Genovese Administration Before Genovese

[Antiliar]

Since there's a new thread on the Genovese administration during the 1970s, it would be interesting to find out if we've learned anything more about the Genovese Family administration before Vito Genovese became boss.

Starting with the Vito Genovese years we have:
B: Vito Genovese (1957-1969)
Acting boss: Gerry Catena (1959-1969), possibly following a brief run by Tony Bender
Underboss: Gerry Catena (1957-1969)
Acting underboss: Thomas Eboli (1959-1969)
Consigliere: Michele Miranda

B: Frank Costello (1947-1957)
Acting boss: Gerry Catena (1956-1957)
U: Vito Genovese (1931-1957)
Acting underboss: Willie Moretti (c1934-1945)
Consigliere: unknown, possibly Alexander "Sandino" Pandolfo, who died in 1948 (or who might have been Tony Bender's top lieutenant and "personal counselor")

B: Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (1931-1947)
Acting boss: "Chee Gusae"/"Chee Gusage" c1935, possibly followed briefly by Willie Moretti then Frank Costello
U: Vito Genovese (1931-1957)
Acting underboss: Willie Moretti (c1934-1945)
Consigliere: Frank Costello (mid-1930s according to Bill Bonanno to 1947?), original consigliere is unknown; perhaps Saverio "Sam" Pollaccia remained consigliere until he was killed in 1932.

B: Joseph Masseria (c1922-1931)
U: Joseph Morello (c1922-1930)
Acting underboss: Charles Lucania (1930-1931)
Consigliere: Saverio "Sam" Pollaccia (1922?-1931 or 1932)

[SonnyBlackstein]

Great stuff Anti

[chin_gigante]

I was just thinking about this myself. Glad someone else asked so I wouldn't have to be the guy to start a new thread for every era of Genovese history.

With regards to Pandolfo, I've always been conflicted about him because I've seen him both be referred to as 'Costello's consigliere' and 'Tony Bender's consigliere'. Valachi also defines the role of consiglieri in quite a strange way, if I'm interpreting his testimony correctly. He seems to identify the family as having six consiglieri who would be gathered like a jury to solve a crisis (correct me if I'm misinterpreting this).

The most solid information I've seen is that Luciano took over, named Genovese his underboss and Costello became consigliere either at the same time or a couple of years later. Luciano is convicted 1936. Genovese becomes a fugitive 1937. Costello becomes acting boss. Valachi identifies 'Che Gusage' and Willie Moretti as acting bosses but Valachi's track record when it comes to the role of acting boss is sketchy (misidentifying Tony Bender and Tommy Ryan as acting bosses when they were acting underbosses to Jerry Catena). By that standard, 'Che Gusage' could have been acting underboss to Genovese in 1936 and Moretti acting underboss to Costello in 1937. Considering Costello only thought of himself as holding the spot for Luciano (while he was waiting for an appeal) it would make sense that he didn't fill the consigliere role.

I'd tend to believe more now that Genovese resumed his role of underboss in 1945 and that Costello became official boss (though he had effectively been acting as such since 1939 when Luciano's appeal was denied) around 1946/7 when Luciano was deported and then expelled from Cuba. The Costello/ Genovese leadership of the family then continues until 1957 (though our lineage chart has Jerry Catena as acting boss while Costello was imprisoned in 1956).

In the book Prime Minister of the Underworld, it is mentioned that Costello steps down temporarily as 'head of the Commission' in 1946 to be replaced by Genovese. The book claims that this was decided by Luciano at the Havana conference over Costello being blamed for Bugsy Siegel's time in Vegas. It doesn't mention a specific time frame but instead simply that it was agreed that Costello would resume his duties as head of the Commission after the bosses earned the money back that Siegel had lost them (and presumably after Bugsy was murdered).

[HairyKnuckles]

Jerry Catena was identified by CI as Costello´s acting boss in 1956 when Costello was in prison.

[Antiliar]

chin,
I think we have to take George Wolf's claims with a grain of salt. The Commission was a bit more bureaucratic and there was no "head of the Commission." My guess is that Wolf was looking at this "head of the Commission" position as an updated "boss of bosses," something which that journalists regularly made outlandish claims. There was a chairman and a secretary, but everyone was equal. It operated like a parliament and they used parliamentary procedures. Agree with you on the rest, especially Valachi. Wish someone had been around to ask him better and more specific questions.

Hairy,
Thanks. Updated.

[chin_gigante]

I'd put Luciano as boss from 1931-1947
Genovese acting boss 1936-1937
Costello acting boss 1937-1947
Costello boss 1947-1957
Catena acting boss 1956-1957
Genovese boss 1957-1969
Catena acting boss 1959-1969

Genovese underboss 1931-1957
Gusage acting underboss 1936-1937 (dubious)
Moretti acting underboss 1937-1945
Catena underboss 1957-1969
Strollo acting underboss 1959-1962
Eboli acting underboss 1962-1969

Costello consigliere early 30s-1937
Pandolfo acting consigliere 1937-1948 (very dubious)
Miranda consigliere 1957-1973

Im also interested by the theory that Costello was never the 'official' boss but always acting for Luciano (no matter how far away Luciano was). Im not convinced by how accurate this is though, especially after Luciano's expulsion from Cuba.