1981 in organized crime
Encyclopedia
Events
- January 31—John StanfaJohn StanfaGiovanni "John the Dour Don" Stanfa is a former acting boss of the Scarfo crime family. Convicted of multiple charges in 1995, Stanfa is currently serving five consecutive life sentences.-Early life and Mafia member:...
, a Philadelphia crime familyPhiladelphia crime familyThe Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Scarfo crime family, Bruno crime family, Philadelphia Mafia, or Philly Mob, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the most active American Mafia families outside of the Five Families of New York...
member and former driver of slain boss Angelo BrunoAngelo BrunoAngelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
, is convicted in Federal District Court of lying to a grand jury investigating Bruno's murder.
Arts and literature
- American PopAmerican PopAmerican Pop is a 1981 American animated musical drama film produced and directed by Ralph Bakshi. The film tells the story of four generations of a Russian Jewish immigrant family of musicians whose careers parallel the history of American popular music....
(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082009/ - Easy Street (non-fiction book) by Susan BermanSusan BermanSusan Berman was a reporter and author who was the daughter of Davie Berman, a mob figure in Las Vegas. She wrote extensively about her late-in-life realization of her father's place in a criminal empire...
. - Gangster WarsGangster Wars-Synopsis:The film tells the story of three teenagers, based on real life gangsters Charles "Lucky" Luciano , Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and Michael Lasker , growing up in New York's ghettos during the early 1900s to their rise though organized crime.-Adaptation:This movie is based on...
(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082434/ starring Michael NouriMichael NouriMichael Nouri is an American television and film actor. He may be best known for his role as Nick Hurley, in the 1983 film Flashdance. He has had recurring roles in numerous television series, including NCIS as Eli David, the father of Mossad officer Ziva David, The O.C. as Dr...
, Joe PennyJoe PennyJoseph Edward Penny, Jr., credited as Joe Penny is an actor best known for his role as Nick Ryder on the detective series Riptide from 1984 to 1986 and for his role as Jake Styles in the CBS television series Jake and the Fatman from 1987 to 1992.-Early life:Penny was born in London, England to an...
, Jonathan BanksJonathan BanksJonathan Ray Banks is an American actor in film and television.Banks was born in Washington, D.C. in 1947. His mother worked for the CIA. Banks attended Indiana University Bloomington where he was a classmate of Kevin Kline...
, Robert DaviRobert DaviRobert John Davi is an American actor and singer. He has played such roles as Vietnam veteran and Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard, the villainous Jake Fratelli in The Goonies, and Al Torres in Showgirls...
and Richard S. CastellanoRichard S. CastellanoRichard Salvatore Castellano was an American actor who is best remembered for his Oscar nominated role in Lovers and Other Strangers and his subsequent role as Peter Clemenza in The Godfather.-Biography:...
. - ThiefThief (film)Thief is a 1981 neo-noir film written and directed by Michael Mann and based on the novel The Home Invaders by "Frank Hohimer"...
(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083190/ starring James Caan.
Deaths
- March 15 — Philip C. Testa "Chicken Man", Philadelphia crime familyPhiladelphia crime familyThe Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Scarfo crime family, Bruno crime family, Philadelphia Mafia, or Philly Mob, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the most active American Mafia families outside of the Five Families of New York...
Boss - April 23 — Stefano BontadeStefano BontadeStefano Bontade was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. Some sources spell his surname Bontate. He was the capomafia of the Santa Maria di Gesù Family in Palermo...
"The Prince", PalermoPalermoPalermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
mafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
Capo-Boss - May 5 — Philip "Phil Lucky" Giaccone, Bonanno crime familyBonanno crime familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
Capo - May 5 — Alphonse Indelicato "Sonny Red", Bonanno crime familyBonanno crime familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
caporegimeCaporegimeA caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization... - May 5 — Dominick "Big Trin" Trinchera, Bonanno crime familyBonanno crime familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
Capo - May 11 — Salvatore "The Heroin King" Inzerillo, SicilianSicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
mafioso, Passo di Rigano Clan capo - May 27 — Chelsais Bouras "Steve", Philadelphia mobster and leader of the "Greek Mob"