I was just reading up a little bit about John Franzese, (Michael's father). The guy seems to have a sterling record as a mobster, but I have to keep asking is why he is still listed as the Columbo UB. He's 96-years-old and in Prison (until he'll be 100), I doubt the guy has much of a role anymore.

Why hasn't he been shelved if he hasn't already?

Also, he's listed as a producer in Danny Provenzano's movie This Thing of Ours. Everything I've heard about Danny is that he's a wannabe who claims made status to promote his horrible movies. John's backing of a very public wannabe's mafia-themed film should be a black-mark, if not a violation omerta and should be a double-black mark considering his son's bad-mouthing of former associates.

Can anyone speak to this?

He's the epitome of everything a wiseguy is supposed to be

Everything wiseguys claim to be( toughest baddest kill anybody for the boss )

If carmine perisco told him when he got out of jail at 100, to blast the head of the EME, he would without hesitation

Not just a legend, the legend

Yeah I'm sure if he lives to a 100 and gets out that he'll be active. He was extorting strip clubs in his 90s!

According to his son Sonny finally accepted God into his life. Im not sure if that means Sonny isnt involved anymore. I doubt it because Sonny seems like a old school mobster

Probably out of respect as much as anything. Also, it's easy for the family to have a guy be the acting underboss on the outside while Franzese retains the official position until he dies.

+1.

Prison doesn't = being shelved. Hence the position of 'acting'

Being shelved is post you fucking up somehow. It means you're not to do business with or for the family, to be ignored.

That ain't happening to Sonny.

Funny story I have about Franzese, my family went to the same church as Michael and my aunt and Michael were confirmed on the same day. My other aunt who was 18 at the time was dating a 20 something NYDP detective, who went with her that day to watch her sister be confirmed. Sonny knew my grandfather and uncle, my uncle might of been connected MAYBE but my grandfather wasn't, anyways Sonny and his family sat with my family and he just so happened to sit next to my aunts boyfriend the cop. Now this is 1963-64 when he was in my opinion at the height of his power. Now the NYPD Officer didn't know who Sonny was from Peter, but anyways after the ceremony all the families go outside the church to meet up with their kids to take pictures and as soon as my aunt and her boyfriend got outside the doors two FBI agents scooped up her boyfriend, brought him to headquarters and grilled him on why he was sitting next to Sonny Franzese. They followed him to the church, looked at who he was with inside the church, than went out and took down the lisence plate numbers of the cars of the people he was sitting with and saw that the car of the guy he was sitting with was an NYPD Detective, goes to show the type of scrutinity these guys faced post- Appalachin,Valachi.

A man among boys!!

When and if he gets out, I don't thnk anyone who knew him well will be around. Were any of his friends from his past still close to him when he was last out? I think he will be more of a curiosity pice than a criminal if he is paroled at age 100.

He's away for 7 years. Not 40.

If he wants it and is capable (ie alive) he can resume.

What age will he be when released Sonny?

michael franzese does this half sermon/half "how i was a gangster" speechthat im sure weve all heard. in one of them he talks about telling his father about staying away from criminals the last time he go out. and sonny said, "but i dont know anyone whose not a criminal."

Makes sense, I thought "being shelved" could refer to either/or retirement or banishment from LCN, hence the confusion.

This guy sounds the real deal, thanks for the information guys.

There's conflicting reports of his age, I have some saying he was born in 1917, but others say 1919. He gets out in 2017, so he'll be either 98 or 100 depending on what source you believe.

Bureau of Prisons says he is 96 now.

But his son says he was actually born in 1919.

Sonny Is a gangster for life

70 plus years of the life a real legend

he's up the street from me in fort devens probably playing cards with frank loc and st. Laurent. piece of shit marathon bomober there too. thers a lot of made guys there. and child pervs.

Some more interesting info about Sonny, some journalists are saying that he may have been set up by the police in that bank robbery case he went down for in 1970.

http://cosa-nostra-news.blogspot.com/2011/03/missing-letter-describes-fate-of.html

His son Mike says the same thing. However Sonny got away with so much that he deserved to go to jail anwyay. I mean he was a bigtime killer i heard up to 50 guys

The man stands for what he believes in... just for that principle, he's respect-worthy. I wish some politicians would stand up for what they believed in.