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Witness To The Mob
''Witness to the Mob'' is a television 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 "The Bull" Gravano in the ranks of the Gambino crime family, one of the "Five Families" of the New York Cosa Nostra, culminating in his becoming underboss to John Gotti, his decision to betray Gotti by testifying in the fourth and final trial that saw him sentenced to life imprisonment and his life in the 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 a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stanley Weiser
Stanley Weiser is an American screenwriter. Biography He was born in New York City. 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''. He wrote the screenplay for '' Project X'' with Matthew Broderick in 1987. Weiser was Oliver Stone's screenwriting partner on the movie ''Wall Street'', released in 1987 and a cult classic. He also helped Stone write the film '' W'' in 2008, about the life of US President George Bush. The dialogue was positively received by Roger Ebert for not containing overtly "revisionist history." 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 civi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Mafia
The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian-American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian-American criminal society and organized crime group. The terms Italian Mafia and Italian Mob apply to these US-based organizations, as well as the separate yet related Sicilian Mafia or other organized crime groups in Italy, or ethnic Italian crime groups in other countries. These organizations are often referred to by its members as Cosa Nostra (, "Our Thing" or "This Thing of Ours") and by the American government as La Cosa Nostra (LCN). The organization's name is derived from the original ''Mafia'' or ''Cosa Nostra'', the Sicilian Mafia, with "American Mafia" originally referring simply to Mafia groups from Sicily operating in the United States. The Mafia in the United States emerged in impoverished List of Italian-American neighborhoods, Italian immigrant neighborhoods in New York's East Harlem (or "Italian Harlem"), the Lower East Si ... [...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 and occasional actor, best known as the frontman (lead singer) of The Four Seasons (band), the Four Seasons. 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 (song), Sherry" (1962), "Big Girls Don't Cry (The Four Seasons song), Big Girls Don't Cry" (1962), "Walk Like a Man (The Four Seasons song), Walk Like a Man" (1963), "Rag Doll (The Four Seasons song), 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 (song), Grease" (1978). V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angelo Ruggiero
Angelo Salvatore Ruggiero Sr. (; July 29, 1940 – December 4, 1989), also known as "Quack Quack", was an American gangster. He was a member of the Gambino crime family and a friend of John Gotti's. After Gotti became leader of the family he made Ruggiero a caporegime. During John Gotti's pretrial detention for a state case, which Gotti eventually won, Ruggiero acted as his liaison with the crime family. During a court hearing, he cursed and argued with the judge, resulting in his imprisonment alongside Gotti. This incident effectively ended any opportunity he had to become Gotti's underboss. Family and early years Angelo Salvatore Ruggiero was born at Lutheran Hospital and raised in the East New York section of Brooklyn. Ruggiero's father was a first-generation immigrant from Naples, Italy who was not involved in organized crime. Ruggiero's mother was Mary Dellacroce. Ruggiero's brothers were Gambino associate Salvatore Ruggiero Sr., John Ruggiero (born June 9, 1946), and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lenny Venito
Lenny Venito is an American actor, who has made appearances in films 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''. Career Venito 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 as Marty Weaver in the ABC comedy '' The Neighbors.'' From 2014 to ... [...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 and eventual underboss for the Gambino crime family in New York City. Criminal career Background The son of Vincent "Boozy" DeCicco from Benevento, Campania, an alcoholic soldier with the Gambino crime 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. DeCicco was a tall, muscular man with a thick neck that showed exposed thick arteries when he was angry. He dyed his silver hair black, leaving silver streaks styled in a pompadour coif. He also had a slightly mashed nose. A low-profile mobster, DeCicco drove a non-descript 1985 Buick Electra. Fran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Vincent
Frank Vincent Gattuso Jr. (April 15, 1937 – September 13, 2017) was an American actor and musician. Known for often portraying violent mobsters and criminals, 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 Phil Leotardo on the fifth and sixth seasons of the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (2004–2007). Vincent voiced Salvatore Leone in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' video game series from 2001 to 2005. Vincent also worked as an acting coach, providing assistance and guidance to co-stars who did not have formal acting training. 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 J ... [...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. He 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 ''Midnight Run'' (1988), '' Say Anything...'' (1989), ''The Truman Show'' (1998), ''The Talented Mr. Ripley'' (1999), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' 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 an Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture for ''Boogie Nights'' and ''Magnolia''. Hall is also known for his prolific work on television. His early televisio ... [...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 of New York City. Castellano ran the organization from 1976 until his murder on December 16, 1985. Early life Constantino Paul Castellano was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 1915. His parents, Giuseppe and Concetta Castellano (née Cassata), were both Italian immigrants; his father was a butcher and an early member of the Mangano crime family, the forerunner of the Gambino crime 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, 19-year-old Castellano was arrested for the first time in Hartford, Connecticut, for robbing a haberdasher. He refused to identify his two accomplices to the polic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abe Vigoda
Abraham Vigoda (February 24, 1921 – January 26, 2016) was an American actor known for his portrayals of Salvatore Tessio in ''The Godfather'' (1972) and Phil Fish in both ''Barney Miller'' (1975–1977, 1982) and ''Fish'' (1977–1978). His career as an actor began in 1947 performing with the American Theatre Wing and continued in Broadway productions throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Early life and education Vigoda was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 24, 1921, the son of Samuel Vigoda and Lena Moses, Jewish immigrants from Russia. His father was a tailor who had two other sons: Hy and Bill. The latter was a comic book artist who drew for the ''Archie Comics'' franchise and others in the 1940s. After leaving school, Vigoda worked as a printer before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1943, serving in World War II. After his military service, he studied acting on the G.I. Bill at the American Theatre Wing. In the late 1940s, he began working in radio, and made his televisio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Debi Mazar
Debi Mazar Corcos (; born August 13, 1964) is an American actress and television personality. She began her career with supporting roles in '' Goodfellas'' (1990), '' Little Man Tate'' (1991), '' Singles'' (1992), and '' Batman Forever'' (1995), followed by lead roles on the legal drama series '' Civil Wars'' and ''L.A. Law''. She portrayed press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series '' Entourage''. She starred as Maggie Amato on TV Land's '' Younger'', and alongside her husband Gabriele Corcos in the Cooking Channel series ''Extra Virgin''. Early life Mazar was born in Queens, New York, the daughter of Nancy and Harry Mazar (Harija Fogelmanis). Her father was born in German-occupied Latvia to a Jewish family. She had no knowledge of her father's ancestry until her twenties as he practiced Catholicism. Mazar's parents annulled their marriage shortly after she was born, and she spent her early life in the country in upstate New York with her mother. As a teenager, she relocat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Federal Witness Protection Program
The United States Federal Witness Protection Program (WPP), also known as the Witness Security Program or WITSEC, is a witness protection program codified through 18 U.S. Code § 3521 and administered by the United States Department of Justice. The program is operated by the United States Marshals Service and is designed to protect threatened witnesses and their family members before, during, and after a trial when those witnesses have an association with the federal government. The program was originally authorized by the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 and later amended by the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984. The amended issues included bail, sentencing reform, pleas for insanity, and penalties for drug offenses. History The WITSEC program was formally established under Title V of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, which states that the United States Attorney General may provide for the relocation and protection of a witness or potential witness of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
