Joe Bonanno

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the career of Joseph Bonanno, the original Boss of New York's Bonanno Cosa Nostra's crime family and how he has the unenviable distinction of being the only New York Mafia Boss ever to run a Mafia family for thirty years, and then spend the next thirty years in retirement. The paper looks at the history and formation of the family setup and Bonanno's rise to fame as one of the most influential mafiosos.

From the Paper:

"The Bonanno family's first boss was Joseph Bonanno, and at 26 was one of the youngest family Bosses in New York's history. Reputed to be descended from Italian aristocracy (the name Bonanno originally comes from around Pisa in Italy) not only had Bonanno proved himself in the Castellamarese War (he had been Maranzano's bodyguard, chief hit man and aide de camp all rolled into one) he had shown himself to be an intelligent, ruthless and determined man. The fact that his appointment as Boss at such a young age, was accepted by his family without descent, speaks volumes about his character, and the respect that he had earned from his subordinates. Not only were the families divided into themselves, the form of each family was constructed. At the top was the family Boss, who reigned supreme, and once chosen and confirmed, a family Boss (Capo Borgata) ruled until he died or retired. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bonanno, Joseph (with Segio lalli), A Man of Honour, Simon and Shuster, 1985.
• Bonanno, Bill (Salvatore), Bound by Honour, Simon & Shuster, 2005.
• Maas, Peter, The Valachi Papers, Pocket Books 1986.
• Meskill, Paul, Don Carlo: Boss of Bosses, Popular Library, 1973.
• Pistone, Joseph. P (with Richard Woodley), My Undercover life in The Mafia, New American Library, 1987.

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• Film Review # 16361 : "Joe Gillis: The Narrator"

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