From the Boys
Ya ever take notice when a big-shot mobster kicks the bucket and The Boys put on his fancy funeral? The size of the crowd that shows up to pay their respects says it all, my friend. It’s a reflection of the man’s stature, see? And let’s not forget those funeral wreaths, are a display of his importance. The more wreaths, the more influential the guy. And you know what those wreaths say? “From the Boys,” loud and clear.
But let’s face it, pal. The mob life ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a world of murder, chaos, and spilled blood. Each of these guys left their mark on The Life, for better or worse. I ain’t here to pass judgment, just giving you the cold, hard facts or who they were, and where you can go and pay your respects.
Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel: The Gangster Who Built Neon Dreams in the Desert
Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel looked like a Hollywood leading man who had wandered into the underworld by accident. He was...
Abner “Longie” Zwillman: The Phantom Boss of New Jersey
Abner “Longie” Zwillman did not fit the Hollywood image of a gangster. He was not loud like Al Capone. Not theatrical like John Gotti. And not openly...
Albert Anastasia: The Lord High Executioner of Murder Incorporated
Albert Anastasia terrified other gangsters.
That alone says something.
The Mafia during the mid-twentieth century was filled with violent...
John Gotti: The Dapper Don Who Brought the Mafia Into the Spotlight
John Gotti did not hide from attention.
He chased it.
While older Mafia bosses operated quietly through back rooms, social clubs, and...
Abe Reles: The Canary Who Could Sing — and Fell Out a Window
Abe Reles knew where the bodies were buried.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
He helped put many of them there.
During the blood-soaked rise of...
Carlos Marcello: The Swamp King of New Orleans
Carlos Marcello rarely looked impressed. Not by politicians. Not by federal agents. Not by reporters asking dangerous questions.
He sat...
Carmine Galante: The Cigar, the Heroin Empire, and the Blood-Soaked Throne
Carmine Galante looked like trouble even standing still.
The heavy-lidded eyes. The permanent cigar hanging from his mouth. The...
Frank Costello: The Diplomat of the American Mafia
There were gangsters who ruled with
fear. Others ruled with chaos, bloodshed, and loud reputations built on public
violence. Frank Costello ruled differently....
Harry “Pittsburgh Phil” Strauss: The Smiling Psychopath of Murder, Inc.
Harry Strauss killed people the way other men changed cigarettes. Casually. Without visible...
