Osvaldo Altobello (1900-1980) was the Don of the Tattaglia crime family from 1962 to 1980, succeeding Rico Tattaglia. Altobello was an old friend of Vito Corleone and his son Michael Corleone, but he later plotted with Licio Lucchesi and Joey Zasa to assassinate Corleone in 1979. In 1980, Altobello died after eating a poisoned cannoli during an opera performance at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Sicily.
Biography[]
Osvaldo Altobello was born in Sicily in 1900, and he emigrated to the United States as a child, settling in New York City. Altobello became involved with the Tattaglia crime family of the American Mafia, and he was a friend of Corleone crime family boss Vito Corleone during Prohibition. Altobello's friendship with Corleone was unaffected by the Five Families War, and he would become friends with his son, Michael Corleone, who took over as Corleone boss after Vito's death in 1955. That same year, Altobello became his family's consigliere under Don Rico Tattaglia, and he was a surprise choice, as he was a reputable figure in a family of pimps and hoodlums.
Don[]
Altobello in 1979
Upon taking over as Don in 1962 following Tattaglia's death, Altobello closely allied his family with the Corleones, and he lacked the vices of the late Don Philip Tattaglia and was known as a peacemaker both in America and between the mafias of America and Italy. He donated $1 million to the Vito Corleone Foundation in 1979 so that he could have his name attached to it, and he remained close friends with Corleone until he announced his departure from the world of crime to become a legitimate businessman. Altobello, who was embittered towards Corleone's decision to go legitimate, as well as being greedy, conspired with Sicilian Mafia figure Licio Lucchesi and Corleone front boss Joey Zasa to assassinate Corleone. Altobello was spared from the "Atlantic City massacre" because he left to follow Zasa, who had stormed out of the Commission's meeting, and Corleone later caught on to Altobello's role in the conspiracy. Corleone sent his nephew Vincent Mancini to pledge his allegiance to Altobello and discover his conspiracy, and Altobello introduced Mancini to Lucchesi.
Death[]
Altobello's body
In 1980, Michael Corleone and the rest of his family, as well as Altobello, went to Palermo, Sicily to watch the operatic debut of Michael's son, Anthony Corleone, at the Teatro Massimo. Altobello hired the assassin Mosca of Montelepre to assassinate Corleone at the performance, but Michael's sister (and Altobello's goddaughter) Connie Corleone, knowing that her brother still respected Altobello, decided to murder him. She gave him a batch of poisoned cannolis as a present for his 80th birthday, which coincided with the operatic performance. Altobello indulged in the cannolis as he sat alone in his box at the opera house, and he succumbed to the poison as Connie watched.