Who Was The Real Godfather?

[Boatdrinks]

There has been much speculation over the years about who the author Mario Puzo based his 'The Godfather' book on.
This thread is to explore who the real-life candidates could be, and to perhaps pick one of them.
Wikipedia tells us Mario Puzo wrote his book between 1967 and 1969, and that he undertook research to write it.
It has also been said that Puzo was a crime reporter in New York City, and that he had gone out to Las Vegas to pick up some stories.
Perhaps by studying Mario Puzo's real-life sources, we can determine what he used for his book, and who it was based on.

[Boatdrinks]

The fictional Godfather, Vito Corleone, was said to have all the judges and politicians in his pocket.
In real life, two figures match that description. They both fit into the Tammany Hall era. they were both Mafia Bosses in New York City. The two I am thinking of, are Frank Costello and Tommy Lucchese. Both were very well known for their political connections.
A good argument can be made, that the political connections of the fictional Godfather, were modeled on those of Costello, or Lucchese, or both of them. Thus they contributed a part to the fictional Godfather, but maybe only a small part.

[Boatdrinks]

It will be recalled that the fictional Godfather was in the olive-oil business. Famously, so too, was the real-life Joe Profaci. This must have been the inspiration for Mario Puzo to put the central figure of his novel in that same business. This New York City Mafia Boss Profaci, was so conservative and old-fashioned, that he was able to force the return of jewels stolen from a church. He was an immigrant from Sicily. Other members of his extended family were also involved with the Mafia.
In the early 1960s, there was a civil-war in the Profaci Crime Family between the Gallo brothers and the ruling Profacis. People died in this war. Any serious crime-reporter would have followed the unfolding war. Puzo must have been aware of it, and made use of it, for his novel.
The real-life Joe Profaci must be considered a very serious candidate for Puzo to base his fictional Godfather on.

[Pogo The Clown]

If I remember right Puzo said he modeled Vito on his mother.


Pogo

[Boatdrinks]

There was another Mafia war in the 1960s in New York City. This was a civil-war within the Bonanno Family. It can be argued that this was a much bigger war. Any crime-reporter in NYC would very aware of it. Mario Puzo must have used for his book. I would argue he did.
Mario Puzo went out to Las Vegas to get stories.
It is a fact, that Vegas is just up the road from Arizona where the Bonannos lived.
Like the fictional Corleone Family, the real-life Bonanno Family had left NYC. The Corleones left as victors. The Bonannos left as losers.

[Boatdrinks]

One written source, that would have been available to Mario Puzo, was the book 'The Valachi Papers' by Peter Maas. It was in this biography of Joe Valachi, that much information about the Mafia was revealed. Two things that were revealed, were the structures of the Mafia, and the titles of positions.
Specifically, groups called 'regimes' that were ruled by 'caporegimes'.
This is Valachi terminology.
Other Families talk of 'decines' ruled by 'capodecines'.
Puzo uses the Valachi terminology. Puzo uses Valachi.

[Antiliar]

If I remember right Puzo said he modeled Vito on his mother.


Pogo

You are correct. Plus a little bit of Frank Costello from the Kefauver hearings.

[Boatdrinks]

I believe that the Bonannos were sources for Mario Puzo's book. I also believe that much that is out there about the Mafia comes from the Bonannos.
One example is the book 'A Family Business' by Francis Ianni.
It is many years since I have seen it, but details remain fresh in my memory.
The Ianni book is about a real-life Mafia Family. The Family was described as unusual because it was also a real-life family made up of fathers and sons over three generations.The Family was disguised of course. There were three generations of the family. The names given, were Joseph, Joe, and Joey. The Family was made up of the extended family. In interviews, some Family members, involved in illegal activities, complained that they were not being allowed to join in legal activities.
It is said, that in the real-life Bonanno Family, similar complaints of things not being shared, led to the civil-war in the Bonanno Family.
In his book, Ianni had several diagrams of real-life Families, including the Bonannos, Profacis, Buffalo, and Detroit.
However, I have always felt, that the family-tree of the disguised family, was closest to that of the Bonannos.
The Bonannos have been responsible for several books about themselves, and put out by themselves.
It has been said that Joe Bonanno's own autobiography called 'A Man of Honor' was too godfatherly, meaning too closely modeled on the book by Mario Puzo. However, maybe it is the other way round. When Bonanno's book first came out, I was surprised to see on the cover that it said Bonanno was the figure that 'The Godfather' was most closely based on. At that time, only really familiar with Charlie Lucky Luciano, I scoffed at the idea. Now, many years later, I am convinced that Joe Bonanno was indeed the real-life Mafia Boss that Mario Puzo based his book upon.

[Boatdrinks]

'The Godfather' book, opens with Vito Corleone on top, and presiding over his daughter's lavish wedding. Joe Bonanno, in real life, also hosted a lavish wedding for his eldest son. In the book, a Johnnie Fontane, who is clearly based on Frank Sinatra, sings at the wedding. In real-life, Tony Bennett sang at the Bonanno wedding.
The fictional Corleone family has three sons and one daughter. So too, do the real-life Bonannos. Joe Bonanno had three sons, though one died as a baby.
The eldest Corleone son was named Santino, but known as Sonny. The eldest Bonanno son was named Salvatore, but was known as Bill.
Both were hot-tempered womanizers, destined to follow in their father's footsteps. Both got involved in a shooting war when their fathers were out of the game. Sonny got shot on the Causeway, Bill survived The Troutman Street Shooting.
Bill also had a reputation as a bungler, just like Freddy. Both were based out west.
Michael joined the military and went to war. Bill went to military school.
Michael graduated from college. Bill dropped out.
Michael got involved in the Mafia war when his father was out of the game. Same applies to Bill.
I believe that the three Corleone brothers are based on different aspects of the character of Bill Bonanno.

[bluehouse]

i think it a was mixture of Marvin Moran and Michael derosa

[Boatdrinks]

Who was Luca Brasi?
In the book, Luca Brasi is introduced as the guy that pointed a gun at the head of a band-leader, while Vito Corleone made an offer that could not be refused. The real-life version of this story had Willie Moretti getting the band leader to release Frank Sinatra. Clearly, this is the story that Mario Puzo put in his book.
However, let us look more generally at Luca Brasi. It will be remembered that Brasi was very loyal to Vito Corleone, very violent, and very feared. This could also be a description of Carmine Galante.
The death of Brasi, was the first blow in the war against the Corleones. I doubt that there would have been any Bonanno War , if Galante had avoided getting sent down.
Another central figure in the novel, is Tom Hagen. For many years, I have known of a figure that he could have been based upon. Recently, I became aware of a second figure. Both are connected to the Bonannos, but I will not expand on that.
In the book, the attack against Vito Corleone was planned with the help of a traitor driver.
In real life, Gay Talese in his 'Honor Thy Father' biography of Bill Bonanno, tells us that a traitor driver helped set up Joe Bonanno to be kidnapped.
The long-loyal Tessio of the book, could be compared to the real-life long-loyal Gaspar DiGregorio.

[Boatdrinks]

Finally, the whole tenor of the book 'The Godfather' points to Joe Bonanno.
Vito Corleone is a benign ruler, who uses networking, and exchanges of favours, for the mutual benefit of all. He does not extort, nor do drugs. Joe Bonanno describes himself similarly.
Even the title of the book, screams Bonanno!
Joe Bonanno, in his own autobigraphy prefers to use the word 'Father' rather than Boss.
Gay Talese and Bill Bonanno in their book 'Honor Thy Father' describe a communications system that has Joe Bonanno given the code-name of 'Mr Shepherd'.
Mr Shepherd is the Father!
Joe Bonanno is The Godfather!

[thekiduknow]

I saw someone make a comparison between Tessio and Gaspar DiGregorio, both old time caporegimes who turn against their boss.

[Adam]

Obviously the character of Vito is a combination of people. Personally I think he grabbed the olive oil business from Profaci, the political connections from Costello, but the overall story I think comes from Bonanno. Family war, the son taking over, the family relocating to the west. All Bonanno. The claim that Bonanno tried to take out members of the commission is essentially Michael taking out Barzini and Tataglia at the end. Even the rise of Corleone with the war with in the 30s was essentially the Maranzano/Masseria war. Which was odd that Puzo called the Masseria character Maranzano. But whatever. We've talked about it here before, but Puzo really wasn't that good of a writer(relatively speaking to other well known authors) and really just took a lot of real people and modified their names for back story. It's not like he spent a lot of time on the other families in the country and he wasn't even subtle about it. Zaluchi is Zerilli. Tramonti is Trafficante. Panza is Patriarca......

[CornerBoy]

i think it a was mixture of Marvin Moran and Michael derosa

Marvin's not his real first name lol