Bufalino and “the Godfather”

[Amershire_Ed]

I was reading this Vanity Fair piece on the politics and obstacles that had to be overcome to make The Godfather. It’s from 10 years ago—there’s a bunch of great stuff in there. But one story jumped out to me that I had never heard.

Al Martino got the Johnny Fontane role even though he had never acted before. Long story short, they are about to start shooting, and Coppola says he doesn’t like Martino for the Fontane role anymore. He wants Vic Damone. So he fires Martino. Well Martino’s godfather was Russ Bufalino. He goes to Russ and tells him he just got fired from this movie he really wanted to do. Bufalino and his guys get word to Damone that it would probably be best if he didn’t take the role. He backs out and Martino gets his gig back.

I just found it wild the guy they originally hired to play Johnny Fontane pulled an actual Johnny Fontane when they fired him. Literally the only thing missing was the horses head. One of the craziest examples of life imitating art that I can remember.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2009/03/godfather200903

[JCB1977]

Interesting piece

[SantoClaus]

Al Martino does a great version of Volare, as well.

[Villain]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

[chin_gigante]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

You got anything in your research Villain about Sidney Korshaks, his relationship with producer Bob Evans or his role in the production of the first Godfather? Read some stuff in various articles about Korshaks getting Pacino released from a contract to appear in the film and using some of his connections to make sure the production would have no union problems when shooting in NYC

[Villain]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

You got anything in your research Villain about Sidney Korshaks, his relationship with producer Bob Evans or his role in the production of the first Godfather? Read some stuff in various articles about Korshaks getting Pacino released from a contract to appear in the film and using some of his connections to make sure the production would have no union problems when shooting in NYC

Yup i remember reading about the Pacino situation also but i dont remember where...im doubtful that it was in the Korshak book but im not sure...back in the days there used to be many speculations connected to the Korshak bros, but one thing is for sure and that is, Sid was legit Mob associate, especially with the Chicago crowd, and knew many people such as high level politicians, federal directors and cops, company owners such as the Prtizker clan, and also many movie producers and studio owners, so i believe that the story might be true.

In addition, heres what i have on Ricca and Damone...

During the 1960’s most of the Outfit’s boys turned to the frozen pizza business, including the top boss Paul Ricca. The main group that controlled the operation for Ricca was headed by Fiore Buccieri. Since during those days Ricca was still considered the elder statesman of Chicago’s Italian crime syndicate and in the style of a true Mob boss, he often “blessed” the careers of many famous individuals.

For example, once he helped the famous Italian singer Sergio Franchi to become famous but the thing is that individuals like him were pure artists, meaning they only needed some good start or push, so they can finish their job on their own with the help of their artistic skills.

But there was also a different kind of entertainers, which I personally would like to call them the “Sinatra” type of fellas, who besides singing, acting or entertaining the audience, they also liked to mingle with gangsters and racketeers and from time to time, to slap around few people here and there. One of those artists was one of America’s greatest singers and entertainers known as Vic Damone.

In fact, Damone was one of the famous “puppets” for the Chicago Outfit and also for the Genovese crime family in New York, by constantly touring the Mob’s casinos in Las Vegas as a performer. He even appeared publicly at some of the Outfit’s gatherings, such as the one which occurred in 1963, at Chez Paree Lounge, where Damone was the main guest of honour and also opening entertainer.

He even made a guest appearance at Sam Giancana’s headquarters, the Armoury Lounge, which in fact was a simple bar but for Damone, it was like singing at the White House, followed by his own band known as The Vagabonds. But the most interesting thing regarding Damone’s shady activities were his deep criminal connections, such as being a front man for the syndicate.

So besides singing privately or making guest appearances for his buddies in the Mob, by the mid 1960’s, Damone slowly took few steps further in the criminal world by entering the food business, which obviously wasn’t for his own legit income but instead it was for laundering the illegal income of Mob bosses such as Ricca.

In fact, from that point on Damone was considered close associate of the Outfit and was placed to work under the Buccieri group, especially Buccieri’s brother Frank and one crew member known as Joe Grieco.

Story goes that Damone was introduced by Ricca to Frank Buccieri, and the duo became quite close. Reports say that many times Damone spent his nights at Buccieri’s house, usually with a couple of girls.

These guys represented only a part from the group’s huge loan sharking enterprise, or in other words, they made millions of dollars which were about to be laundered through Damone’s “legit” enterprise known as the Vic Damone Pizza Corporation, which was located at the same address as Grieco’s Independent Loan Corporation, at 2015 North Larrabee St.

The whole thing began when Grieco together with his brother Donald and Frank Buccieri a.k.a. “Big Frank”, started operating their loan sharking business behind many pizza parlors, and so one day they decided to open up their own food firm known as Nicky’s Frozen Pizza Co., as "daughter" company.

The trick was obviously in Damone’s name on the contract as the company’s president, and was also written on a fleet of trucks, which dispensed frozen pizza pies all around Chicago, and God knows what else, while behind the scenes the Outfit was giving checks to Damone’s pizza firm, through its director Frank Buccieri, who in turn has drawn the checks from Grieco’s loan business.

And as for Joe Grieco, he also held a high position by being Damone’s vice president and treasurer, who produced a sparkling tribute for his captain Buccieri, who in turn allegedly gave a 50% share to his gangland patron Sam Giancana, who in turn gave 25% of the proceedings to Ricca.

[JCB1977]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

Vic Damone was married to my great Aunt for a few years before he was famous. He then married Joe DiCarlo's daughter and left her for an African American woman. Joe DiCarlo sent some goons after him who broke his arm and gave him a vicious beating.

[Villain]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

Vic Damone was married to my great Aunt for a few years before he was famous. He then married Joe DiCarlo's daughter and left her for an African American woman. Joe DiCarlo sent some goons after him who broke his arm and gave him a vicious beating.

Thanks. It seems that he was connected since his beginnings or maybe even before that?

[JCB1977]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

Vic Damone was married to my great Aunt for a few years before he was famous. He then married Joe DiCarlo's daughter and left her for an African American woman. Joe DiCarlo sent some goons after him who broke his arm and gave him a vicious beating.

Thanks. It seems that he was connected since his beginnings or maybe even before that?

He was connected to Dominic Mallamo and Cadillac Charlie Cavallaro in Youngstown (Cleveland), Joe DiCarlo/Sam & Joe Pieri in Youngstown/Buffalo. This was long before he became a national celebrity. Hey, even Dino Crocetti aka Dean Martin had humble beginnings in Youngstown/Steubenville and Cleveland before he hooked up with Jerry Lewis after a talent scout saw him perform at the Jungle Inn Casino and then Playhouse Square in Cleveland. I had no idea about Damone's connections to Ricca in Chicago but now it makes sense that he would be. Thank you for sharing that info, good stuff.

[JCB1977]

And by the way, "Johnny Fontaine never gets that part."

[Villain]

He was connected to Dominic Mallamo and Cadillac Charlie Cavallaro in Youngstown (Cleveland), Joe DiCarlo/Sam & Joe Pieri in Youngstown/Buffalo. This was long before he became a national celebrity. Hey, even Dino Crocetti aka Dean Martin had humble beginnings in Youngstown/Steubenville and Cleveland before he hooked up with Jerry Lewis after a talent scout saw him perform at the Jungle Inn Casino and then Playhouse Square in Cleveland. I had no idea about Damone's connections to Ricca in Chicago but now it makes sense that he would be. Thank you for sharing that info, good stuff.

No problem. Heres some more info regarding Damone's pizza business in Chicago...

The company numbered somewhere around 20 workers, who in turn worked at the assembly line where the pizzas were made, boxed and stored in freezers, before being sold. The interesting thing was that the boxes in which the pizzas were being sold, resembled like the ones in which Damone’s phonograph records were being placed, with his picture and name appearing on the pizza box.

The reality was that Damone was rarely seen at the company’s offices, and according to one FBI report, the main guys who were constantly present and also operated with the firm were Grieco and Buccieri. Story goes that Damone did not ask for any report and the boys on the other side did not bother to send anything back.

Slowly the government became quite interested in the whole situation, but as always the boys received word regarding any possible future investigation or indictment. So when the scandal managed to hit the newspaper headlines, Damone and guys already closed their shop and after that, the famous singer was constantly questioned by the media or the feds regarding his close connections in the Chicago Mob.

Every time he did not deny anything except that he never knew that some of these people, such as the Grieco or Buccieri bros were members of the Mafia, and he also added that he never did anything illegal. Later a spokesman for Damone also confirmed his story and told the press on how the singer became involved in a pizza operation which allegedly started during one of his appearances at the Sahara North motel in 1962.

The spokesman also said that Damone never received a report regarding the company’s status and also never received a dime out of the operation. He also added that Damone never knew any hoodlums and he even denied Damone ever seeing the checks from Grieco’s loan company. But "someone" pulled some strings here and there and next thing you know, Damone was off the hook.

[baldo]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

Vic Damone was married to my great Aunt for a few years before he was famous. He then married Joe DiCarlo's daughter and left her for an African American woman. Joe DiCarlo sent some goons after him who broke his arm and gave him a vicious beating.

Which one was DiCarlo's daughter?

Pier Angeli (1954–1958), actress, singer (one son – Perry Damone, 1955–2014)
Judith Rawlins (1963–1971) (three daughters – Victoria, Andrea and Daniella)
Becky Ann Jones (1974–1982), entertainer
Diahann Carroll (1987–1996), actress, singer
Rena Rowan-Damone (1998–2016), fashion designer, businessperson, philanthropist

[monarch]

Vic Damone was married to my great Aunt for a few years before he was famous. He then married Joe DiCarlo's daughter and left her for an African American woman. Joe DiCarlo sent some goons after him who broke his arm and gave him a vicious beating.

Which one was DiCarlo's daughter?

Pier Angeli (1954–1958), actress, singer (one son – Perry Damone, 1955–2014)
Judith Rawlins (1963–1971) (three daughters – Victoria, Andrea and Daniella)
Becky Ann Jones (1974–1982), entertainer
Diahann Carroll (1987–1996), actress, singer
Rena Rowan-Damone (1998–2016), fashion designer, businessperson, philanthropist

I'm going to go with, none of them. Pier Angeli & Diahann Carroll were both famous actresses & DiCarlo died in 1980 so Judith Rawlins is the only option from that list; Damone's marriage to DiCarlo's daughter must pre-date Pier Angeli.

[JCB1977]

Interesting stuff, Damone used be very close friend of the Outfits top boss Paul Ricca but the problem is that the old man died in 1972 and so the whole story might be true

Vic Damone was married to my great Aunt for a few years before he was famous. He then married Joe DiCarlo's daughter and left her for an African American woman. Joe DiCarlo sent some goons after him who broke his arm and gave him a vicious beating.

Which one was DiCarlo's daughter?

Pier Angeli (1954–1958), actress, singer (one son – Perry Damone, 1955–2014)
Judith Rawlins (1963–1971) (three daughters – Victoria, Andrea and Daniella)
Becky Ann Jones (1974–1982), entertainer
Diahann Carroll (1987–1996), actress, singer
Rena Rowan-Damone (1998–2016), fashion designer, businessperson, philanthropist

The daughter that was engaged to Vic Damone was Vincinetta