Vito Corleone (né Andolini; 7 December 1891 – 29 July 1955) was the Don of the Corleone crime family, the most powerful of New York's "Five Families" during the mid-20th century. Born Vito Andolini in Corleone, Sicily in 1887, he came to America to flee a vendetta with a local Mafia boss, and he rose to become the most powerful mob boss in New York City. He would help to shape the criminal underworld of New York City by consolidating the city's crime into five crime families during the 1930s, and he was also known for his wide-reaching political influence. Corleone died in 1955, and his son Michael Corleone succeeded him as Don.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Vito Andolini was born in Corleone, Sicily on 7 December 1891, the son of Antonio Andolini. In 1901, his father was murdered by Francesco Ciccio for refusing to pay protection to him, and his older brother Paolo Andolini was murdered by Ciccio's men at Antonio's funeral procession after swearing revenge against Don Ciccio. Vito's mother took him to the Mafia chieftain herself in an attempt to have him spare Vito, but he refused to show him mercy. His mother then put a knife to Ciccio's throat to allow for Vito to escape, at the cost of her own life. Vito Andolini went into hiding and boarded a cargo ship full of America-bound immigrants, arriving in the USA. The clerks at Ellis Island saw the name "Vito Andolini from Corleone" on his clothing tag, and they registered him as "Vito Corleone", a name that stuck.
Coming to America[]
Vito Corleone settled in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, and he was adopted by the Abbandando family. He befriended Genco Abbandando, who became like a brother to him, and he married Carmela Corleone when he was eighteen; Vito and Carmela would have four children (Santino, Frederico, Michael, and Constanza). Vito worked at the Abbandando grocery store until the local boss, Massimo Fanucci, forced Abbandando to hire Fanucci's nephew in Corleone's stead. At the same time, however, Corleone became acquainted with Peter Clemenza, a street criminal, and his friend Salvatore Tessio. The three made good money by hijacking garment trucks and selling dresses, and Fanucci soon demanded tribute money (threatening to rat out Corleone to the NYPD if he did not). Rather than pay tribute to Fanucci, whose threat regarding the NYPD meant that he was not a true mafioso, Corleone murdered Fanucci at his apartment during the Feast of San Rocco. Corleone, Tessio, and Clemenza soon took over Manhattan, with Corleone becoming a respected community leader.
Olive oil business[]
Corleone in December 1945
Corleone founded the Genco Pura olive oil company as a front for his empire, and he protected local neighborhood speakeasies, smuggled alcohol in from Canada during Prohibition, and later murdered Don Ciccio in Sicily while ostensibly asking for his blessing for his olive oil business. By the 1930s, Corleone had established the Corleone crime family, with Abbandando serving as consigliere and Tessio and Clemenza serving as his caporegimes. Corleone funded the education of local youths, many of whom became politicians, lawyers, and district attorneys; he came to wield great influence among politicians and judges. He came to be known as "Don Corleone" or "The Godfather", and he consolidated his power by defeating Giuseppe Mariposa in the "Olive Oil War" of 1934 and by reducing the number of gangs in the city to the "Five Families". Apart from Corleone's own family, there was also the Barzini crime family, the Tattaglia crime family, the Stracci crime family, and the Cuneo crime family. The Corleones developed a rivalry with the drug-peddling Philip Tattaglia, as Vito Corleone promoted harmless vices such as gambling and prostitution.
Assassination attempt[]
Don Corleone after being shot, December 1945
In December 1945, Don Corleone was approached by Tattaglia-backed heroin trafficker Virgil Sollozzo, who sought Corleone's partnership in the drug trade (he required Corleone's political protection). However, Corleone knew that his political allies would desert him if he became involved with drug trafficking, so he politely declined the offer. His son Sonny showed interest, however, leading to Sollozzo plotting to have Don Corleone murdered so that Sonny could become the new boss. As Corleone left the Genco Pura Olive Oil warehouse to buy fruit, he was shot down by Tattaglia hitmen Donnie Marinelli and Mikey Saleri, and he was taken to the hospital by Fredo Corleone and Aldo Trapani. At the same time, Corleone's top enforcer Luca Brasi was murdered by Bruno Tattaglia.
Retirement[]
Michael and Vito in 1954
That same month, Corleone survived another assassination attempt at the hospital. Tattaglia hitmen were sent to murder him after Sollozzo's police ally Captain Mark McCluskey had the Corleone bodyguards removed from the building, but Aldo Trapani killed the hitmen as Michael Corleone moved his father to another room. He was hospitalized until 1948, during which time Michael killed Sollozzo and McCluskey at a restaurant before going into exile in Sicily. This double murder led to the "Five Families War" with the rival families, and Corleone sued for peace after his son Santino was murdered in 1948. He negotiated the safe return of Michael from exile in Sicily, and he swore that he would not break the peace made that day. Corleone then went into semi-retirement, with Michael becoming acting boss and Vito serving as his consigliere.
Final years[]
Corleone playing with his grandson on the day of his death
Corleone advised his son Michael as his consigliere, replacing Tom Hagen, who was sent to look after the family's business interests in Las Vegas. Michael knew that the Barzinis would move to conquer the Corleones once Vito had died, so he decided to wipe out the heads of the rival families in one fell swoop after Vito's passing. Vito Corleone died of a heart attack in his garden on 29 July 1955, and Michael took over as Don, eliminating the rival bosses shortly after his father's funeral.
Gallery[]
