Who, to your knowledge, was the longest serving "official" boss to ever head a Cosa Nostra Family in the United States?

And how long was his tenure as "Representante" ?

Stefano Magaddino over 50 years as Boss over Buffalo.

From 1922 to 1974.

Yes Magaddino. Jack Tocco was the godfather in Detroit for 35 years.

Santo Trafficante Jr. led the Trafficante crime family from 1954 to 1987.

Tony Accardo was pretty much "the guy" for a total of 45 years

Joe Zerilli was boss for 41 years

Good info everybody...Here's another long serving "Official" Family boss - James (Jimmy the Hat) Lanza.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that Lanza was named the "Representante" of the San Francisco borgata around 1961. And although its debatable how active this Cosa Nostra network really was in their later years, Lanza was still believed to have technically retained his official title, as the "Boss" of San Francisco, until the time of his death, in 2006.

Thats a 45 year tenure...not bad!

Carlo Caputo from Madison was also a long-time boss, even though it was a small family; he died in 1993 and was boss for a few decades I think, although I am not sure when exactly did the Madison family become inactive, possibily long before his death.

He was only Boss for around 10 years so he doesn't even come close to making this list.

Madison's Caputo Family was a very interesting bunch. And I think you're right, although his borgata was said to only be comprised of approximately a dozen or so men who were thought to have been largely "retired" by the 1940s, Carlo Caputo was Madison's acknowledged boss for many decades. Although its debatable about their activities and stature, Caputo, himself, did fabulously. He was said to have parleyed his rackets profits in a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio.

Raymond L. S. Patriarca (1950-1984) also over three decades.

Accardo had ultimate power and answered to no one for 40+ years….regardless of the title

That's not true but okay

Who else was above Accardo then?
Once he became Boss, I agree, he had final say on anything he wanted to and he named the next bosses. Call them “street bosses” if you will, but Accardo was top dog.

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, Felice (Paul the Waiter) Ricca was thought to have been the true "behind the scenes" boss until the early 1970s, with Tony Accardo, who had essentially served as Ricca's underboss/consigliere, assuming the top spot after that.

Paul Ricca boss and representative 1932 - 1943 (imprisoned 1944 - 1946)

From 1947 until 1972 Ricca was the Outfits top boss and besides guys like Accardo, Giancana and Battaglia being the official representatives during certain time periods and having the right to vote on the round table, still Ricca's opinion and final word held more weight to the other family bosses than the vote of his "chief executive", which in fact was often created previously by being consulted with Ricca first. Giancana couldve killed Bonanno with the blink of an eye but Ricca didnt approve it.

This means that Ricca was at the top of the organization for about 36 years.

Now, lets look at Accardo...boss and representative 1947 - 1956

In 1957 Accardo became Giancanas senior advisor and was ALMOST on the same level as Ricca, but he rarely dealt with commission stuff by being mostly concentrated on the Outfit and its leading admin. So I personally dont see Accardo as official representative for Chicago or having Ricca's last word from 1957 until 1972. Yes, Accardo was an advisor and sometimes accompanied Giancana on commission meetings, like the one in Miami, but ONLY as senior advisor with previous experience.

When Ricca died in 1972, Accardo became the top boss either from 72 until 1983/84 or until his death in 1992. In 1976/77 Accardo presided over induction ceremonies but in 1983 it was up to Aiuppa.

This means that Accardo was at the top for either 21 years or 29 years, depending on how we look at the situation.

As we can see, Ricca was probably the longest serving family boss for the Chi mob.

And we also must not forget DiFronzo....he had similar career as Riccas or Accardos

San Francisco and Madison was more than a crew that a family. Buffalo was different.

Well said Toodoped, thank you- I can agree Ricca was above Accardo

You're welcome

John DiFronzo boss 1993 - 1997

Sometime around 1997 or 98 DiFronzo allegedly became the new Outfit's top boss until 2012 I think, or until he began developing serious health issues. So for a boss during the new era, I think DiFronzo did quite good for being an Outfit top member for around 19 or 20 years.

List of longest official serving bosses for the second largest city at the time...
.
1. Ricca (around 36 years)

2. Accardo (between 21 and 29 years)

3. DiFronzo (around 20 years)

4. Aiuppa (around 10 or 12 years)

5. Giancana (6 or 7 years)

I think Solly D also belongs to this list but Im still not sure regarding his tenure as official boss.

Carlos Marcello from 1947 to 1993.

Yes, Marcello was another long-serving boss. I believe he took over the reins from Silver Sam Carollo.

The flaw in your list is your years for Tony Accardo and Paul Ricca overlap with the tenures of other official Bosses you continue to try to reinvent Mafia in Chicago but your own fantasy doesn't change reality.

ehi stupido, siediti e stai zitto!

Joe Bonanno of the Bonanno crime family, which he ran from 1931 to 1968.

Lol that's right lash out because someone says something different than you and your boyfriend. Been your MO since the beginning.

Thats not lashing out, thats just telling you off. Everybody on this forum knows damn well what you are, and why you visit here. You're a troublemaker and a troll who comes on GBB to insult people and start arguments.

Now go crawl back into whatever dark hole idiots like you crawl out of. We don't want your kind around here, get it?

True. Another one was his compare Joe Profaci, who had a similar run, from approximately 1931 (maybe earlier,) till he died in 1962. A thirty-one year run at the top of the heap.