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Witness To The Mob
''Witness to the Mob'' is a made-for-TV film which premiered on Sunday, May 10, and concluded on Monday, May 11, 1998. Plot Based on a true story, the film follows the rise of Sammy Gravano in ranks in the Gambino crime family, one of the "Five Families" of the New York Cosa Nostra that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, his turning to government witness in the legal trials of John Gotti and his life in federal Witness Protection Program. Cast * Nicholas Turturro as Sammy Gravano * Tom Sizemore as John Gotti * Debi Mazar as Deborah Gravano * Abe Vigoda as Paul Castellano * Philip Baker Hall as Salvatore "Toddo" Aurello * Frank Vincent as Frank DeCicco * Lenny Venito as Sal DiMaggio *Johnny Williams as Angelo Ruggiero * Frankie Valli as Frank LoCascio * Michael Imperioli as Louie Milito * Vincent Pastore as Michael DeBatt * Peter McRobbie as George Pape (based on Gerard Pappa) * Nicholas Kepros as Vincent "The Chin" (Vincent Gigante) *Michael Ryan Segal as N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stanley Weiser
Stanley Weiser is an American screenwriter. He was born in New York City and is a graduate of the NYU Film School. His screen credits include ''Wall Street'' and '' W.'', both directed by Oliver Stone. He also wrote the 20th Century Fox film, '' Project X''. He is credited for creating characters in the sequel to ''Wall Street'': '' Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps''. In addition, he served as script consultant on Oliver Stone's ''Nixon'' and ''Any Given Sunday''. Weiser's other projects include two civil rights dramas, developed as feature films, but made for television. ''Murder in Mississippi'', a chronicle of the 1964 Freedom Summer movement and the lives and deaths of Cheney, Schwerner, and Goodman, the three young civil rights workers who were killed by the Ku Klux Klan, which aired on NBC in 1990. It was nominated for four Emmys and won the Directors Guild of America Award for best TV movie. ''Freedom Song'', a semi-fictional account of the early SNCC movement in Mississipp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti Jr.Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 25–26 (, ; October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was an American gangster and boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. He ordered and helped to orchestrate the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano in December 1985 and took over the family shortly thereafter, becoming boss of what was described as America's most powerful crime syndicate. Gotti and his brothers grew up in poverty and turned to a life of crime at an early age. Gotti quickly became one of the crime family's biggest earners and a protégé of Aniello Dellacroce, the Gambino family underboss, operating out of the neighborhood of Ozone Park in Queens. Following the FBI's indictment of members of Gotti's crew for selling narcotics, Gotti began to fear that he and his brother would be killed by Castellano for dealing drugs. As this fear continued to grow, and amidst growing dissent over the leadership of the crime family, Gotti organized the murder of Cast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter McRobbie
Peter McRobbie (born 31 January 1943) is a Scottish-born American character actor, best known for his roles as John C. Twist in the 2005 romantic drama film ''Brokeback Mountain'', Mike Sheenan in the 2006 action film '' 16 Blocks'', Pop Pop Jamison in the 2015 horror film '' The Visit'' and Father Paul Lantom in '' Daredevil'', as well as recurring roles in the TNT series ''The Alienist'' and as Judge Walter Bradley in the ''Law & Order'' franchise. Early life McRobbie was born in Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland, the son of Mary Fleming (née Heigh), a writer, and William McRobbie, a storekeeper. In the early 1950s, he moved with his parents to the United States, where he became an American citizen. He attended Yale Drama School, from which he graduated in 1966. He then studied in graduate school at the University of Tulsa for one year and studied acting with German-American actress Uta Hagen and actor James Saito at HB Studios in New York City. From 1966 to 1968, McRobbie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael DeBatt
Michael "Mickey" DeBatt (pronounced ''Di-Bat''; c. 1949 – November 2, 1987) was a Gambino crime family mob associate who was involved in the gangland slaying of drug trafficker Frank Fiala. Biography DeBatt was born to first generation Calabrian emigrant Mackie DeBatt in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn who grew up in the same neighborhood as future friends and criminal associates Sammy Gravano and Frank DeCicco. He had one sister named Rosanna DeBatt-Massa. He was very close to his sister over the years. Mackie is perceived to have been a " connected guy" with the Gambino crime family but never officially inducted into the organization. He performed various tasks for Sammy Gravano and others throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Mackie was the successful owner of Tali's Restaurant and Lounge located at 6205 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. It is also suggested that his father Mackie suffered from the psychological disorder of being a pathological gambling addict. DeBatt did not inherit hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank LoCascio
Frank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio (September 24, 1932 – October 1, 2021) was an American mobster in New York who became the Consigliere to the Gambino crime family boss John Gotti. Biography LoCascio was born to Italian immigrants from Baucina, Sicily. Becoming a made man during the 1950s, LoCascio was a bookmaker and loanshark for the Gambino family. Later on, he was promoted to caporegime of a crew in the Bronx, New York. After the December 1985 assassination of boss Paul Castellano, Gotti became the new Gambino boss and LoCascio joined his inner circle. When underboss Joseph Armone went to prison in 1987, LoCascio became acting underboss; When Gotti reshuffled his administration later on, promoting Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano to Armone's position, LoCascio became acting consigliere. 1992 conviction On December 11, 1990, LoCascio was arrested alongside Gotti and Gravano and indicted for racketeering. At the time of his arrest, LoCascio was still publicly identified as th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frankie Valli
Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice. Valli scored 29 top 40 hits with the Four Seasons, one top 40 hit under the Four Seasons alias the Wonder Who?, and nine top 40 hits as a solo artist. As a member of the Four Seasons, Valli's number-one hits include "Sherry" (1962), "Big Girls Don't Cry" (1962), " Walk Like a Man" (1963), " Rag Doll" (1964) and "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" (1975). Valli's recording of the song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" reached number two in 1967. As a solo artist, Valli scored number-one hits with the songs "My Eyes Adored You" (1974) and " Grease" (1978). Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio the original members of the Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angelo Ruggiero
Angelo "Quack Quack" Ruggiero Sr. (; July 29, 1940 – December 4, 1989) was a member of the Gambino crime family and a friend of John Gotti's. Once Gotti became leader of the family he made Ruggiero a caporegime. Although he showed little organizing or money making ability, anyone questioning Ruggiero's suitability for a top position in the hierarchy did so at their peril; the FBI regarded Ruggiero as an unpredictable psychopath not amenable to confrontational tactics. While Gotti was held in pretrial detention for a state case that he eventually beat, Ruggiero served as his contact with the crime family, until the impulsive capo got himself thrown in jail beside Gotti by cursing and arguing with the judge during a hearing. This blunder lost Ruggiero any chance he had of becoming Gotti's underboss. Mob family roots Ruggiero's father was a first-generation immigrant from Naples, Italy who was not involved in organized crime. Ruggiero's mother was Emma Campasano. Ruggiero's broth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lenny Venito
Lenny Venito (born May 10, 1969) is an American actor, who has made appearances in movies such as ''Gigli'', ''Men in Black 3'', and ''War of the Worlds''. He also starred as Marty Weaver in the ABC comedy '' The Neighbors'' and James "Murmur" Zancone on ''The Sopranos''. Life and career Venito was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He appeared in a recurring role in ''The Sopranos'' as " Murmur." He also appeared as John, an incompetent mugger, in two episodes, "Mugged" and " Wingmen", of another HBO Series, ''Flight of the Conchords''. Venito was cast in one episode of ''Ugly Betty'', as well as in two episodes of ''Bored to Death.'' Venito participated in the 2008 Celebrity Poker Invitational. Venito appeared in five episodes of ''NYPD Blue,'' most notably as Julian Pisano, a snitch with a heart of gold, a role he reprised in '' Blind Justice.'' In 2007, he starred in the short-lived ABC sitcom ''The Knights of Prosperity'' as "Squatch." From 2012 to 2014, Venito starred ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank DeCicco
Frank DeCicco (November 5, 1935 – April 13, 1986), also known as Frankie D and Frankie Cheech, was an American mobster consigliere and eventual underboss for the Gambino crime family in New York City. Background DeCicco was the son of Vincent "Boozy" DeCicco from Benevento, Italy, an alcoholic soldier with the Gambino family. DeCicco grew up in Bath Beach, Brooklyn, but lived as an adult on Staten Island. Frank DeCicco's brother was Gambino soldier George DeCicco and his sister was Betty DeCicco. Frank's uncle was Gambino capo George DeCicco. Frank had two children, Vincent and Grace. Vincent died of lung cancer in 2008. Frank's nephew was Gambino mobster Robert DeCicco. Frank was a tall, muscular man with a thick neck that showed exposed thick arteries when he was angry. DeCicco dyed his silver hair black, leaving silver streaks styled in a pompadour quaff. He also had a slightly mashed nose. A low-profile mobster, DeCicco drove a non-descript 1985 Buick Electra. Frank ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Vincent
Frank Vincent Gattuso Jr. (April 15, 1937 – September 13, 2017) was an American actor. During a five-decade career, Vincent often portrayed mobsters. He was a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Martin Scorsese, appearing as Salvy in ''Raging Bull'' (1980), Billy Batts in ''Goodfellas'' (1990), and Frank Marino in ''Casino'' (1995).Staff reports (September 15, 2017) "Sopranos actor made a name playing gangsters" ''The Washington Post'', page BRetrieved September 17, 2017 On television, he played List of The Sopranos characters#Phil Leotardo, Phil Leotardo on the fifth and sixth seasons of the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (2004–2007). Vincent also voiced Salvatore Leone in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' video game series from 2001 to 2005. Early life Vincent, who was of Italian descent with roots in Sicily and Naples, was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. His father, Frank Vincent Gattuso Sr., was an iron worker and businessman. He ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philip Baker Hall
Philip Baker Hall (September 10, 1931 – June 12, 2022) was an American character actor. Hall is known for his collaborations with Paul Thomas Anderson, including '' Hard Eight'' (1996), ''Boogie Nights'' (1997) and ''Magnolia'' (1999). He also starred in leading roles in films, such as ''Secret Honor'' (1984) and ''Duck'' (2005). Hall had supporting roles in many films, including '' Say Anything...'' (1989), ''The Truman Show'' (1998), ''The Talented Mr. Ripley'' (1999), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' Lost Souls'' (2000), '' The Contender'' (2000), ''Bruce Almighty'' (2003), ''Dogville'' (2003), ''Zodiac'' (2007), '' 50/50'' (2011) and ''Argo'' (2012). He received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Male Lead for his role in ''Hard Eight'' and two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture for ''Boogie Nights'' and ''Magnolia''. Hall is also known for his prolific work on television. His early television ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Castellano
Constantino Paul Castellano (; June 26, 1915 – December 16, 1985), was an American crime boss who succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family. Castellano was killed in an unsanctioned hit on December 16, 1985. Early life Castellano was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in 1915, to Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Concetta Castellano (née Cassata). Giuseppe was a butcher and an early member of the Mangano crime family, the forerunner of the Gambino family. Maas, Peter. ''Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia.'' New York City: HarperCollins, 1996. . Castellano dropped out of school in the eighth grade to learn butchering and collecting numbers game receipts, both from In July 1934, Castellano was arrested for the first time in Hartford, Connecticut for robbing a haberdasher. The 19-year-old Castellano refused to identify his two accomplices to the police and served a three-month prison sentence. By refusing to cooperate with authorities, Cas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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