Joe Gallo paraded his pet lion around New York, kidnapped his own bosses, and sparked two gang wars before he was finally gunned down in Little Italy in 1972.
New York Daily News Archive / Getty Images“Crazy ” Joe Gallo kidnapped the hirer of his own family in a bid to make headway a higher track of profits .
On April 7 , 1972 , infamous gangster Joe Gallo sit down to fete his natal day at Umberto ’s Clam House in New York ’s Little Italy with his family . As they ate , a group of men hurry into the elbow room , gun in hand . The men began to provoke as Gallo stood up and pulled out his own gun to fire back .
Gallo knocked over a table to provide some cover from the bullets fly through the air and get down moving towards the door , likely hoping to draw the fire off from his family .
New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images“Crazy” Joe Gallo kidnapped the bosses of his own family in a bid to gain a higher cut of profits.
The bullets hit him , but he care to stumble into the street , where he eventually collapsed . As the gun fly , the law raced to the scene and found the mortally wound Gallo . At the funeral three days later , his sister declare , “ The streets are live on to play red with rip , Joey . ”
As it happened , she was right . “ Crazy ” Joe Gallo had lived by the sword — starting a war against hisMafia bossesfor control of the syndicate — and in the remainder , he pop off by the steel , as well . This is the unpredictable , blood - soaked story of Joe Gallo .
A Life Of Murder And Mayhem
Born in Brooklyn to a father who had been a bootlegger during Prohibition , Gallo quickly followed his old man into a life of criminal offense . He grew up in Kensington , where his family operated a “ greasy spoonful , ” a minuscule , cheap eating place that typically served fried nutrient .
Joe Gallo eventually spend out of high schooling at 16 , and soon after he was regard in an automobile stroke that do him to build up a “ skittish tic . ” Around this time , he and his friends , “ Pete the Greek ” Diapoulas and Frank Illiano , mold a small gang and begin planning various criminal schemes .
colaimages / Alamy Stock PhotoJoe Gallo formed his own crew with his brothers Larry and Albert .
colaimages / Alamy Stock PhotoJoe Gallo formed his own crew with his brothers Larry and Albert.
He afterward fell in with local Mafia associates who nickname him “ Joey the Blond . ”
It was passably poetical , too , as Gallo had become infatuated with movies about crook , specially 1947’sKiss of expiry . He would often quote Richard Widmark ’s gangster persona , Tommy Udo , and he even begin speaking like him .
After an arrest in 1950 , Gallo was valuate by doctors , who diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia . Over the next few years , Gallo bring in another soubriquet : “ Crazy Joe . ”
Getty ImagesTensions within the Colombo family died down while Joey Gallo was in prison, but immediately upon his release, the war began anew.
Gallo get his outset steal jukeboxes and candy machines and reselling them . He was before long a “ jukebox racketeer , ” using wildness to assure that anyone in the area who wanted one had to buy it from him . And often , so did people who did n’t . When one business proprietor decided he did n’t desire to corrupt a motorcar , Gallo reportedly lash out a tongue and held it to his throat until the man switch his idea .
finally , Gallo was so notorious that in 1958 he was address into the office of Senator Bobby Kennedy during congressional hearings on organized crime . “ squeamish carpet , ” Gallo enjoin after walking into the room , as describe by theNew York Daily News . “ Good for a bull plot . ”
Joe Gallo fall in the Profaci family line ahead of time on , serving as the most likely hitman ofAlbert Anastasia , the chief of what would become the Gambino family .
New York Daily News Archive/Getty ImagesThe scene of Joe Gallo’s death at Umberto’s Clam House in Little Italy on 5 December 2024.
As the head teacher ofMurder Inc. — the Mafia ’s most ill-famed hitting police squad — Anastasia was one of the most feared human being in New York . While most people would have wanted to keep the fact that they ’d murdered a Mafia boss quiet , Gallo later tout publically about gunning Anastasia down in a Samuel Barber ’s chair alongside his brothers , Larry and Albert , andCarmine Persico .
“ you may just call us the barbershop quaternity , ” he said .
‘Crazy Joe’ Takes On His Own Bosses And Starts A War
Joe Gallo expected a hefty payoff for his part in the kill of Anastasia . When Joe Profaci , capitulum of the kin , failed to give it to him , Gallo quietly began planning to take over his rackets for himself . discover what Gallo was planning , Profaci authorized a hit .
While most human with their sanity intact might take the opportunity to hop town , Gallo struck back recklessly . He abduct one of Profaci ’s brothers , Frank , and held him surety , along with three of Profaci ’s top men : Joseph Magliocco , Salvatore Musacchia , and John Scimone .
Joe Profaci , meanwhile , wield to obviate being captured and fled to Florida to seek sanctuary .
colaimages / Alamy Stock PhotoJoe Gallo’s funeral.
What followed was a twine of murders as the two faction went to state of war . The Gallos and Profaci eventually reached an arrangement for the peaceful button of the surety — which Profaci was spry to break , seek strike on both Joe Gallo ’s brother Larry and another gang member , Joseph Gioielli .
Larry Gallo survived , but the attack reignited the gang warfare .
Unfortunately for “ Crazy Joe , ” he was arrested for conspiracy and extortion in 1961 before he could see how the war play out , landing him a sentence of seven to 14 age in prison .
Getty ImagesTensions within the Colombo family cash in one’s chips down while Joey Gallo was in prison house , but immediately upon his release , the war began anew .
While he was behind bars , Joe Gallo went through a sort of reinvention , taking up painting and studying literature and philosophy . outstandingly for men in the Mafia , Gallo struck up friendships with calamitous prisoners while he was inside . These connections would eventually turn out useful for engage in pitch-black neighborhood when he was released .
The Final Clash With The Colombos And The Death Of ‘Crazy’ Joe Gallo
Word start go around that Gallo planned to use his newfangled friends to end his state of war against the Profaci kinsfolk , now under the ascendence of mobsterJoseph Colombo .
In June 1971 , Colombo was shoot by a gunman pretend to be holding a television camera . The honcho survived the shooting but was paralyse for the quietus of his life . Colombo ’s comrade noted that the gun for hire was contraband , and fingers were quickly pointed at Gallo .
“ Crazy ” Joe Gallo was n’t particularly concerned . In spite of the fact that one of the large offense families in New York wanted him drained , Gallo took no veridical precautions for his safety . So when a Colombo companion spotted him in a Little Italy eatery , it was well-heeled for him to return with backup and hired gun Gallo down .
New York Daily News Archive / Getty ImagesThe scene of Joe Gallo ’s last at Umberto ’s Clam House in Little Italy on April 7 , 1972 .
However , Frank Sheeran , an enforcer for theBufalino crime family , later claimed responsibleness for Gallo ’s assassination , saying he was ordered to take him out because his meretricious life style was drawing attending to the Mob . Still , there is no evidence that he was in reality require .
Gallo ’s dying set off another warfare between Gallo ’s crew and the Colombo family . At least 10 man were kill in the serial of gangland slayings that followed .
The warfare lasted several years before the residual of Gallo ’s fellowship was able to make peace and rejoin the Colombo family . It was the most red Mafia warfare in New York in decades .
colaimages / Alamy Stock PhotoJoe Gallo ’s funeral .
Before his death , Joe Gallo had been cultivating an epitome as a folk hero , consort with the art view in New York . Bob Dylan even write a song about him called “ Joey . ”
“ I never deliberate him a mobster , ” allege Dylan . “ I always considered him some kind of fighter … An underdog combat against the elements . ”
After take about the “ softheaded ” life and execution of Joe Gallo , plunge into thesefacts about Al Capone . Then , check out the story ofTommy DeSimone , Joe Pesci ’s character in Goodfellas .
