At his peak, Gambino was the top boss. Sort of a first among equals. But that doesn't mean he was boss of bosses. There's really never been such a thing in the American LCN. The closest thing was Salvatore Riina in the Sicilian Mafia. And Gambino's influence of the other families has also been overhyped. He never controlled Tieri. And if Colombo was his puppet, why did Colombo ignore his wishes to step down from the Italian Civil Rights League?

Gambino was the top boss much like Joe Massino was the top boss in the late 1990's and early 2000's, i.e. the boss with the most seniority. But Massino being the top boss on the street didn't give him control over the other families or make the Bonannos the #1 family.