Posted By: furio_from_naples
Mobsters&Movies - 12/01/23 11:26 AM
https://screenrant.com/gangster-movies-real-life-criminals/#anthony-borgese-the-sopranos
Lenny Montana (The Godfather)
Lenny Montana is one of the most well-known former mobsters to appear in a gangster movie. Montana actually had a very memorable role in The Godfather as Luca Brasi, the nervously massive gun-for-hire who was loyal to the Corleone family. Brasi first appears in the opening moments of The Godfather, stumbling over his lines as if he weren't an actual actor because he was not an actual actor. Montana was a real-life mob enforcer for the Colombo family who was on the set of the movie to make sure that the word "mafia" was never said in front of the camera, according to The Vintage News.
Tony Sirico (The Sopranos)
Tony Sirico was one of the only actors to appear in The Sopranos, The Godfather Part II (as an uncredited extra), and Goodfellas, hitting the mobster trifecta. It's no wonder how the actor was able to pull off such convincing performances in iconic works of the gangster genre considering that he had 28 arrests and two convictions before he rose to fame as an actor. Sirico was a known associate of the Colombo crime family in Brooklyn, New York during the 60s and 70s who apparently turned down the opportunity to officially become a made man.
Gianni Russo (The Godfather)
Gianni Russo is best known onscreen for his role as Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather, the abusive husband to Connie who eventually sold Sonny out to rival gangs which resulted in his swift and brutal death. In real life, Russo admitted in 2020 that he was a former associate of mob boss Frank Costello starting at the age of 13. Russo claims himself to have been associated with the mafia since 1955 where he began his affiliation mostly as an errand boy known by Costello and his associates as "The Kid."
Alex Rocco (The Godfather)
Alex Rocco, famous for portraying the infamous Moe Greene in The Godfather, who was a Las Vegas casino owner in the movie who refused to sell his casino to Michael Corleone. Of course, Corleone wasn't a fan of his answer and ultimately had him killed. Rocco, whose real name was Alexander Federico Petricone, was considered to have been a real-life member of the Mafia before appearing in the greatest gangster movie of all time.
Michael Squicciarini (The Sopranos)
Michael Squicciarini briefly appears in The Sopranos season 2 as an enforcer named “Big Frank” Cippolina. Squicciarini is a formidable 6'5" man who weighs more than 300 pounds, making him hard to miss even as an extra in the show. While the actor's time in the limelight was brief, he knew he always had his life of organized crime to fall back on which ended up being his demise. Squicciarini was implicated after his death in a gang-related murder after he was recognized from his appearance in the Sopranos, according to Paste Magazine.
Anthony Borgese (The Sopranos)
Anthony Borgese, who goes by the name Tony Darrow professionally, was known to be close friends with two established mobsters, Paul Vario (who inspired the character of Paul in Goodfellas) and John Gotti, the notorious gangster and boss of the Gambino crime family. Tony Darrow's own father was a known gangster in the Brooklyn area and was the reason why he got into a life of organized crime at a young age. Darrow was charged with extortion in 2009 for his connection in an assault that was orchestrated by the Gambino crime family. Tony Darrow confessed to the crime in 2011 and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Assunta Maresca (Delitto a Posillipo)
Maresca,young bride of Pasquale Simonetti a camorrista killed shortly after the wedding, she killed the instigator (despite being in the sixth month of pregnancy). After 10 years in prison she participated in a movie Delitto a Posillipo (Murder in Posillipo) freely inspired by her story. She was a bitter enemy of Cutolo and the NCO enough to earn the title of Lady Camorra.
Salvatore Abbruzzese (Gomorrah the movie)
Salvatore Abbruzzese,he made his debut at the age of 13 in the role of little Totò in the film Gomorrah. Despite small parts in TV series, he was unable to become famous and returned to sell drug in his Scapia neighbourhood. Arrested for drug dealing in 2021 while he was under house arrest, two Camorra members came to demand payment of a drug debt of 60 euros which became 2500 euros and they beat Abruzzese even though he was in a wheelchair, ordering him to leave the house if he didn't want to be killed. He now lives in Lombardy.
Lenny Montana (The Godfather)
Lenny Montana is one of the most well-known former mobsters to appear in a gangster movie. Montana actually had a very memorable role in The Godfather as Luca Brasi, the nervously massive gun-for-hire who was loyal to the Corleone family. Brasi first appears in the opening moments of The Godfather, stumbling over his lines as if he weren't an actual actor because he was not an actual actor. Montana was a real-life mob enforcer for the Colombo family who was on the set of the movie to make sure that the word "mafia" was never said in front of the camera, according to The Vintage News.
Tony Sirico (The Sopranos)
Tony Sirico was one of the only actors to appear in The Sopranos, The Godfather Part II (as an uncredited extra), and Goodfellas, hitting the mobster trifecta. It's no wonder how the actor was able to pull off such convincing performances in iconic works of the gangster genre considering that he had 28 arrests and two convictions before he rose to fame as an actor. Sirico was a known associate of the Colombo crime family in Brooklyn, New York during the 60s and 70s who apparently turned down the opportunity to officially become a made man.
Gianni Russo (The Godfather)
Gianni Russo is best known onscreen for his role as Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather, the abusive husband to Connie who eventually sold Sonny out to rival gangs which resulted in his swift and brutal death. In real life, Russo admitted in 2020 that he was a former associate of mob boss Frank Costello starting at the age of 13. Russo claims himself to have been associated with the mafia since 1955 where he began his affiliation mostly as an errand boy known by Costello and his associates as "The Kid."
Alex Rocco (The Godfather)
Alex Rocco, famous for portraying the infamous Moe Greene in The Godfather, who was a Las Vegas casino owner in the movie who refused to sell his casino to Michael Corleone. Of course, Corleone wasn't a fan of his answer and ultimately had him killed. Rocco, whose real name was Alexander Federico Petricone, was considered to have been a real-life member of the Mafia before appearing in the greatest gangster movie of all time.
Michael Squicciarini (The Sopranos)
Michael Squicciarini briefly appears in The Sopranos season 2 as an enforcer named “Big Frank” Cippolina. Squicciarini is a formidable 6'5" man who weighs more than 300 pounds, making him hard to miss even as an extra in the show. While the actor's time in the limelight was brief, he knew he always had his life of organized crime to fall back on which ended up being his demise. Squicciarini was implicated after his death in a gang-related murder after he was recognized from his appearance in the Sopranos, according to Paste Magazine.
Anthony Borgese (The Sopranos)
Anthony Borgese, who goes by the name Tony Darrow professionally, was known to be close friends with two established mobsters, Paul Vario (who inspired the character of Paul in Goodfellas) and John Gotti, the notorious gangster and boss of the Gambino crime family. Tony Darrow's own father was a known gangster in the Brooklyn area and was the reason why he got into a life of organized crime at a young age. Darrow was charged with extortion in 2009 for his connection in an assault that was orchestrated by the Gambino crime family. Tony Darrow confessed to the crime in 2011 and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Assunta Maresca (Delitto a Posillipo)
Maresca,young bride of Pasquale Simonetti a camorrista killed shortly after the wedding, she killed the instigator (despite being in the sixth month of pregnancy). After 10 years in prison she participated in a movie Delitto a Posillipo (Murder in Posillipo) freely inspired by her story. She was a bitter enemy of Cutolo and the NCO enough to earn the title of Lady Camorra.
Salvatore Abbruzzese (Gomorrah the movie)
Salvatore Abbruzzese,he made his debut at the age of 13 in the role of little Totò in the film Gomorrah. Despite small parts in TV series, he was unable to become famous and returned to sell drug in his Scapia neighbourhood. Arrested for drug dealing in 2021 while he was under house arrest, two Camorra members came to demand payment of a drug debt of 60 euros which became 2500 euros and they beat Abruzzese even though he was in a wheelchair, ordering him to leave the house if he didn't want to be killed. He now lives in Lombardy.
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