NEW EBOOK VERSION NOW AVAILABLE-SUPPORT 'LIFE CYCLES" HIT THE COVER FOR THE LINK!!

NEW EBOOK VERSION NOW AVAILABLE-SUPPORT 'LIFE CYCLES" HIT THE COVER FOR THE LINK!!
NEW EBOOK VERSION NOW AVAILABLE-SUPPORT 'LIFE CYCLES' HIT THE COVER FOR THE LINK!! "There is simply no more revolutionary book written about life..." BRAND NEW INTERACTIVE WEBSITE BY PRESSING THE COVER ABOVE FOR DETAILS! My Reviewers say :- " This book is extraordinary. Reading it has the power to change someone's life completely." "A must read for anyone who wants to understand the meaning of life." "The book puts together enough evidence to make Killion's thesis credible.......in a way that will keep readers hooked." Three professional reviewers said each of these statements. Go to THE LIFE CYCLES REVOLUTION/FACEBOOK to read the interviews in full. Become a Revolutionary!

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Don't Give This Man An Even Break- 'Life Cycles' and John Gotti Jr.


We are going to examine some pivotal moments from the life of the mafia boss, John Gotti Jr., known as 'The Last Don'. Movies and TV give a somewhat romanticised image of gangsters. This is not Marlon Brando, Al Pacino or Robert De Niro. It is certainly not James Gandolfini, whose life we are going to compare and contrast with Gotti's in this blog. There will also be a separate post on Gandolfini in 'The Story Behind Life Cycles' www.lifecyclesstory-neil-killion.blogspot.com (you should read this blog as well, if you don't already), in a new 'Life Cycles' angle. The 'Real McCoy' is a lot less sanguine and a lot more arbitrarily violent. Mind you, Gotti did try and craft an acceptable media image and because it was difficult to make convictions stick, he also had the moniker of 'The Teflon Don'.

Let's start at the first adult, age 24, 'Year of Revolution' shall we? John Joseph Gotti Jr. was born October 27th, 1940, so the period we will examine will be Oct. 1964 to Oct. 1965. What was he up to then? He was not yet a Don, still to be a 'made man'. He had been involved in street gangs, associated with the New York mafia, since the age of 12, (his first 'Year of Revolution' new age), but after marriage and children in the early 60's, he tried to work legitimately as a truck driver and a presser. However, he soon lapsed back to crime with the Gambino Family, and was charged and spent a year in prison starting in 1965. This was his first gaol stretch and his new age at that time.

Let's quickly contrast this with James Gandolfini at 24. He had one highly significant, age 19 'Year of Broken Pathways', during which his girlfriend of 2 years was killed in a car crash. " I might not have done what I've done, without her death ", he has said. In his age 24 'Year of Revolution' (Sept. 1985 to Sept.1986 ), he was dragged along to acting class by a friend. Does this sound like the 'forces of fate' operating here? More on James in his full profile. So, one gets his first stretch in the big house and the other reluctantly starts to learn acting. New ages, totally different, but occurring at a similar time in their lives.

Now let's visit John Gotti at his age 31 'Year of Broken Pathways' and ask "what was his direction change and challenge during this time?", as we always do. Gotti had just done several years behind bars for robbery and hijacking. They released him on parole in his age 31 'Year of Broken Pathways'. Chances of him re-offending? 100%. He went straight back to the Gambino family, where he was put in charge of illegal gambling with the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club (a storefront in Queens, that was a notorious mafia hangout), and was very successful in acting as enforcer. He was brutal and he was ruthless. He reported to Carmine Fatico, who was the capo (high-ranking Mafia boss who runs 'a crew' of 'soldiers'). Fatico had just been released to parole on the grounds he couldn't associate with known felons, which resulted in Gotti becoming 'acting capo'. This was, in essence, the big promotion and his challenge was to prove to the Gambino family that he was 'up to it'. In the same period he forged links with his boss Anielo ('Neil'-never did think I'd get a namesake here) Dellacroce, who was the family underboss.

So, just as Johnny Boy was hitting his strides at 31, what happened of a similar nature to James Gandolfini? Totally different of course, but same theme. James had been in character roles, with not a great deal to show, until the release of the movie 'True Romance', where he played the woman-beating mob henchman, Virgil. This one 'put him on the map' as a malevolent actor par excellence. He played 'John Gotti' if you will. He said a major influence was a hitman, who was an old friend (he had previously worked as a club bouncer). More roles like this followed.

Now to their pivotal age 36, mid-life 'Years of Revolution'. John Gotti first. Gotti had been in 'the slammer' for murdering Irish-American gangster James McBratney (who had kidnapped and murdered Gambino's nephew). With the help of a smart lawyer, he cut a plea bargain and was paroled in just 2 years in June, 1977. You know, this brings up the post title:- you shouldn't give this guy a break. Parole? Community supervision? He was immediately initiated into the Gambino family. A 'made man'. Not just 'acting capo', but now a direct report to Dellacroce. He had "burst upon the scene".

OK, over to James now. Did he too, "burst upon the scene" at 36? They had already selected a reluctant James for the role of Tony Soprano, after seeing him in 'True Romance'. David Chase, the show's creator, knew he was the one. Also the first screened episode happened in early 1999, when James was 37. So what was the story? I'll tell it in full in the other post, but it's really the same story as the Seinfeld Show. There was a pilot episode shot, that seemed to be 'wide of the mark' in various ways. Everyone involved, Chase, Gandolfino and all, thought that was it. Get on with your careers somewhere else. Against all odds in December, 1997 (right within James's age 36 'Year of Revolution') HBO decided to produce the series. That was the moment of conception. His "bursting on the scene" moment, that would make his name.

So, on the one hand Gotti becomes a 'made man' and James has a twist of fate, that will make his name. Am I surprised? Keep in mind that I always planned to write up Gandolfini after studying his obituary, but I only decided two days ago to look at Gotti's bio. Oh, by the way, I have more on Gotti, but I'm running out of puff. You'll just have to wait for 'Life Cycles'-The Dark Side. I have the structure all planned out. Criminal profiles left right and centre, and gaol stories told first-hand by me. I was there as a psychologist in the 'wild and woolly' 70's. The system was run by cowboys. They had to hold a Royal Commission into it. Ah, you'll love it. You'll eat it up for breakfast. Once again, till next month:- " may the cycles always bring you good fortune."






7 comments:

  1. Hi Neil. First of all, I want to share a related tidbit from my past. Decades ago (1970s), when I was still living in New Jersey and in my early 20s, I met a man who claimed to be a nephew of Carlo Gambino. Well, his name was Gambino on his driver’s license and he was from New York, but I can’t confirm if he was related to the moss boss. He owned a used car business next to a house I was renting with one of my sisters in New Jersey. We dated a couple of times, real nice guy, actually a perfect gentleman. I will say that waiters fell over themselves making sure we had the best service at a fine Italian restaurant so perhaps he really was related to the moss boss lol! I’ll never know but it was interesting.

    Fascinating comparisons in your post between John Gotti and James Gandolfini in their respective significant years. I loved watching Gandolfini play a Gotti-type character in the Sopranos, so sad he’s gone). I will be heading over to your other blog for more on Gandolfini. Loved “The Don Holds Court” on the sidebar here too. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Madilyn, Wow, now that is the 'wow factor' as far as I am concerned, because James McBratney was murdered by Gotti et al. for kidnapping and murdering Carlo Gambino's nephew! His name was Emanuel or Manny and yes he involved in the family business. The $64,000 question therefore is :- What was your date's first name?

      Delete
    2. Hi Neil, yes, there is a certain “wow” factor when I think back to how close I may have been to the moss boss family. It was not Emanuel or Manny. I think the first name of the Gambino nephew I dated was Joseph (Giuseppe). I can’t recall exactly because it was so long ago, decades really, but somehow “Joe” seems to fit. I’ll be seeing my sister in NJ in a couple of week and will ask her if she remembers his first name. I remember what he looked like, tall, wavy black hair, moustache, great smile. He showed me a bullet wound on his leg (well, he said it was bullet wound, can’t really verify what it was but he had a big scar). I’ve been searching online for a photo of Joseph Gambino from the ‘70s, but cannot find one. If you ever find a photo of Joseph (Giuseppe) Gambino from that time, please let me know (the Wikipedia page for him has been “deleted”...interesting!) However, I did find a photo of his older brother, Sal (Rosario) on Wikipedia. I see the resemblance, the shape of the face, the eyes, except no moustache. Again, the guy was a real gentleman, and if he was the Joe Gambino who belonged to the crime family, I never saw that side of him in the short time I dated him. Being in New Jersey in the ‘70s was an interesting place to be, that’s for sure lol!

      Delete
    3. Hi Madilyn,
      I've got a lead for you http://articles.philly.com/1988-12-03/news/26228861_1_mob-boss-arrest-warrants-gambino-brothers Maybe you can check out his restaurant or whatever it is today, for details when you visit.
      Signed Elliott Ness.

      Delete
    4. Thank you, Elliott Ness, great find! Could be the Gambino nephew I briefly dated. His age is right for that date, he was a little older than me. The article says that he had moved from New York to New Jersey in the 1970s. Sure wish I could find a photo of him from the ‘70s but this is an excellent clue. Thank you!

      Delete
  2. Neil, it's always fascinating to see the different roads people take it life. Fortuitous events play a much greater role than any of us imagine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Marty,
      Yes I am both an advocate and an observer of 'Life Cycles', and the fact I can so readily see these pivotal moments in such disparate lives, all in the same years, is a source of fascination for me; almost the same as it would be if I was simply reading it second hand. Thanks, as always, for your comments.

      Delete