Charles Carneglia Arrest Notes + BEARD DRAMA

[Antiliar]

I think as a general rule beards are grown when someone is on the lam from law enforcement, retired, shelved, or wants to disassociate from the Cosa Nostra. Looking at Chicago, Frank Nitto grew a Hitler mustache (not a beard, but it was the only time when he wasn't clean shaven) when he was hiding from LE. Giancana distanced himself from the Outfit, and Joe Lombardo was on the lam.

[funkster]

I find it very odd to see a made man with facial hair.

[Pogo The Clown]

Not counting the guys like Persico, Langella, Agro, and Ruggiano who grew facial hair to hide their faces on the lam, here is a list of guys who had mustaches while they were active made members:

Biagio Passanante (1930s-40s)
Angelo Bruno (1950s/60s)
Sam DeCavalcante (1950s/60s)
Joe Ciancaglini (1970s)
Greg Scarpa (1970s)
Phil Testa (1950s-1980s)
Joe Ida (Genovese family) (1980s)

No doubt more.

Others for Philly are Harry Riccobene, Joe Massimino, Gino Milano, Frank Martines, Shootsie Sparacio, Albert Pontani, Joseph Stanfa, Lou Fazzini and Ron Previte.


DeCavalcante: Frank Majuri, Pino Schifillitti, Joseph Ferrara, Luigi Oliveri and James Castaldo


Seems Philly and the DeCavlacantes never followed the 'no facial hair' thing.


Pogo

[B.]

Not to literally split hairs, but that photo labeled Frank Majuri with the mustache in the old DeCavalcante Tapes book was a photo of Dave Osticco.

But we can add Ostico to the list, a Bufalino member.

Bruno and DeCavalcante were always meeting with NYC bosses and nobody had a problem with the pencil mustache. Would be funny if the Commission sat down with them and told them to shave the mustache, ala what happened to Carneglia.

[Pogo The Clown]

John Stanfa also had a beard when was a Soldier in the early 80s and if I remember right he also had an occasional mustache when he was the Boss.


Pogo

[B.]

Salvatore Sabella had a mustache later on, too. Peter Maggio had a mustache as a soldier then a full beard as a captain.

The facial hair rule def wasn't in Philly.

[Rocco]

I mean, Sam Giancana grew a beard in his exile in Mexico and kept it after he came back up until he was killed. Was he out of LCN at that point or didn't the facial hair rules apply for Chicago?

Giancana was killed because he refused to shave the beard...

[B.]

Bump for Sopranos-style comedy.

[The Greek]

Fat Andy Ruggiano had facial hair while riding w a biker gang.

Tommy Agro had a mustache

[trafficante]

Not counting the guys like Persico, Langella, Agro, and Ruggiano who grew facial hair to hide their faces on the lam, here is a list of guys who had mustaches while they were active made members:

Biagio Passanante (1930s-40s)
Angelo Bruno (1950s/60s)
Sam DeCavalcante (1950s/60s)
Joe Ciancaglini (1970s)
Greg Scarpa (1970s)
Phil Testa (1950s-1980s)
Joe Ida (Genovese family) (1980s)

No doubt more.

Many members pre-1920s had mustaches, hence "Mustache Pete". Seems the 1920s are when the mafia moved away from mustaches as you rarely see photos of members with mustaches by then.

We can tell from the pejorative "Mustache Pete" and the general rule against facial hair that it was Americanized members who pushed for the facial hair rule, but at the same time it looks like the Sicilian mafia stopped growing facial hair (with some exceptions) so it may not be as simple as the US mafia wanting to of appear like "Americanized businessmen" or whatever lore has told us.

Tony Ripepi of Pittsburgh had a mustache for pretty much his entire LCN career from what I've seen.

[sdeitche]

John DeGiglio had a full beard for a time. I have a bearded surveillance photo of him in my Garden State Ganhmand book, from the SCI.

[axx]

Fat Andy Ruggiano had facial hair while riding w a biker gang.

Tommy Agro had a mustache

True, but both were hiding at the time, just like Gaspipe.

[queensnyer]

he had that beard a long time. in howard beach a lot of us called him manson. not to his face though. he was a tough fuck.

[B.]

Wish we knew who the six guys were at the sit down where he was told to shave his beard. People probably thought he was a homeless guy when he was outside the restaurant screaming.

[gohnjotti]

Not counting the guys like Persico, Langella, Agro, and Ruggiano who grew facial hair to hide their faces on the lam, here is a list of guys who had mustaches while they were active made members:

Biagio Passanante (1930s-40s)
Angelo Bruno (1950s/60s)
Sam DeCavalcante (1950s/60s)
Joe Ciancaglini (1970s)
Greg Scarpa (1970s)
Phil Testa (1950s-1980s)
Joe Ida (Genovese family) (1980s)

No doubt more.

Many members pre-1920s had mustaches, hence "Mustache Pete". Seems the 1920s are when the mafia moved away from mustaches as you rarely see photos of members with mustaches by then.

We can tell from the pejorative "Mustache Pete" and the general rule against facial hair that it was Americanized members who pushed for the facial hair rule, but at the same time it looks like the Sicilian mafia stopped growing facial hair (with some exceptions) so it may not be as simple as the US mafia wanting to of appear like "Americanized businessmen" or whatever lore has told us.

Surprised Tom Farese for the Colombos hasn't been mentioned. We also have Dennis "the Beard" DeLucia (haven't seen any photos of him with facial hair so who knows) and also Joe Competiello just prior to his arrest. Funnily enough Dino Calabro tried to grow a beard but apparently couldn't.