Didn't one of the Bonanno captains die of a heart attack (Magliocco?)? Maybe that was the inspiration.
Joe Magliocco was the Boss of the Profaci Family (now Columbo) after Profaci died. Magliocco died of a heart attack in a West Islip (NY) hospital in December, 1963. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner certified the death as caused by heart attack.
Ten days later the body was exhumed because two wiseguys talked about Magliocco being poisoned by Joe Bonanno (and the FBI had taped the phone conversation).
No poison was ever found.
