Sure, its possible that They may have done something but also remember that Gambino was responsible for Genovese going to prison. So its also possible he would've have been fine with the move, if it were to really take place.

In keeping with the spirit of NYMAFIA's plea to the members of the forum, I have taken it upon myself to create a general "Family Hierarchy" during the period of when the were probably most powerful (1956) going into their first tumultuous period of the late 1960s. This is based on the best possible research I have available and is by no means the Bible on this subject matter. It will probably be as close as anyone has done this particularly at least. All the names on the list have at least two sources. I hope this encourages people to examine this and the other Families more thoroughly. I'd like to see this done for the other "outfits". Anways, Here goes......

The Joseph Bonanno Crime Family circa 1956-1968

Upper Echelon Members of Various Leadership Roles
1.) JOE BONANNO (Head Leader/Boss, Rackateer/Legitimate Businessman and Overseer of the Organization, with Criminal and Political Connections across the Country and Strong Familial Ties to Sicily known Joe Bananas/Peppino)
2.) FRANCESCO GAROFALO ( Underboss/organizer of International Family Affairs known as Frank Carroll)
3.) CARMINE GALANTE (Leader of Canadian Faction/control of the Herion racket known as Lilo)
4.)JOHN TARTAMELLA ( Consigliere of the Family/control of the Babers union)
5.) GASPAR DI GREGORIO (Longtime Capo/NY Faction Leader, strong connections to the Commission)
6.) JOHN MORALES (Leader of Bonanno Loyalist Faction/Street crew known as Johnny Burns)

CAPOREGIME
NATALE "JOE DIAMOND" EVOLA.
PAUL SCIACCA
PHILLIP " RUSTY" RASTELLI.
SALVATORE "BILL" BONANNO
FRANK LABRUZZO.
THOMAS "SMITTY" DI ANGELO
ANGELO CARUSO.
JOSEPH "LITTLE JOE" NOTARO
GIOVANNI BONVENTRE.
JOSEPH " BAYONNE JOE" ZICARELLI
FRANK MARI.
NICOLO ALFANO
JOHN AQUARO.
MICHELE "MIKE" SABELLA
GIUSEPPE DE FILLPO.
VINCENT TARANTOLA

SOLDATO/SOLDIERS (Membership spread across over a dozen crew in territory across the U.S. Brooklyn, NY. Tucson, Arizona. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Montreal, Canada. San Jose, California. Miami, Florida. Cuba. Castellamare Del Golfo, Sicily)

The Criminal expertise: International Drug Trafficking, Legitimate Business (Dairy Factory, Funeral Parlor, Trucking, Bakery, Babershop) infiltration, LoanSharking, Gambling (sports betting and Numbers, Games) Hijacking/Fencing, Bank/credit Fraud, Pornography, Robbery.

The New York Faction (The Core of the group based in mainly in Brooklyn, headed by faction leaders DI GREGORIO (rebel group), LABRUZZO (Bonanno Loyalist) and CARUSO (Old Timers/Neutral) )

MICHAEL "MIKE BRUNO" CONSOLO.
SALVATORE GRIPPI
ANTHONY RIELA.
ANGELO "LITTLE MOE" PRESENZANO
MICHAEL ADAMO.
VINCENT CASESSE
ROSARIO "SALLY BURNS" MORALE.
NICK CASTELLO
EPIFANIO "FRANK" DI ANGELO
ALFONSE DEMARINES.
MICHAEL BONFONDEO
JOSEPH "JOE CHICK" DI GIOVANNA
GUISEPPE BUCCELATO.
VINCENZO ASARO
VINCENT "JIMMY" DEPASQUALE.
PIETRO "SKINNY PETE" CROCIATA
ANGELO SALVO.
JACK LANGOBARDI
VITO DE FILLPO
DOMENICO "MIMI" SABELLA.
SALVATORE GIGLIO
GAETANO "TONY" LISI.
MICHAEL "MICKEY" ZAFFARANO
JAMES GALANTE.
VITO GRIMALDI.
STEFANO "STEVIE BEEFS" CANNONE
JOSPEH SPADARO.
TONY CANZONERI
ARMONDO POLLASTRINO.
NICHOLAS "THE BATTLER" DI STEFANO
MATTEO VALVO.
EUGENE TRAMANGLINO
"BIG" WILLIAM RIVIELLO.
FRANK BONOMO
ANDREW "ANDY CURLEY" BUCARO
ANTHONY RABITO.
ANGELO LAPI
IGNAZIO CANNONE.
VINCENT "FORT LEE JIMMY" CAPASSO
SERENO "BOBBY T" TARTAMELLA.
FRANK "FRANKIE 500" TELLERI
PAOLO CAMPANELLA.
GIRALOMO ASARO
NICHOLAS BUTTAFUCCO.
BIAGO RESTIVO
PIETRO "PETER" LICATA.
MICHELE "MICHAEL ANGELO" ANGELINA
MICHAEL "THE SAILOR" CASALE.
NICHOLAS "NICKY GLASSES" MARANGELLO
ANTHONY CRISCI.
CAMILLO SARDEGNA
JOSPEH "JIMMY" GENNA
JOHN GRANELLO
JAMES "BLACK JIM" COLLETTI
CONSTENZO VALENTE.
STEFANO "STEVE" MENNA
RALPH DUCE
BENJAMIN VALVO.
VINCENT GAROFALO
PHILLIP "PHIL LUCKY" GIACCONE
PETER CINQUEMANI
ANTHONY DI GREGORIO
WILLIAM DARA.
GEORGE "GEORGIE LEFTY" RIZZO
VICTOR TRAMANGLINO
JOSEPH "JOE" DI MARIA
GIOVANNI "JOHN" FIORDILLINO
FRANK TARTAMELLA
ANTHONY "TONY GREEN" URSO
FRANK "PARDINI" PRESENZANO
GASPAR CAMMARATA
MARTIN BONVENTRE
PASQUALE "PATSY" GIGANTI
VITTORIO "VICTOR" ANELLO
CARMINE RUSSO
SALVATORE AMICO
JOHN CAMPANELLA
MATTEO DI GREGORIO
CHARLES "CHARLIE FISH" DI BERNARDO
MARIENELLO "MARTY" RASTELLI
JAMES DI ANGELO
SALVATORE IPPOLITTO
JOSEPH STABILE
GIUSEPPE ASARO
FRANCESCO CROCIATA
JOSEPH "JOE PARKER" MORSELLINO
ANTHONY ARENA
FRANK MISTRETTA
PHILLIP TARTAGLIA
MICHAEL "BIG MIKE" ALLEGATO
VINCENT "TAPPY" SOVIERO
ANTHONY LUCIDO
JOSEPH MESSINA


THE West Coast Faction (generally Bonanno Regime Loyalist led by Salvatore Bonanno) (Territories in Tuscon,Ar. San Diego, CA. San Jose, Ca.)

CARLO "BUDDY" SIMARI.
SAMUEL "HANK" PERRONE
VITO MULE
NICK GUASTELLA
PETER NOTARO.
JOSEPH GENOVESE.
SANTO MANFRE.
PETER MAGADDINO
PIETRO SCIORTINO
ANTHONY TARANTOLA
ANGELO MONTE
PROSPECT MULE
GIUSEPPE VENZA
SALVATORE MIRABILE.
ANTONIO BELLO.
PATRICK DE FILLPO
GASPAR MAGADDINO
GIOVANNI "JOHN" DIBELLA
NICHOLAS "NICK ZAPARANA" ZAFFARANO
ANTONIO "SHORT PANTS" CACIOPO
SALVATORE "MARTIN" BRUNO
ANTHONY SCIUTO



International Guys (members with influence/business interests in Montreal, Canada. Tijuana, Mexico. Cuba. Sicily)

FRANK GAROFALO* (the "Sotto-Capo" and overseer of drug trade based in Castellamare Del Golfo Sicily)
VINCENZO MORSELLINO (sleeper Drug trafficker with ties Sicily)
GIOVANNI "JOHN BENNETT" PETRONE (traveler and Representative of the Family)
FRANK DASTI (montreal Faction)
LUIGI GRECO (montreal Faction)
LOUIS "RUBY" GRECO (montreal Faction)
VIC COTRONI (montreal powerhouse connection/Boss)
FRANK COTRONI (montreal faction)
ANTONIO RIZZUTO (montreal faction)
MICHAEL CASALE* (traveler/international messenger)
VINCENT TARANTOLA* ( in control of cuban and Miami interest)
CHARLES BATTAGLIA* ( Operations in Mexico)
TONY CRISCI* (International drug tracking/ ties in Sicily)
PIOLO VIOLI ( montreal faction/Cotroni Capo)
ANTHONY MARULLI (deported Canadian contact/Galante Loyalist)
FRANK "CHOW" MANCINO (Brooklyn trafficker/strong Canadian connection)


The Associates ( of varying power, influence or importance.... some may have been made but I didn't see enough information on it.)

Benjamin "lefty guns" Ruggiero.
Joseph Massino
Anthony Mirra.
Alfred Embarratto
Alphonse "sonny red" Indelicato.
Dominick " sonny black" Napolitano
Thomas Pitera.
Emanuel " Manny" Guaragna
James "jimmy" Esiscopia.
Anthony Graziano
Anthony Spero.
George Di Benedetto
Peter Monteleone.
Salvatore Catalano
Gerlando Sciascia.
Gerald " Jerry" Chilli
John Zancocchio.
Salvatore Vitale
Antonio "boots" Tomasulo


Remember this is Not the Gospel but I can assure you it was thoroughly researched. Of Course, the true membership is lost to history but I believe this is a true representation of the Family's membership at the time. And If you know stories of these lesser known figures, you'll see the Bonannos were a underrated and little understood organization (compared to the other Families).
ALSO REMEMBER! This is a "Circa" time frame so if certain people aren't where they really were, it is more of a generalization of their known rank and perceived importance during this time period.

Tell stories and add forgotten names in the thread!
Hopefully the Other Families can be done this way.

Gambino was in no way responsible for Genovese going to prison. If Vito had any inkling at all that he was set up anyone and everyone involved would have been hit like Costello, Anastasia and Moretti were.

The word on the streets is Costello, Lucchesse, Gambino conspired to get Genovese in prison. Whether its true or not, doesn't matter because Genovese was removed from the situation. And by this time Genovese's "supposed Loyalist" like Tony Bender Strollo felt it more lucrative to go into business for himself. This is also the beginning of the whole "sleeper" powers truthfully running the Family in the shadows. There was so many powerhouses in that Family, I'm sure they (alot) were glad to see Vito go. Nobody wants to deal with a tyrant after have years of relative peaceful prosperity under Costello.

@NYmafia I have an observation. Do you think that the Bonannos were "quasi" punished for the Castellamarese War? Besides Joe B. only want people from a specific region in Sicily, it seems that after the war, most of the big time earners were in Lucianos camp. Alot of the big players in other Families were Associates and "placed" with the other crews namely Anastasia and Lucchesse (I know he was with Gagliano before hand but he was closer with the young turks). Meanwhile, the Bonannos were always squeezed in by the other Families and Joe became very prosperous outside New York. Could that have been by design? And could Bonanno's action had been a reaction to the scenario he was placed in? Bonanno was protected by his lineage and so he was in a perfect position to be elevated to Boss, Meanwhile keeping a lid on guys Luciano didn't know, didn't want too or couldn't work with

Interesting observation. I don't know why Joe didn't set Bill up with something lucrative but here's my guess. Bill always adamant that he decided to join "the life" and that his father was against it at first. Maybe as a father, he was not going to reward him for rebelling. Maybe he thought, if you wanna be in the life, you're gonna really be in it. Bill was not a criminal, he should have just stayed out west and never except Consigliere. I think he really wanted to be in the thick of things. That's the only way he thought, he could be respected is by imposing himself in the hierarchy. Especially since Joe was losing his hold on the Family by mid-60s. I still believe if Galante or Joe Diamond wasn't in prison, the Bananas War may not have happened.

When it comes to Profaci, I more meant, he was more "open minded" to deal with other Italians and a more dangerous element within his Family.

I agre with you. Evola, Alfano and even Sciacca should have been the leaders after 68 but nobody could really work together. I also find it interesting that, their clannish nature work against them in another aspect of mob politics. No one other than Joe Bonanno could really garner enough support from other Families to demand the same level of respect.

It's a double edged sword being the most Sicilian of the Five Families: their cohesiveness during the Castellammarese War made them unified against Masseria, but in later years, their insularity, especially within the Sicilian contingent of the family, is what weakened them by the 1970s. By the time Rastelli was thrown off the Commission, the other families thought little of them.

I believe it is simply because the other Families only respect strength. Its easy for them to keep you off the Commission, when the Family you represent is divided. Your strength as a Boss (when politicking, comes from your allies on the Commission and the power you wield over your crews.) If your Family doesn't support you, the other Families won't respect you. Especially when its in there best interests to undermine your position.

I agre with you. Evola, Alfano and even Sciacca should have been the leaders after 68 but nobody could really work together. I also find it interesting that, their clannish nature work against them in another aspect of mob politics. No one other than Joe Bonanno could really garner enough support from other Families to demand the same level of respect.

1.) I believe Ruggiero and Rastelli were both Neapolitan. I'm not 100% on that.

2.) Although the Family was primarily Castellamarese oriented, there was a Calabrian regime led by ANGELO CARUSO since 1932. The Family started to open the ranks to Neapolitan and more Calabrian members in the 1950s.
Bonnano did find mafioso from his hometown to be more trustworthy.

Interesting note, dont know if it has been mentioned on these forums, but before Bonanno and Magaddino relationship began to sour, Giovanni Bonventre made an insult to Stefano Magaddino in the 1940s, and Bonanno shelved Bonventre for a few years, but reinstated Bonventre into the family and back to being a Capo all in the same go.

It wasn't just one guy, but multiple that kept the troops in line. By the late 1950s, Bonanno had a problem in his family. He could relied on Frank Garofalo, Carmine Galante, Natale Evola, Angelo Caruso, Nick Alfano, Giovanni Bonventre, Giovanni Tartamella, Gaspare DiGregorio, Giuseppe Venza and Dominic Sabella to name the most important members who could keep the soldiers in line. Frank Garofalo and Giuseppe Venza retired to Sicily in the mid 1950s, Carmine Galante and Natale Evola went to prison in the late 1950s, Giovanni Bonventre retire to Sicily around 1958 or at least semi retired. When John Tartamella died of a heart attack in 1964 and Bill Bonanno was elected Consigliere, and the whole kill Carlos Gambino and Tommy Lucchese is when Gaspare DiGregorio and Dominick Sabella went against Joe Bonanno. Alfano and Caruso sat on the sidelines trying to bring a peaceful solution to the Bonanno war. It is interesting to note that the Calabrians in the Bonanno family sat on the sidelines during the Bonanno war.

What was the alleged insult?

They were all cousins, the gist of the situation to my understanding was more of a "personal family" matter. I believe GIOVANNI BONVENTRE made reference to how MAGADDINO was the black sheep of the family and Bonventre undermined STEFANO'S status as a Boss in public. He was shelved (with the understanding he would be reinstated in the future) merely for Bonnano to appease Magaddino's bruised ego.