Much discussion has gone into who Vito was based on, but my question is the other 4 families, who were their respective dons based on? Always considered Barzini to based on Lucky, but thats guess what i think, how bout you guys(and girl)?

Carlo Tramonti was clearly based on Santos Trafficante Sr. Cuneo, the Upstate NY Don, might have been Stefano Magaddino of Buffalo (although his legit business was a funeral home, not a dairy). Something of Luciano is seen in Tattaglia (prostitution) and the Don of Cleveland (surrounded by Jewish advisers). But neither fits the real-life Lucky.

Do you not see signs of Marcello in Tramonti as well?

Much more Trafficante.

I only ask because in one of the books not wrote by Puzo it says he owned every business in New Orleans, does this not point to Marcello for you?

I think Barzini is a composite of Vito Genovese - getting into the drug business, murdering rivals to become boss of bosses - and Lucky Luciano - being Americanized and respected by the younger generation of mobsters and wanting to replace the mustache petes.

I think they all came from Puzo's imagination, with maybe a few bits of various Mafia Don info added. I don't think anyone of them was based solely on a particular boss.

I agree.

Really? Did ue make up Al Capone, Salvatoe Maranzano, and the Purple gang as well?

Moe Greene was based solely on Bugsy Siegel, Hyman Roth solely on Meyer Lansky. The rest are part Puzo's imagination and part composed on a varity of real mobsters.