Corleone family

The Corleone family is a fictional Sicilian family, and the focus of the books and films of The Godfather series. The family was created by Mario Puzo and first appears in his 1969 novel The Godfather. It is said that the Corleone family is inspired by the real-life Borgia family from Renaissance Italy in the late 15th century.

Compared with the real-life Five Families of organized crime, the Corleone family draws comparisons with the Genovese and Bonanno crime families.^[1][2][3]

Early Corleone history

The Corleone crime family traces its roots to 1920, when Vito Corleone assassinated Little Italy's padrone, Don Fanucci, and took over Fanucci's territory along with fellow hoodlums Genco Abbandando, Peter Clemenza and Salvatore Tessio. Shortly afterward, he founded the Genco Pura Olive Oil Company as a front for his criminal activities. Around 1925, Vito formally organized the family, with Genco as his consigliere and Pete and Sal as caporegimes. They became the most powerful crime family in New York after defeating Salvatore Maranzano during the Olive Oil War in the early 1930s. It was during this time that Vito's eldest son, Santino, made his reputation and eventually became a capo himself. Upon becoming successful, the family moved to a compound in Long Beach.

Killing the Turk

In 1945, Don Vito Corleone declines drug baron Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo's narcotics business proposal, and this nearly destroys the family. Sollozzo believed Vito's eldest son Sonny Corleone wanted to accept the deal, and he had his men gun down Don Vito outside his office. Vito survives and is hospitalized. Sonny takes over as acting boss of the Corleone family. After a second assassination attempt on Don Vito, Sonny has Bruno Tattaglia assassinated. The situation escalates further when Don Vito's youngest son Michael murders both Sollozzo and corrupt police captain McCluskey during a meeting in the Bronx, this forced Michael to flee to Sicily. This triggers the Five Families War, which claims Sonny's life. The still-recuperating Don Vito makes peace with the other families, realizing that his true enemy is Emilio Barzini, who wanted to crush the Corleones to become the most powerful mafia don in New York.

Las Vegas

After Don Vito's semi-retirement, followed by his fatal heart attack, Michael succeeds his father as the Don. Michael carries out Sonny's plan to murder the other New York Mafia bosses along with Moe Greene, Sal Tessio and Carlo Rizzi. Following this, Michael moves the family to Lake Tahoe. Michael attempts to legitimize the Corleone business, but is pulled back into crime after a failed attempt on his life by Miami gangster and Corleone business partner, Hyman Roth, attempting to halt the takeover of Las Vegas. Roth is eventually murdered on Michael's orders. Michael's older brother, Fredo Corleone, was ensnared by Roth to conspire against the Corleones. At their mother's funeral, Michael sanctions the assassination of his surviving older brother.

Legitimization

By 1979, the activities of the Corleone family were nearly completely legitimate. Michael Corleone sold their interests in all casinos and hotels and invested only in businesses unconnected to Mafia activities. The underboss of the Corleone's criminal enterprise, Joey Zasa, resentful of the reforms, aligned with aging kingpin Don Altobello, and together orchestrated an assassination attempt on Michael Corleone during a meeting in Atlantic City.

Vincent Corleone

When in 1980, Michael appointed his nephew and Sonny's illegitimate son, Vincent Mancini, to be his successor as Don of the Corleone family, he allowed him to change his name to Vincent Corleone. In return for this, Michael ordered him to end his relationship with Michael's daughter (and Vincent's cousin) Mary. Vincent assured him that he would.

Under Michael's mentoring, Vincent is remade into a new man - wiser, patient, and aware of his status as the new Don. However, he retained a violent streak, as evidenced in his first act as Don. With Michael's tacit blessing, he ordered the deaths of Gilday, Keinszig, and Lucchesi in one mass slaughter. However, Mary was killed in a failed assassination attempt on Michael. Vincent quickly and ruthlessly killed Mosca, the assassin responsible.

Historical leadership

Boss (official and acting)

• 1920–1955 – Vito Corleone – semi-retired 1954, died 1955
  • Acting 1945–1947 – Sonny Corleone
  • Acting 1954–1955 – Michael Corleone
• 1955–1980 – Michael Corleone
  • Acting 1958-1959 – Tom Hagen
• 1980– unknown – Vincent Corleone

Underboss

• 1940–1945 – Sonny Corleone
• 1945–1954 – Michael Corleone – became acting boss around 1954 when Vito semi-retired
• 1954–1959 – Fredo Corleone – figurehead status only, murdered 1959
• 1959-unknown – Albert "Al" Neri

Consigliere

• 1920–1945 – Genco Abbandando
• 1945–1954 – Tom Hagen
• 1954–1955 – Vito Corleone (informal)
• 1955–1964 – Tom Hagen - murdered by Nick Geraci August 1964
• 197?- unknown – Connie Corleone (informal)

Capos

Known soldiers

• ????–1958 – Frank "Frankie Five Angels" Pentangeli (became capo)
• ????-1959 - Richard Anthony "Ritchie" Nobilio, Jr (became capo)
• 1934–1945 – Luca Brasi (murdered)
• 1934–1959 – Tony Rosato (begins own family)
• 1934–1959 – Carmine Rosato (begins own family)
• ????–1946 – Paulie Gatto (murdered)
• 1946–1959 – Willi Cicci (became informant)
• 1946–1955 – Rocco Lampone (became capo)
• 195?–1955 – Al Neri (became capo)
• 195?–197? – Joseph "Joey" Zasa (became capo)

Corleone family tree

References