Untold story of how Frank Sinatra ended up ‘begging for his life’ in a seedy Harlem basement
As someone who’s spent years delving into the intricate world of organized crime, I can’t help but be amazed by the audacity and influence of these gangsters. From Sinatra to De Niro, it seems Hollywood wasn’t always immune to the mob’s grasp.
In the early 1970s, it’s reported that Frank Sinatra found himself pleading for survival when the New York mafia attempted to end his life, as detailed in a recently published book.
In a different phrasing, the book “Mafia Takedown” written by Mike Campi uncovers how a well-known singer had angered the Genovese crime family to such an extent that he was called for a clandestine gathering in an underground basement in East Harlem, orchestrated by the formidable mob figure ‘Fat Tony’ Salerno.
Here, one of Campi’s confidential sources, a Genovese gang member known as George Barone, received orders to assassinate Sinatra.
The singer’s connections to organized crime are legendary in Hollywood lore, with some claiming that the character of Johnny Fontane from The Godfather was inspired by his real-life story.
As a die-hard admirer, I’ve always been captivated by whispers suggesting he had ties with the underworld since day one, and his career took off due to their influence. That’s what Campi, who spearheaded one of the most impactful crackdowns on organized crime in the United States, pens.
‘There is abundant evidence to support this claim.’
For one thing, Sinatra’s godfather was the infamous New Jersey wise guy Willie Moretti.
But the connections don’t end there.
According to Campi’s writing, Italian authorities discovered both Sinatra’s name and his home address among Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano’s belongings. There were allegations that Sinatra had at one point transported a briefcase filled with money to Luciano in Cuba.
He adds: ‘Sinatra was also good friends with Louie ‘Dome’ Pacello, a longtime Genovese soldier who operated out of an office above Veniero’s Bakery in New York City. Pacello once refused to answer under oath whether he even knew Sinatra, citing his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.
Despite getting vaccinated and being mandated to respond, Pacello opted not to answer – instead, he chose self-incarceration over answering a straightforward query.
Campi asserts that the mob played a role in securing Sinatra’s Academy Award-winning performance in “From Here to Eternity,” as they intervened following his initial rejection for the role of Private Angelo Maggio.
As a lifestyle connoisseur, I must share an intriguing tale about Columbia Studios, which, according to some accounts, had strong ties with organized crime circles. Frank Sinatra, a renowned figure in the entertainment world, once sought a role from the studio’s head honcho, Harry Cohn. However, against all expectations, his request was declined by Cohn.
After that, it seems Sinatra possibly spoke with a go-between linked to the Genovese family, Frank Costello. Costello selected Chicago crime figure Johnny Roselli as the messenger for the task at hand.
It is reported that Roselli convinced Cohn to cast Sinatra, warning him severely that he would be in serious trouble if he failed to comply with his instructions.
However, George Barone’s private discussions with Campi revealed additional incriminating facts about Frank Sinatra’s connection to the Genovese crime family.
As per Barone, there came a time when Sinatra seemed overly familiar with various criminal organizations, as evidenced by numerous photographs of him alongside Gambino family members, according to his writing.
Word had also reached the family that he was throwing his weight around in Las Vegas, getting rude and abusive when drunk.
Known for his violent temper tantrums, it’s rumored that he once offered a waiter $50 to slap Dominick Dunne, a Vanity Fair writer, and in another instance, during an argument over politics with a woman, he allegedly ordered a valet to throw a plate of barbecued spareribs at her.
It had become time for action. The head of Genovese Street, ‘Fat Tony’ Salerno, called Sinatra for a clandestine gathering in a basement situated in East Harlem. Barone was instructed to arrive ahead of schedule, and once the cue from Tony was given, his task was to end Sinatra’s life.
But when the singer was confronted with his fate, he ‘cried like a baby’ and begged for his life.
Fat Tony, it seems, took pity on him.
Sinatra faced a stern warning, ensuring he wouldn’t breach his association with the Genovese, as doing so could cost him dearly.
For now, ‘his life was spared.’
Sinatra wasn’t the only star to be associated with the mafia.
In a different wording: Campi states that Robert De Niro sought advice from Gambino mob boss ‘Fat Andy’ Ruggiano for his character in Analyze This, and Tony Sirico, known as Paulie Walnuts in The Sopranos, had connections to the Colombo crime family.
It is claimed that James Caan had a very tight bond with the then-leader of the Colombo family, Andrew Russo. Reportedly, Caan’s Godfather character, Sonny Corleone, was modeled after Russo.
Gangsters even used their considerable muscle to dictate control over movie content, he writes.
For example, Al Capone was worried about how he was depicted in the 1932 Scarface movie that wasn’t based on fact. To ensure he liked the way it portrayed him, he had some underworld associates make threats against the production team until they met his approval.
In The Godfather, it’s clear that they aimed to project a favorable image for their criminal organization as well.
Joe Colombo, a notorious mob figure, leveraged his influence within the Italian-American Civil Rights League to exert pressure on Paramount Studios regarding their planned film.
As a die-hard admirer, I can’t help but express that he unequivocally emphasized his strategy of utilizing the mafia’s grip on unions and other advantages to meddle with their operations.
Furthermore, the criminals made threats against the film producer and other high-ranking officials, and they also took valuable filming equipment.
After making bomb threats, the mob’s demands were met by Paramount when they chose to yield. A secret agreement was reached, and the plot of the film was altered in accordance with the mob’s contentment.
Taking Down the Mob: The Remarkable Account of an FBI Agent’s Success Against the New York Crime Syndicate, Authored by Mike Campi and Published by Skyhorse
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2024-10-12 17:49