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Carlo Gambino ( August 24 , 1902 - October 15 , 1976 ) was a native of the town Caccamo in Palermo , Sicily , he was born to a family that belonged to the ''Honored Society'' for centuries. The ''Honored Society'' was slightly more complicated than the ''Black Hand'' of America, which eventually was transformed into the modern Mafia primarily by Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky with the consolidation of such enterprises as prostitution, bookmaking, hostage taking, and protection rackets. Carlo Gambino began carrying out murder orders for the Society in his teens and in 1921 , at the age of 19, he became a "made man". IMMIGRATION Benito Mussolini was gaining power in Italy, and Gambino entered the United States as an illegal immigrant on a shipping boat. He ate nothing but Anchovies and Wine during the trip, and joined his cousins the Castellanos in New York City . Because he was a Political Refugee , he never had to obtain American citizenship. During the Prohibition era, he worked as a Bootlegger , driver and gun man for various families. He was an associate of Lucky Luciano and he brought his cousin, Paul Castellano , into the organization. Castellano would later become a high ranking Mafioso . Gambino married Castellano's sister. ALBERT ANASTASIA By the 1950s , Albert Anastasia had become head of the Mangano crime organization, to which Gambino belonged. In 1957 , when Anastasia went for a shave at a barber shop at a New York hotel, two gunmen shot him in the face as he had a hot towel covering his face. It is most likely Gambino was responsible for Anastasia's murder, so that he could take over Anastasia's territories. The Mangano crime family then became the Gambino Crime Family , led by Carlo, and it was the most powerful in New York for many years. Gambino was innovative, and opened new businesses, including gay bars. John Gotti would become an associate in the Gambino crime family. REIGN Carlo Gambino is said to have had a peaceful reign. As boss, he ruled the family through relatives and even brought his son Tommy Gambino into the family. Gambino disapproved of publicity and drugs. Any member who was caught dealing drugs was murdered. As legend has it, he was one of the most respected and feared bosses of the 20th century. JOE COLOMBO Carlo was also suspected of ordering the killing of Joe Colombo . Colombo was the head of the Colombo Crime Family from 1963 until he was shot in the head and critically wounded at a rally for the Italian American Civil Rights League at Columbus Circle in New York City on June 29,1971. ILLNESS Boss Carlo Gambino taken sometime in the early to mid 1970 s, shortly before Gambino's death.]] Despite his long tenure as de facto ''Capo di tutti capi'' (''Boss of Bosses''), he survived two attempts to deport him to Sicily due to heart ailments. When Carlo became ill in 1976, he appointed Paul Castellano to be his successor. He then appointed Aniello Dellacroce , the rightful successor by tenure, as the head of the blue-collar crews of the family. DEATH AND BURIAL Gambino died of a heart attack in 1976 and was buried in Saint John's Cemetery, Queens in New York City . His funeral was said to have had at least 1,000 people, including police chiefs, politicians and citizens. POPULAR CULTURE Certain characteristics of the Michael Corleone character from Mario Puzo 's '' The Godfather '' may have been modeled after Gambino. EXTERNAL LINK |
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