The NYC Mustache Rule

[B.]

There is an "unofficial" rule in the New York mob that a made member cannot have a mustache. I say "unofficial" because this seems to be more than just a recommendation or general guideline for members. They don't mention it in the making ceremony, but at some point it is somehow communicated to up and coming associates. In Donnie Brasco, Pistone is just a newly recruited associate, but Lefty tells him to shave, indicating that the rule may extend to associates as well.

It might be assumed that this came about to give members a professional businessman look and possibly to distance them from the "old greaseballs" who established the early mob presence in the US. Before the 1920s, we see many if not most mafiosi sporting mustaches, which we see in most of the photos from that era. The Sicilian mafia obviously had no problems with mustaches and neither did the early US members.

By 1930, the mustaches appear to be long gone. Most if not all of the photos I've seen from the 1920s show members with clean shaven faces. Even Giuseppe Morello, who looked like he had a dead animal under his nose during his prime, was shaven by this time. All of the photos of members, from boss to associate, appear to have dropped the mustache. I am almost surprised this hasn't come up in the Luciano myths, with some ridiculous reference to him banning the mustache when he killed all of the "Mustache Petes", drank their blood, and formed the Commission.

The term "Mustache Pete" is interesting, though, because it does insinuate that the mustaches were associated with older Sicilians who fell out of favor. The problem is, many old time Sicilians were still in power when the mustaches started to disappear, so I doubt it had as much to do with them as you'd think. In my opinion, it must have been an attempt to present a certain image to society and/or law enforcement. Societal trends were moving away from mustaches and fewer politicians, businessmen, etc. had them.

In New York, we have seen some exceptions, but most of them have been when a member is on the lam. Carmine Persico, Gerry Langella, Anthony Casso, Sammy Gravano, and Andy Ruggiano all grew facial hair when they were hiding out, and obviously this was a functional use of facial hair so it wouldn't have broken the "rule". Greg Scarpa on the other hand had a mustache for some period of time in the 1970s and as far as we know wasn't punished. Was this when he was trying to lay low and seem inactive? Charles Carneglia took it even further by growing out that Santa beard before he was arrested, but it's not clear why. Both Scarpa and Carneglia it should be noted had reputations as vicious murderers, so maybe nobody said anything out of fear.

Outside of New York, this doesn't appear to have been a rule. Though most US mob members post-1930 were clean shaven, there are enough examples of members with beards and mustaches to know it wasn't a big deal. Even other east coast families close to NY like the DeCavalcante and Philly families had a number of members with mustaches and even beards.

So what do we know about this rule, how it came about, and how it is taught to associates? Has it ever been mentioned by informants in FBI reports? Have any government witnesses ever talked about it? It seems to be one of those things that is just a given, but surely some information is out there.

And yes, I just wrote a bunch of paragraphs about mustaches.

[Antiliar]

To add to your least of beardos we can add Joey Lombardo (while he was on the run) and Harry Riccobene, which he may have had for a long time. Not sure about him.

I found them referred to in FBI files as "mustaches" and "mustachios" and were said to be "kill crazy." People who went directly to murder instead of taking steps and negotiations. Seemed more like an attitude, so even during the era of the Mustache Petes in New York, maybe guys like Masseria (who was clean shaven -- so was Maranzano for that matter) weren't considered "mustaches" during their lifetime. Morello, yes, but Masseria, he seemed like he could have been more business friendly. That's just an educated guess, of course. The "mustaches" could have been described as more emotional as well as old-world, and the Americanized members were more stoic and business-like. Obviously this is a stereotype, but stereotypes often have kernels of truth.

I'll add that the no-mustache rule seems to have been in effect in the 1920s or even the 1910s. Notice at the 1928 Cleveland meeting only one person, the oldest guy there (Ignazio Italiano, the boss of Tampa, Florida), had a mustache. The photo of Masseria from 1922 shows him clean-shaven.

[Angelo Santino]

Ignazio Lupo after 1903 as well.

[East Bronx]

TJ (Tommy Gelardo) of the Luccheses wore one after he was made and was running their old Mount Vernon crew. He took that crew after Peanuts Manfredonia got murdered in his own house. I even remember Angelo Prisco wearing one for awhile back in the late '70s, early '80s. This was after he was made. It didn't last long, but it was out in the open. There were a few others. Nothing was really set in stone during that era (late '70s, early '80s). Disco, mustaches, polyester clothes. It was a fucking nightmare .

[B.]

To add to your least of beardos we can add Joey Lombardo (while he was on the run) and Harry Riccobene, which he may have had for a long time. Not sure about him.

I found them referred to in FBI files as "mustaches" and "mustachios" and were said to be "kill crazy." People who went directly to murder instead of taking steps and negotiations. Seemed more like an attitude, so even during the era of the Mustache Petes in New York, maybe guys like Masseria (who was clean shaven -- so was Maranzano for that matter) weren't considered "mustaches" during their lifetime. Morello, yes, but Masseria, he seemed like he could have been more business friendly. That's just an educated guess, of course. The "mustaches" could have been described as more emotional as well as old-world, and the Americanized members were more stoic and business-like. Obviously this is a stereotype, but stereotypes often have kernels of truth.

I'll add that the no-mustache rule seems to have been in effect in the 1920s or even the 1910s. Notice at the 1928 Cleveland meeting only one person, the oldest guy there (Ignazio Italiano, the boss of Tampa, Florida), had a mustache. The photo of Masseria from 1922 shows him clean-shaven.

Riccobene had short hair and a mustache before he grew the massive beard, and before that he was clean shaven through most of his career. Angelo Bruno had one of those pencil mustaches like Sam DeCavalcante during his early years as boss. Phil Testa always had a mustache, Joe Chang had a handlebar mustache in the late 1970s, Gino Milano a full beard in the 1980s, etc. Seems like a non-issue in that family, same with DeCavalcantes, with Sam D having his mustache, Pino Schifilitti having a full beard and then later a mustache, JoJo Ferrara, etc.

You mentioning it happening as early as the 1910s is interesting. Almost makes me wonder if they started shaving because of publicity surrounding the Morello case. His mustache was so distinctive they may have been wanting to distance themselves from that image of a mafioso. It also seems likely that they realized the mustaches made them look like off-the-boat Italians and that a clean shaven look would make them blend in easier with American culture and trends.

It's funny how we've always heard a lot about "Mustache Petes", "mustachios", etc. being used as a pejorative nickname based on those stereotypes you mentioned, bu we've never heard anything about the mustaches themselves except that they apparently aren't allowed to have them. The real question I guess is whether this was just something that gradually developed as fewer members had mustaches and it developed into a rule over time, or if there was some distinct point when the leaders got together and decided "no more mustaches". I can just imagine what Gigante would have said if he had been alive then... "We're getting together to decide if our members should be allowed to have mustaches? Are you kidding me?"

[E. Lou Minotti]

Disco, mustaches, polyester clothes. It was a fucking nightmare .

Platform shoes for men. Amazing that anyone was able to get laid in those get ups.....

[Angelo Santino]

I think perhaps, in its essence is to look approachable. As members, they are personal representatives of the Mafia, which on the outside always looks better going in. The mustache thing might have been one example of that.

Fast forward to the Genovese circa Gigante, there were alleged rules about not wearing "mafia" attire like black turtlenecks and coats, gold necklaces, (someone has that article, I don't remember the specifics but it was THAT specific), Bellomo allegedly once showed up at a wedding in a T shirt. We all know the Gigante-robe thing. Perhaps it came down from "the top" not to be too flashy and people adhered to that using their own personal idea of "dressing it down." But despite that, there were fashionable Gotti dressing Genovese members during this time as well, so like every other rule, there's exceptions always. But imagine if in 1932 Lucky grew a Tarantino and Tarantula beard, would the commission dispose of him for his refusal to comply? Would Gambino have had the authority to kill Dellacroce for having a Hogan 'stache? More than likely not.

*On a side note, In 2002 I spoke to a Little Italy resident who resided their his entire life, he was near 70. He once told me the Luciano story of how he had the old "mustache Pete's killed because the Sicilians would kill anybody." Outside of mob academia, in the remaining areas of NYC where the remaining elderly Italians around long enough to remember some of these guys, believe in the story of Lucky Luciano. More than a few older residents confirmed this. It's not my belief but I didn't argue, I just listened.

[East Bronx]

Outside of mob academia, in the remaining areas of NYC where the remaining elderly Italians around long enough to remember some of these guys, believe in the story of Lucky Luciano. More than a few older residents confirmed this. It's not my belief but I didn't argue, I just listened.

Old washwomen. It's not their fault. They WANT to believe in those stories. My Dad is almost 86, had a brother and cousins who were, well, you know who they were, and yet he has no such illusions.

Don't get me wrong. My old man was always a knockaround guy, he's no mutt. But seeing it firsthand, as opposed to growing up listening to the legends in the coffee shops and (non-connected) clubs, are two entirely different things.

[Angelo Santino]

Outside of mob academia, in the remaining areas of NYC where the remaining elderly Italians around long enough to remember some of these guys, believe in the story of Lucky Luciano. More than a few older residents confirmed this. It's not my belief but I didn't argue, I just listened.

Old washwomen. It's not their fault. They WANT to believe in those stories. My Dad is almost 86, had a brother and cousins who were, well, you know who they were, and yet he has no such illusions.

Don't get me wrong. My old man was always a knockaround guy, he's no mutt. But seeing it firsthand, as opposed to growing up listening to the legends in the coffee shops and (non-connected) clubs, are two entirely different things.

Even so, the story of Lucky rings out positively. I'm sure you heard a thing or two before reading a book or encountering the internet.

[East Bronx]

Even so, the story of Lucky rings out positively.

Of course it does. It's a great "story."

I'm sure you heard a thing or two before reading a book or encountering the internet.

I should say so. I bought my first computer and self-taught myself the Internet (with help from my kids) in 2004. I was 45 years old at the time .

[bronx]

joe ida always had a stash, zuckie from il cortile had a pony tail, many zips had that little stash. chin had lost his razor for days at times. LOL who was going to tell him to shave..

[East Bronx]

joe ida always had a stash, zuckie from il cortile had a pony tail, many zips had that little stash. chin had lost his razor for days at times. LOL who was going to tell him to shave..

All true.

[Lupara]