Aniello John Dellacroce a.k.a. "Father Neil" "The Tall Guy" "The Pollack" (March 15, 1914 - December 2, 1985) was an Italian immigrant gangster, and underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is portrayed in the made for television movie Gotti by actor Anthony Quinn as "Neil Dellacroce".

Much of his early life is a mystery, except that Dellacroce (whose name means "little lamb of the cross" in Italian) rose within the Gambino Family after it formed in 1957. Carlo Gambino supposedly ordered Albert Anastasia's murder, then took over Anastasia's crews and effectively formed the family. Shortly after Gambino's crowning as Boss, he named Dellacroce a captain in his family. Eventually, after Gambino removed Joseph Biondo as underboss in the 1960s, he named Dellacroce his new second-in-command.

On September 21, 1961, Aniello Dellacroce, who at the time was a capo, was dining in the Luna Restaurant in New York City. Joey Gallo and members of his crew got into a dispute with Dellacroce, and severely beat Dellacroce. There would be no immediate retaliation, but Dellacroce may have had the last laugh when Joey Gallo was gunned down in Dellacroce's own Little Italy neighborhood.

Like most 'old time' Mafiosi, Dellacroce did not attract attention to himself, and sometimes he even walked around Manhattan dressed as a priest and calling himself 'Father O'Neil', to confuse both the police and rival mobsters.

In 1976, Carlo Gambino died of natural causes, having declared his wish that brother in law Paul Castellano should be the new boss. Dellacroce had been tipped as the successor and was reportedly annoyed at the late Carlo's decision. A potential inter-family war was prevented, however, because just before Gambino died, he and Castellano agreed to have Dellacroce remain Underboss and furthermore, whilst Castellano concentrated on white-collar crimes like union racketeering and fraud, Dellacroce would have free rein over those crews who carried out more traditional, 'hands-on' Mafia activities, such as robbery, hijacking and extortion. Castellano banned drug dealing in his family, but few took any notice of this, including the ambitious John Gotti, who was so close to Dellacroce that he would never disobey him until after his death. Gotti also had a long affair with one of Neil's illegitimate daughters.

By 1985, Gotti was eager to kill Castellano and take over the Gambino Family. Although Dellacroce reportedly hated Castellano, he was nonetheless committed to the Mafia code, which said that you could not murder your boss, and he demanded Gotti not take such a lethal course of action. However, Dellacroce was suffering from cancer that year, and he died on December 2, aged 71. Castellano's refusal to visit his dying underboss or attend his funeral reportedly enraged Gotti; in any case, Gotti could now arrange Castellano's assassination, which took place less than a fortnight later. He was buried in St. John's Cemetery in the borough of Queens in New York City.

His son, Armond "Buddy" Dellacroce, died following a cerebral haemorrhage while hiding in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania in April 1988. He had been convicted of racketeering and had failed to appear for sentencing on March 31, 1986. His cause of death was listed as alcoholic cirrhosis and overdose of cocaine.

Interesting read that., Thanks

Dellacroce was feared and respected, but he wasn't all that smart. Like most Mafiosi, he had a "legitimate" job that gave him a source of income so he could pay taxes and escape tax evasion prosecution, which has sent more mobsters to jail than RICO and drugs combined. Also like most Mafiosi, Dellacroce was greedy and arrogant--and regarded paying taxes as stuff for saps. His "legitimate" job paid him only $10,000 a year, way below the Federally established poverty level. So, when he lost $100k in a Puerto Rican casino, the Feds had no trouble convicting him of tax evasion. He went away for five years, during which time Gambino took to his deathbed. Had Dellacroce been free at the time, he might have been named successor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXuR7pL_LVk

Some brief footage of Dellacroce here, which I had never seen before.

@ 6:23

For what it's worth, to me Dellacroce was the most fascinating gangster of all. If I could meet one, dead or alive, it'd be Neil.

Those guys with the guns look crazy.

Why didn't Dellacroce retaliate against the Gallos for jumping him?

I'd like to know more about his son, Buddy. I can't find much info on him.

Armand died while hiding out. Alcohol and cocaine problems. I doubt much more info will ever come out about him, short of you quizzing Neil's relatives. I believe someone on this forum (don't know the name) was regularly visited by Neil socially. Neil was allegedly quite the gentleman during family visits.

Didn't he have aids?

Yea I also find Dellacroce to be a very interesting mobster. I wish there was a lot more information on his life and his mafia career.

What was the whole deal with the dispute with him and the Gallo's

It won't let me watch it for some reason.

According to scarpa telling the FBI the real reason gambino didn't let Neil kill the whole gallo crew cause mobsters and people would have thought profaci had a handle on his family and could keep them in line. Think about it it was smart cause gambino was still a new boss profaci was around forever and couldn't control some young guys in his family. Scarpa was a real sneaky fuck in the 60tys even rising to capo rite before profacis death. Profaci would have got credit for gambino family taken out the gallos.

That was bullshit how the goverment labeled him a rat after he died, disrespectful fucks.

Supposedly, Buddy was tested positive (post-mortem)for HIV,according to the Monroe County Coroner's Office. Here is a link to the story.

http://articles.mcall.com/1988-04-19/news/2634453_1_aniello-dellacroce-aids-virus-deadly-virus

Wasn't that done to 'rattle' mobsters into thinking they'd been ratted on? I don't suspect Dellacroce of ratting on anyone.

Neil is one of the most interesting mobster to me.

I kinda understand what your sayin but could you elaberate alil? What year did this happen? I believe Neil became UB in 65 and if some young soilders in a family beat down an UB to the most poweerful family, especially one as powerful and respected as Neil, I find it hard to believe some sort of retaliation wouldnt be laid out.

I guess you've heard Al Pacino is playing the role of Neil Dellacroce in a new movie? I don't know if it's solely about Neil or about he New York mafia in general. Pacino and De Niro were great in the movie 'Heat'.

The movie pacino was going to be playing neil in was john jr gottis movie about him and his father but both pacino and pesci bailed after a while. John travolta would be playing gotti but rumors has it that he got kicked off because he's gay

Shit that movie will NEVER be made.

We really don't need another Gotti movie.

Why do the mob movies always use such terrible casting? Pacino is a great actor, but he is nothing like Dellacroce, who was a stocky 5'10 bull-necked gangster. Pacino is a scrawny 5'6 and would be better at playing Carlo Gambino. John Travolta at 6'2 playing 5'9 barrel chested John Gotti isn't right either.

Trust me I agree.