I'm talking in the 20s/30s.

Frank Scalise became head of the Gambino crime family before stepping down for Vincent Mangano.

Gotta wonder why was Scalise forced to step down and why did he step aside for 20 or so years without so much as a word?

Think he was tooo old school; and not forward thinking. He was considered a Mustache Pete; but then again; Vincent Mangano was considered that also.

Wasn't Frank Scalise back in power as Anastasia's Underboss? Or is this a different Scalise? And isn't he the reason for the books being closed, he was selling memberships?

Yea he was Anastasia's Underboss. Frank Scalise. I believe he is the reason the books were for closed for 20+ years. He was whacked because of it.... Some say Genovese whacked him but I think it was a inside job.... Had to be ordered by Anastasia.. Read something a while back that they weren't getting along... Tooo old school..

That's what's throwing me off. I can see him being old school.... boss steps down for the good of the family and when called upon to serve as Underboss, he does. Membership was sacred to these guys. So then to turn around and sell memberships sounds more new school. I wonder what made him decide to flip the script? Just my opinion.

Maranzano was still boss and winner of the Castlemmare war. He already had Stefano Magaddino, Joe Bonanno, Joe Profaci who were loyalists during the war. Gaetano Gagliano who switched sides with Lucchese to Maranzano who was unsure of their loyalties but made Gagliano boss and Lucchese underboss to keep many of the Bronx and East Manhattan mobsters happy. Same reason he made Luciano boss and Genovese underboss to keep that family happy, and Maranzano did not want to give Luciano a strong ally as the war was just over, and Vincent Mangano was one of Maranzano loyalists during the war. So he demoted Frank Scalise and made Mangano boss of the Gambino crime family. Scalise went along with it cause now he was able to concentrate on earning and not worrying about the whole family.