On the biography channel today it documented the 'Genovese Crime Family'.
Vincent 'The Chin' was featured and I was surprised cos I thought he got his name from his very large chin/lower jaw.....but no. He got the name from his boxing days when a sock on the chin knocked him out cold, or they said it could have been the way his mom prounenced his name Vin CHEN zo ....seriously

Anyway, I was fascinated by the Boss Frank Costello, and his reign on the family. More of his Family members became millinaires during his term than at any other time...cos he allowed them to more or less run their own shows (is that right Turnbull) I laughed when I heard Costello ended up going to a shrink for a while who told him to start going round with more 'nice people' than types he usually associated with ha!! (Tony Soprano....) I'll post more when I've read some good stuff on Costello

FH

FH, I've posted many times that I believe Costello was the main model for Vito Corleone. He "had all the judges in NY," was big in gambling and unions, never touched drugs and prostitution. He also was known as "chairman of the board" and retired after an unsuccessful murder attempt.
Costello, almost alone among early Mafia Dons, understood that political power was worth more than guns. The reason he and his people got rich was that they generally eschewed violence when they could get what they wanted through judges and politicians. And yes, he was sophisticated enough to understand that he needed professional help from a shrink. He also had good manners, lived at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, and hobnobbed with wealthy and influential people. He died peacefully in his eighties.
Contrast Costello's success with the experience of his predecessor (Charlie Luciano, convicted of white slavery and then deported to Italy, where he died nearly broke) and his successor (Vito Genovese, sent to prison for 10 years on a drug rap--died in prison). Speaks for itself.

Frank Costello sounds like one very interesting, smart guy!! I didn't realise Lucky Luciano had come to such a dismal end though.
I knew about Vito Genovese's demise in prison.

I have my summer reading all sorted out now. Thankyou Turnbull once again for an interesting, comprehensive post.

FH

Are there any books on Frank Costello?
So what's all this Corlone based on Bonnano? Is that just what they wanted to believe?

The Biography channel is great isn't it FH. I've seen some really good stuff on there. I'm looking forward to Eddie Izzards 3 part series on the Discovery Channel about Britains heratige and why most of it isn't really British and that it's been influenced by foreign nations. St. George is a good example. Our Patron Saint of England was actually Turkish. I digree though. If you look out on the Biography channel you may see the biography program of Frank Costello himself - an hour on him. Check out Crime Inc as well. Tonight at 10.30 it's about gambling in the United States and the Mafias ties to it.

Thanks for the tip off Turi, I have crime inc on at the moment about the gambling

I dont know if there are books on only Frank Costello, I was going to get a bunch from the library on The Genovese Family and some on the bootleggers that became the early Genovese family, Charlie Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Benjamin Siegal and Francesco Castiglia (Frank Costello)

I think the thing about Bill Bonanno used as the 'role model' for Michael Corleone was fantasy. I've heard this before and also read it in his own book 'Bound By Honor'
I think from what we've discussed here in the past on the BB it's fantasy!!

FH

FH, you can probably buy "Frank Costello - Prime Minister of the Underworld" by George Wolf, from http://www.abebooks.com They are a US firm but they accept overseas orders.
The only resemblance between Joe Bonanno and Vito Corleone was that Joe had a son he was grooming for the Donship, and the son was betrayed by one of his caporegimes. But it's strictly circumstantial. The Bonannos dealt drugs, and Joe took it on the lam for over a year, during which time the family was split apart because the Commission ordered Joe stripped of his Donship. They put Gaspar diGregorio, his second in command (and best man at his wedding) in charge, leaving son Bill with about half of the family who remained loyal to him and his father.

Thanks Turnbull
Once I had a title to work with I went to amazon.co.uk and found a used copy of the book. I ordered it and it told me Abebooks.com were the intermediary....good eh!!

I'll write a short review when I've read it

FH