I am interested in visitng film locations of some of my favorite movies. Obviously, the Godfathers are some of my favorites.

While I've located the scene where Mike (and bodyguard) meet up with Johnny Ola in their cars (Hialeah Race Track, Hialeah, Miami, FL)on the way to Hyman Roth's house, I need help locating exactly where Roth's house was/is located.

Maybe this will help you in you're search. Right-click on the pictures to enlarge them.

I appreciate the pictures. I am hoping someone can nail the address/street name for me.

Looks like N. Miami Beach.

Yeah, single level, no basement. Typical of the area in the '50s and '60s.

FFC also probably would have known that Meyer Lansky lived in the area (in Hallandale). That's where my money is. Either the southernmost tip of Broward County, or the northernmost tip of Dade County.

I was told one time that the home they used was the real home of Lee Strasberg. I can not confirm this for sure, but why not?

The house that was used as Hyman Roth's home in the movie is at 2045 N. Hibiscus Drive in North Miami.

This could actually be it, looking at the home now, the roof has been changed and other updates, but the footprint appears to be the same.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2045-N-Hibiscus-Dr-North-Miami-FL-33181/43977124_zpid/

I always thought it was unusual for a man worth as much as Roth, to live in such a modest house. Does this reflect real life mafia bosses residences?

It is a Mafia 101 lesson that a major organized crime figure does not flaunt one's wealth. It attracts federal attention such as it did to Joe Columbo (and prompted his ill-fated attack on the FBI) and to Castellano who constructed a mansion on Staten Island.

Look at what happened with Joe Batters. He had that beautiful mansion and Ricca and the other upper echelon pretty much told him to downsize. That was a nice house. He bought it for next to nothing compared to what the original owner paid for it.

Be glad it's not in Hialeah, not the best place to go roaming for a house these days. We were just down there a week or two ago.

I was comparing the residences that Michael chose to live in as a "boss", which were conspicuous.

I see where U coming from. Vito's Mall, Clemenza's house looks nice, the Fucking Tahoe compound. Good point. Maybe he was just an investor living on a pension. Lol

Roth was very smart. He didn't show off his wealth like Mike did.

What's the point ? A life of crime, the threat of arrest or assassination and you live in a house no better than my mailman's.

And the mailman has better lunch than Tuna sandwich! too

Meyer Lansky was reportedly near broke toward the end of his life. Alas, Hyman Roth. Roth's line to the press about "living on a modest pension" was lifted directly from a statement Lansky gave to a reporter.

Roth, like some other smart gangsters, lived modestly so he wouldn't call attention to himself--more likely he had a "legitimate" income source that he declared on his income tax return, and lived within it.

But, as you say, what's the point, after taking all those risks? Consider Vincent (the Chin) Gigante avoided prosecution for decades by pretending to be non compos mentis--walking around NYC in pajamas and robe, talking to trees, pissing in the street. What a life!

Excellent points! Off the top of my head there is only one person that I can think of right now who was successful in putting on the facade of living a simple and modest life in an average home....Don Carlo Gambino.

His house in Masapequa wasn't so modest. Gotti's house always struck me as a modest one.

Despite their rapacious appetites for ill-gotten gains as well as for destruction, every Mafiosi (or their associates) have, to some degree, unique personalities. Paul Castellano's personality required that he live in a mansion on Staten Island. He probably did so in order to serve his need to represent himself as above it all. He knew that such a lavish abode would attract the attention of the Feds. However, as head of the Gambino family, he probably figured that he was (and he was) already very much in the Feds crosshairs. As some Board members have posted, Michael may have lived lavishly in Nevada and New York for the same reason.

Roth's personality trait didn't require any separation from the street people. He felt secure with who and what he was. If he was going to unseat Michael in the underworld hierarchy, then he would do it with guile. Maybe he too did not want to attract the attention of the Feds, but he certainly realized that he was on the Feds radar anyway, but lavish living didn't appeal to him.

Roth seemed to enjoy the lavish living, in the hotel suites, freebies! courtesy of the Cuban government, to their friend and associate

If Michael and Roth hadn't been feuding perhaps Roth may not have attracted the attention of the Feds No senate hearing for Michael either

Meyer didn't live in that house for too long. He moved to a condo in the North miami Beach area, which was in those days a very strong Jewish area.

They'd always have pictures of him walking his dog along collins ave.

He had a Son Buddy Lansky who was permanently in a wheel chair. He was the night manager at the old Singapore Hotel before they knocked it down years ago.

Here is some info on Meyer's residences in Florida:
http://randompixels.blogspot.com/2013/07/someone-just-bought-meyer-lanskys.html

You should also click on bottom of the above page for good pics and stories of Meyer.

His other son, Paul, graduated from West Point, was a commissioned officer in the US Army, and later had a career in the Defense Dept.

The interview with Lansky on Israeli TV was very interesting.
Hank Messick, a tabloid journalist, published a book on Lansky that claimed he "ran" organized crime in the US and was "worth $300 million." Both were wild exaggerations but the image stuck on him. Nixon's Justice Dept. declared a "17-city Organized Crime Task Force." Sixteen of the 17 cities were cities; the 17th "city" was Lansky himself. They influenced the Israeli Government to deny Lansky's citizenship application and filed many charges against him. He beat all their raps, but died nearly broke.
BTW: The interviewer, Uri Dan, wrote an "authorized" bio of Lansky. He knew squat about US organized crime. Lansky BS'd him up, down and sideways.

His house in Brooklyn was very modest.

But..that house is very large lengthwise,it goes a ways back, a huge basement probably,& I think I read somewhere that it is actually 2 apts.,1 up & 1 down,,kinda like Angelo Brunos house,only Bruno's house always looked shabby on the outside.