kenny: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/blair-kennyGeorgia Durante: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/btvzl561a3je5u6yn6uhf3z0e87bzfGreg Stejskal: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/ncb4fs5liqf5kat94wmsj1duqxx5q2Dan Moldea: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/jzer6jc19xr3xx0evujucydc2g4vtg'Tamer Elnoury: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/p934pbik82exihfe9fqvm1wixqef7tSean Patrick Griffin: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/3gcyk4gz12pamy895cplhpby4oki2fFrank Hayde: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/ndzb56yb92vgziyxvaev51kagl6b55LV Skim: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/3e5m3f0u0wjwtejcqyveippumbcq9cLarry Henry/Jeff German: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/e46lzt35a32dho12t74373ujrsa81nJohnny Hicks: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforetheliPMOFM MediaPlay Me or Fade Me Daily Sports Betting PicksSupport the showFollow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforethelightspodcast/Follow the show on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/beforethelightspodcast/Follow the show on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beforethelightspodcast?lang=enFollow Tommy on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/tcanale3Rate & Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-the-lights/id1501245041Email the host: beforethelightspod@gmail.com

Today on the show we are joined by Gianni Russo an American actor and singer famous for his role as Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather. Gianni has lived a thousand lives and has million stories. He killed an abuser while quarantined in a polio ward, started working for Frank Costello, met all major mafia guys of their time, he was loosely involved in JFK assassination, he met Lee Harvey Oswald he was tortured by Pablo Escobar, was good friends with Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and  slept with Marilyn Monroe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins brings you the best in mob history with his unique perception of the mafia. Gary interviews author Ronald Fried about his book on Frank Costello. Mr. Fried researched Costello and crafted a novel using actual situations and Costello's exact language taken from newspapers, court proceedings, and transcripts from the famous … Frank Costello – The Underworld's Prime Minister Read More » The post Frank Costello – The Underworld's Prime Minister appeared first on Gangland Wire.

This mafia heavyweight stood out for being a gentleman in a world of savages. Don't get it twisted though, he was a lil bad ass and even served as the inspiration for The Godfather. Also, we were joined by certified Sweet Boy, Jimmy Gillespie, as we eagerly await Cal DonJolla being released from jail on charges of selling bootleg grilled cheeses at the Grateful Dead concert. If you like Lil Stinkers and want to support us, you can do so by going to Patreon.com/lilstinkers. For either $4/month or $40/year, you get every episode early, Patreon exclusive episodes, Mini Stinkers episodes, live AMAs, live episodes, road trip vlogs, live book club meetings and all the other weirdo nonsense that we engage in. Thank you for making this fun. We appreciate you guys. Also, buy Mike's new book, On Percs, at OnPercs.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: Jon Delcollo: @jonnydelco Jake Mattera: @jakemattera Mike Rainey: @mikerainey82

The Godfather 1 & 2, Any Given Sunday Rush Hour 2I just read on impactful book called : Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & The Mob! I read it cover to cover because it was intense & fascinating.Actor Gianni Russo has led an intriguing life.Gianni Russo was a handsome 25-year-old mobster with no acting experience when he walked onto the set of The Godfather and entered Hollywood history. He played Carlo Rizzi, the husband of Connie Corleone, who set her brother Sonny—played by James Caan—up for a hit. Russo didn't have to act—he knew the mob inside and out: from his childhood in Little Italy, where Mafia legend Frank Costello took him under his wing.Along the way, Russo befriended Frank Sinatra, who became his son's godfather, and Marlon Brando, who mentored his career as an actor after trying to get Francis Ford Coppola to fire him from The Godfather. Russo had passionate affairs with Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minelli, and scores of other celebrities. He went on to become a producer and starred in The Godfather: Parts I and II, Seabiscuit, Any Given Sunday and Rush Hour 2, among many other films.Hollywood Godfather is a no-holds-barred account of a life filled with violence, glamour, sex—and fun.Gianni Russo Wines launched nationally in 2009. And he has an expanded product line coming out this year.Born in Manhattan and raised in Little Italy and Staten Island, Russo overcame polio as a child to start his first “business” at the tender age of twelve, selling pens and erasers on the street corners. At eighteen Russo made his first trip to Miami, where he began to dabble in show-business, working in nightclubs and hotspots before deciding to pursue acting and move to Hollywood.His Book: Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies & the Mob is an eye-opening read.All Rights Reserved © 2023© 2023 Building Abundant Success!!Join Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

GIANNI RUSSO was born in Manhattan in 1943 and raised in the then close-knit Little Italy, and later Rosebank, Staten Island. After reprising Carlo Rizzi in a brief flashback scene at the end of The Godfather Part II, Russo acted in more than 46 films, including Goodnight, My Love (1972), Lepke (1975, as Albert Anastasia), Laserblast (1978), Chances Are (1989), The Freshman (1990), Side Out (1990), Another You (1991), Super Mario Bros. (1993), Any Given Sunday (1999) and Seabiscuit (2003). Russo claims that he started a fledgling career in organized crime working as an errand boy and mob associate for Frank Costello as an adolescent but later abandoned the dangerous and volatile lifestyle of organized crime. The Staten Island Mafioso Tommy Bilotti was reportedly best man at Russo's wedding. Since the beginning of his acting career, Russo owned a Las Vegas restaurant called Gianni Russo's State Street at 2570 State Street on the Las Vegas Strip (closed in 1988), and reportedly defeated 23 federal criminal indictments on a variety of charges stemming from alleged organized crime associations. Russo is also a singer. In 2004, he released a CD called Reflections that pays homage to Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Russo owns a wine brand, Gianni Russo Wines, which debuted in 2009. In 2019, he published his memoir, Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob. Listen to his podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-aidan-byrne0/support

Interview with Ron Fried author of Frank Costello: A Novel

Author and healer Rita Gigante joins us for this episode! Rita is the daughter of iconic Mafia boss Vincent "the Chin" Gigante. He was boss of the Genovese crime family for decades. She shares her journey and we discuss her book "The Godfather's Daughter." We also discuss her father's interactions with underworld legends such as Vito Genovese, Frank Costello. and John Gotti.

Gianni Russo is known as the Hollywood Godfather, which also happens to be the name of his best selling book. In the book, he candidly talks about his life in the mob as well as his glorious movie career starring in The Godfather 1 & 2 movies. Wait til you hear some of the incredible people he palled around with including some of the infamous ladies he was…well…let's just say he was associated with.  You will learn: -Where he grew up and what were the circumstances & motivations that led him to being a Mafia Associate. -What...ahem..."activities" did being a mafia associate actually entail?  -What is different about Little Italy today vs. in the old days when Mob boss John Gotti ruled the roost at the infamous Ravenite Social Club? -What inspired him to do a tell-all memoir, or should I say…ALMOST all, called: Hollywood Godfather: My Life in the Movies and the Mob -What was his relationship with notorious gangster Frank Costello, former crime boss of the Luciano crime family. -At the age of 25, you came out of nowhere and was cast in the original Godfather movie as Sonny Corleone's brother-in-law Carlo Rizzi. How did he get that plum role?   -The famous nightclub he owned in Sin City, and the night where he shot and killed someone in self defense and what notorious affiliation the person he killed had. -The mafia code of silence and how it began to disintegrate and why wise guys started singing like canary's -His relationship with Marilyn Monroe -His second book The 6th Family: A Gianni Russo Novel – Book 1., the first in a series of books where there is much truth in the fiction. -Does he have any regrets & what he would do differently?  -What positive and inspiring messages can my listeners learn from your 80 years of a roller coaster life? -How he would like Gianni Russo to be remembered?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices