Frank Todaro (; born Francesco Todaro, ; July 15, 1889 – November 29, 1944) was an Italian-American
mobster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
, who was the
boss
Boss may refer to:
Occupations
* Supervisor, often referred to as boss
* Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier
* Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization
* Fire boss, a ...
of
New Orleans crime family
The New Orleans crime family or New Orlean Mafia was an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in the city of New Orleans. The family had a history of criminal activity dating back to the late nineteenth century. The family reached its height ...
during 1944.
Early life
Todaro was born in the area of
San Cipirello, Province of Palermo, Sicily on July 15, 1889, to Giuseppe Todaro and Giuseppa DiMaggio. Todaro along with brothers Calogero "Charlie", Giuseppe "Joe", and Salvatore "Sam" Todaro immigrated to the United States in 1907 and settled in
, while his brother Angelo remained in Sicily.
Frank married Nancy Giamalva on July 14, 1914, in New Orleans, and they two sons children; Joseph and Clement Todaro, and two daughters, Jacqueline Leggio and Josephine Gallo.
Career
Todaro was
underboss
Underboss ( it, sottocapo) is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian, Greek, and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss. The underbo ...
of the New Orleans Mafia and succeeded Corrado Giacona as boss, after his death on July 25, 1944. He was boss for four months, until his death.
Carlos Marcello
Carlos Joseph Marcello (; born Calogero Minacore ; February 6, 1910 – March 3, 1993) was an Italian-American crime boss of the New Orleans crime family from 1947 until the late 1980s.
Aside from his role in the American Mafia, he is also n ...
, who became boss of the family in 1947, married his niece Jacqueline "Jackie" Todaro, the daughter of his brother Joseph.
Later life
Todaro died at his residence on S. Broad Street in New Orleans on November 29, 1944, from complications related to
throat cancer
Head and neck cancer develops from tissues in the lip and oral cavity (mouth), larynx (throat), salivary glands, nose, sinuses or the skin of the face. The most common types of head and neck cancers occur in the lip, mouth, and larynx. Symptoms ...
. It has been speculated that
Silvestro "Silver Dollar Sam" Carollo had a hand in his death with a little poison, but there is no concrete evidence to support this theory.
His funeral was held on December 1, 1944, the wake was conducted at Lamano-Panno-Fallo Funeral Home, a Roman Catholic
Requiem Mass
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...
was held at St. Mary's Church and he was interred at
Metairie Cemetery
Metairie Cemetery is a cemetery in southeastern Louisiana. The name has caused some people to mistakenly presume that the cemetery is located in Metairie, Louisiana, but it is located within the New Orleans city limits, on Metairie Road (and f ...
.
[Newspaper Obituary - New Orleans Picayune 11/30/1944]
References
Notes
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Todaro, Frank
1889 births
1944 deaths
American crime bosses
American gangsters of Sicilian descent
Burials at Metairie Cemetery
Italian emigrants to the United States
New Orleans crime family
People from New Orleans
Gangsters from the Province of Palermo