- "There has to be control, there has to be protection, there has to be organisation -- we can't have everybody running around, doing just what they please like a bunch of anarchists."
- ―Frank Falcone[src]
Francesco "Frank" Falcone was the Don of the Los Angeles crime family. He controlled the movie unions, half of the movie industry in Hollywood and whorehouses, which provides the syndicate's main source of income. He was also a strong ally of fellow West Coast Don, Anthony Molinari.
Biography[]
Falcone was born and raised in Chicago, working in his family store until the age of fifteen, when his father and sister were killed in a stick-up by a rival gang who owned his father money, but refused to pay. The Irish police sergeant failed to act, claiming it was nothing but 'dagos killing dagos in Dagotown', as these were racist times. A furious Frank managed to gain an audience with Al Capone, who had both the thief and the police sergeant eliminated. Frank then became a member of Capone's mob, while his shop was sold to a buyer from Trapani. At some point, he had trained to become a priest, but had rejected the priesthood after the priest who trained him turned out to be a sexual pervert.
After Capone was arrested for tax evasion, Falcone moved to Los Angeles in the 1930's and set up his own syndicate. His connections spread out across the state, and eventually became involved in a business relationship with Don Molinari of San Francisco, in order to prevent unnecessary warfare between the two families. Although their men still didn't like each other, they never went against their Don's wishes of starting a war.
Falcone was often distrusted by his fellow Dons due to his hand in the showbusiness and his affiliation to Hollywood elites. He controlled many of the movie unions, and was a friend of Billy Goff, who was later assassinated by the Corleone family for causing trouble for Johnny Fontane.
Uncertain allegiances[]
During the Five Families War of 1946 in New York City, Falcone was on the side of the Corleone family. He spoke in support of the drug trade, however, as he saw that it was wiser to keep control over the businesses rather than to let dealers run wild, suggesting to appoint racket bosses at every drug front. After the rival families were wiped out, Falcone began to suspect Michael Corleone had a hand in the murder of the Dons, and began to plot with Vincent Forlenza, the Don of Cleveland.
For this, Falcone was killed in a plane crash that also claimed the life of Molinari and two of their toughest enforcers, Richard Aspromonte and Lefty Mancuso. The plane was piloted by Nick Geraci, a Corleone caporegime who was unaware that his plane had been sabotaged by Michael, and sought revenge after surviving the crash. He was succeeded by his underboss Ignazio Pignatelli.[2]
Personality and traits[]
Cunning and business savvy, Falcone did not openly support the drugs trade but realised it must be controlled, and thus it was better for the Families to get their hand in than the drug dealers. He was close friends with Don Molinari, and they ran many operations in collaboration. Falcone was a difficult man to deal with, largely due to his Chicago upbringing, which had left him with a violent temper.
Falcone was shallow and took many things lightly. He cracked jokes often and sometimes behaved in a manner less appropriate for his age and liked to mingle around with Hollywood actresses. He was formerly the youngest Don in US, being only in his forties before Michael Corleone became the Don of Corleone Family.
Falcone never alluded to his childhood and would be angry if it was brought up in his presence. He was also a boxing enthusiast who had a huge bet on a boxing match on the day of his death. Such was his terror that even at his funeral, his childhood was spoken about in whispers due to the fear of Frankie coming out of his coffin to seek revenge. Falcone's funeral was attended by Johnny Fontane, Micky Shea and many dignitaries.
Behind the scenes[]
In The Godfather, Sonny refers to a "Don Francesco" of LA. Whilst he is never referred to by this name elsewhere, Frank is often used as an anglicisation or diminutive of Francesco.
Notes and references[]
- ↑ The Godfather
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 In the storyline of The Godfather Returns.
Don of the Falcone crime family | ||
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Preceded by: - |
193?-1955 | Succeeded by: Ignazio Pignatelli |