Attention Carol: Mario Puzo's Research and Connections

Hi Carol, I see Don Malta gave you a "unique" title; no one used it before you

Introduction to Question 2

It's mentioned everywhere that Mr. Puzo does a lot of research regarding many details of his books. I have read an interview with Mr. Puzo (RIP) in which he mentions that "...The character of Vito Corleone is completely fiction. I have never met an honest gangster..." (I have made that quote from memory. I haven't read that interview for several months now.)

Question 2:

Aparently in his research (and if that interview was accurate), Mr. Puzo met and got to know (even if on a brief, and on a research-related basis) some so-called "gangsters". Did he ever speak of who he met? Were those "gangsters" publicly known or where they "small-time-gangsters"? Is it possible that you mention any names, if you know of any?

I also remember Mr. Puzo (in an interview) saying: "...those guys (American Mafia people) wouldn't last one day in Sicily...." If I remember correctly, he was remarking on the American's careless display of their wealth and anger. Do you know of any "Sicilian" Mafia people that Mr. Puzo could've compared those American Mafia members with? Did he know, or was he in contact with such Sicilian people?

[ September 18, 2001: Message edited by: Sonny ]

Sonny,
Mario always said that you could only get in trouble with the Mafia if you were willing to "sit down with them.' And because of that he never did. He did tell a story of meeting a few gangsters (who later wound up falling out a window) at a party, but I truly don't remember their names. I'd have to find the same interview you read it in. In the twenty years we were together and I went almost everywhere with him, I never met anyone I could identify as a gangster. And he often did say that a real mob guy (the Sicilian kind) would keep a low profile or would have been knocked off by the other for drawing attention to them. But I also never met a Sicilian when I was with Mario so I can't be of help there. I do know that whenever we were in Italy, everyone spoke to Mario in Italian because he walked around looking ominous, chewing on his long black cigar, and no one ever knew he couldn't speak Italian and hardly understood it. He just nodded slowly and stared at them.

WOW! Carol! I've heard lots about you! Will you be staying as a member?

I can't stop laughing at this....Jesus, he must've had nerves of steel not to laugh out loud while he's listening to those people.

LOL - that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard! I can just picture him walking around like the capo di tutti capi - I'm surprised anyone approached him at all!

Thanks for sharing, Carol!

JG