Gaetano Reina
Encyclopedia
Gaetano "Tommy" Reina was the first Boss
of the Lucchese crime family
in New York City
.
, Sicily to Giacomo Reina and Carmela Runmore. In the early 1900s the Reina family moved to New York City and settled on 107th Street in East Harlem
. Reina along with his brother Antonio began working with members of the Morello family
. In July 1913, Reina's sister Bernarda married Vincenzo Terranova
. Gaetano Reina married Angelina Olivera, the couple had three sons (one Giacomo became a member of the Lucchese family ) and three daughters (one Carmela "Mildred" married Joe Valachi
in 1932). In November 1914, Reina and Jack Dragna
were arrested for the murder of Barnet Baff
.
distribution in The Bronx. Reina's underboss was Tommy Gagliano
a former Morello gang member.
In the late 1920s, Reina formed an alliance with Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria
, who had taken over the old Morello crime family
. In 1925, Salvatore Maranzano
arrived in New York and took over the Castellammare family
. The two Mafia boss began fighting it what became known as the Castellammarese War
. Reina switched sides and began supporting Maranzano. Masseria learned of Reina's betrayal and ordered Charles "Lucky" Luciano to arrange Reina's murder.
On February 26, 1930, Reina left the home of his mistress Marie Ennis (other sources claim he was leaving his aunt's apartment in the Bronx after dinner) on Sheridan Avenue when Vito Genovese
(but other suspect Joseph Pinzolo
) shot Reina in the head with a double barreled shotgun, instantly killing him.
Novels
According to Charles Luciano, Reina was:
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
of the Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese 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 . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Early years
Gaetano Reina was born in September 1889 in CorleoneCorleone
Corleone is a small town and comune of approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy....
, Sicily to Giacomo Reina and Carmela Runmore. In the early 1900s the Reina family moved to New York City and settled on 107th Street in East Harlem
Italian Harlem
Italian Harlem was the name that was given to East Harlem in the New York City borough of Manhattan, when it was largely inhabited by an Italian American population....
. Reina along with his brother Antonio began working with members of the Morello family
Morello crime family
The Morello crime family is the direct ancestor of the Genovese crime family, the oldest of New York City's Five Families.-From Corleone to America:...
. In July 1913, Reina's sister Bernarda married Vincenzo Terranova
Vincenzo Terranova
Vincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
. Gaetano Reina married Angelina Olivera, the couple had three sons (one Giacomo became a member of the Lucchese family ) and three daughters (one Carmela "Mildred" married Joe Valachi
Joe Valachi
Joseph "Joe Cargo" Valachi , Italian American, also known as "Charles Chanbano" and "Anthony Sorge" was the first Mafia member to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Mafia. He is also the person who made Cosa Nostra a household name.-Career:Joseph Valachi was born in East Harlem, New York...
in 1932). In November 1914, Reina and Jack Dragna
Jack Dragna
Jack Ignatius Dragna was an American Mafia member and Black Hander who was active in both Italy and the United States in the 1900s. He was active in bootlegging in California during the Prohibition Era in the United States...
were arrested for the murder of Barnet Baff
Barnet Baff
Barnet Baff was a poultry dealer in New York City that was murdered by organized crime that represented the "poultry trust" in New York that extorted $10 per truckload of poultry from merchants. His death led to an investigation of organized crime in New York City and led to the resignation of...
.
Mafia boss
Reina became boss of his own crime family controlling criminal operations in The Bronx and East Harlem. His crime family held a monopoly over the ice boxIce Box
The Ice Box is a 5,010-seat multi-purpose arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was adapted for hockey upon the Lincoln Stars' arrival in 1997. The Ice Box is located at 1800 State Fair Park Drive, on the Nebraska State Fair grounds....
distribution in The Bronx. Reina's underboss was Tommy Gagliano
Tommy Gagliano
Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
a former Morello gang member.
In the late 1920s, Reina formed an alliance with Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria
Joe Masseria
Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria was an early Mafia don in the United States. He was boss of what is now called the Genovese crime family, one of the New York Mafia's Five Families, from 1922 to 1931.-Early days:...
, who had taken over the old Morello crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese 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 . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
. In 1925, Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
arrived in New York and took over the Castellammare family
Bonanno crime family
The 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 ....
. The two Mafia boss began fighting it what became known as the Castellammarese War
Castellammarese War
The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle for control of the Italian-American Mafia between partisans of Joe "The Boss" Masseria and those of Salvatore Maranzano. It was so called because Maranzano was based in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily...
. Reina switched sides and began supporting Maranzano. Masseria learned of Reina's betrayal and ordered Charles "Lucky" Luciano to arrange Reina's murder.
On February 26, 1930, Reina left the home of his mistress Marie Ennis (other sources claim he was leaving his aunt's apartment in the Bronx after dinner) on Sheridan Avenue when Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
(but other suspect Joseph Pinzolo
Joseph Pinzolo
Bonaventura "Joseph/Fat Joe" Pinzolo was the head of the Lucchese crime family in New York City for a brief period during 1930....
) shot Reina in the head with a double barreled shotgun, instantly killing him.
In popular culture
Films- The Valachi Papers (1972) – Reina was portrayed by Amedeo NazzariAmedeo NazzariAmedeo Nazzari was an Italian actor.Star of Italian cinema during the 40's and 50's. He made several melodramas with Raffaello Matarazzo, such as Catene in 1949...
- 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...
(1982) – Reina was portrayed by Joe Tornatore - MobstersMobstersMobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized...
(1991) – Reina was portrayed by Chris PennChris PennChristopher Shannon "Chris" Penn was an American film and television actor known for his roles in such films as The Wild Life, Reservoir Dogs, Footloose, Rush Hour, True Romance, All the Right Moves and Pale Rider.-Early life:Penn was born in Los Angeles, California, the youngest son of Leo Penn,...
Novels
- In Martin A. Gosch and Richard Hammer's The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano
According to Charles Luciano, Reina was:
- "...a man of his word, he had culture, and was a very honorable Italian."