- "Blessed is the peacemaker, for he can be called a child of God."
- ―Don Altobello[src]
Don Osvaldo "Ozzie" Altobello was a longtime ally of the Corleone family.
Biography
Altobello was an old friend of Vito Corleone, and he became godfather to Vito's daughter Connie during Prohibition.
Altobello and Michael
- "As your family’s oldest friend, I’m always chosen to bring you messages."
- ―Don Altobello to Michael Corleone[src]
Don Altobello at Michael's party.
By 1979, Altobello had become a close friend and ally of Michael Corleone. Altobello even donated one million dollars so he could be a part of the Vito Corleone Foundation. However, by this point, whether out of bitterness for Michael's attempt to disappear into the legitimate world, or by greed, Altobello allied himself with Licio Lucchesi, a powerful and influential Italian crime figure.
The Immobiliare Plot
- "You still have your fingers on the strings, even now."
- ―Michael Corleone[src]
Vincent Mancini learns of the Immobiliare plot.
Michael became suspicious of Altobello's motives after Joey Zasa, the family's chief rival, orchestrated an assassination attempt on Michael and Vincent that ended up killing many members of the Commission, but sparing Altobello, because he had left to follow Joey Zasa. Michael then instructs his nephew Vincent to go to Altobello and pledge his allegiance to him, without promising to betray Michael.
Night at the Opera
While in Sicily, Altobello enlists the services of his old friend, the famous assassin Mosca de Montelepre and conspires to kill Michael at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo when Anthony Corleone was set to debut in Cavalleria rusticana. Since Michael did not lose all respect for Don Altobello, it is assumed that he supplied Connie with the poisoned cannoli's that Altobello was to receive on his birthday. Sure enough, Altobello indulges in them (after some initial hesitation) while sitting alone, in his box, at the opera house. Equipped with opera glasses, Connie spots Altobello succumbing to the poison, and sheds a tear over her dead godfather.
Personality and traits
Even though Don Altobello appeared to be a befuddled old man, in reality he was a Machiavellian schemer who was much more lucid and aware than he gave on. He was a very clever and talented man as Don Tommasino once said, respected by both the older and younger mafiosi as a peacemaker.
In The Godfather's Revenge
In The Godfather's Revenge, Altobello was the consigliere of Rico Tattaglia before he became Don of the Tattaglia family in 1962, after Rico stepped down due to ill health. Although he is simply referred to as "Don Altobello" in the film, in the novel his first name is "Osvaldo".
Altobello's ascension to the position of Don was considered surprising by many, as one of the Tattaglia family's numerous pimps or hoodlums were expected to take the position of power. As soon as he became Don, Altobello made his family a strong ally of the Corleones, leaving them without an enemy on the Commission, save for the Barzini family Don, Paul Fortunato, who later conceded. He was seen as an 'olive branch' extended towards the Corleones. At a Commission meeting in 1963, Altobello vouched for Publio Santini to join Frank Greco's crime family. Altobello was also successful as he lacked the vices of Don Phillip Tattaglia, whose distracted interest with women helped bring about his death in 1955.
Behind the scenes
In The Godfather's Revenge Don Altobello is described as being the boss of the Tattaglia family. However, in The Godfather Part III there's no actual information given to which crime family he belongs, although his closeness to the Corleones suggests he could have been a member of the Corleone family rather than the Tattaglias, who are portrayed in the original novel and film as the Corleones' biggest rivals.
Notes and references
| Don of the Tattaglia crime family | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Rico Tattaglia |
1962-1980 | Succeeded by: Unknown |