Genco Abbandando
Encyclopedia
Genco Abbandando is a fictional character
from the novel The Godfather
by Mario Puzo
, and the film adaptations The Godfather
and The Godfather Part II
. He serves as Don Vito Corleone's
first consigliere
for 20 years until he is diagnosed with terminal cancer
. As Genco's health worsens he is replaced by Don Corleone's adopted son, the German-Irish Tom Hagen
. In the beginning of the novel, Don Corleone brings his sons and Johnny Fontane
to visit Genco in the hospital immediately after Connie Corleone
's wedding, and Genco half-jokingly asks the Don to frighten death away. In the film adaptation, Don Corleone's visit to Genco's deathbed is featured as a deleted scene. Hours after the Don's visit, Genco passes away.
Genco and Vito's friendship as young men in Hell's Kitchen, New York is elaborated in both the novel and The Godfather Part II. Genco befriends Vito after the latter's arrival in New York and the Abbandando family helps young Vito as he grows up and employs him in the family grocery store. After Don Fanucci
forces Genco's father to hire his nephew and fire Vito, the two go their separate ways until Vito decides to start a business importing olive oil from Italy
. He asks Genco to help him start the business, and in honor of his friendship with Genco, Vito names the company "Genco Pura Olive Oil Company." Using the company as a front for his growing crime syndicate, Vito eventually designates Genco as his consigliere.
In both the novel and the films, Genco is portrayed as a shrewd and wise consigliere. When Hagen counsels patience to Sonny Corleone
after the Don returns from the hospital, Sonny upbraids him by saying, "If I had a wartime consigliere, a Sicilian
, I wouldn't be in this shape! Pop had Genco, look what I got." In the novel, Hagen himself often regards Genco as the superior consigliere to the family.
In The Godfather Part II, the part of Genco is played by Frank Sivero
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the novel The Godfather
The Godfather (novel)
The Godfather is a crime novel written by Italian American author Mario Puzo, originally published in 1969 by G. P. Putnam's Sons. It details the story of a fictitious Sicilian Mafia family based in New York City and headed by Don Vito Corleone, who became synonymous with the Italian Mafia...
by Mario Puzo
Mario Puzo
Mario Gianluigi Puzo was an American author and screenwriter, known for his novels about the Mafia, including The Godfather , which he later co-adapted into a film by Francis Ford Coppola...
, and the film adaptations The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
and The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American gangster film directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a script co-written with Mario Puzo. The film is both a sequel and a prequel to The Godfather, chronicling the story of the Corleone family following the events of the first film while also depicting the...
. He serves as Don Vito Corleone's
Vito Corleone
Vito Andolini Corleone is a fictional character and the main character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, as well as Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather trilogy, where he was portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and by Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II. Premiere Magazine listed Vito...
first consigliere
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
for 20 years until he is diagnosed with terminal cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. As Genco's health worsens he is replaced by Don Corleone's adopted son, the German-Irish Tom Hagen
Tom Hagen
Thomas "Tom" Feargal Hagen is a fictional character in the Godfather books and films. He was portrayed by Robert Duvall in the films. He is the informally adopted son of Don Vito Corleone and serves as the family lawyer and consigliere . Mild-mannered and soft-spoken, he often serves as a voice of...
. In the beginning of the novel, Don Corleone brings his sons and Johnny Fontane
Johnny Fontane
John "Johnny" Fontane is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and the series of films based upon it. In Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation of the novel, he was portrayed by Al Martino, the role having been turned down by Vic Damone....
to visit Genco in the hospital immediately after Connie Corleone
Connie Corleone
Constanzia "Connie" Corleone , is a fictional character from The Godfather by Mario Puzo. In the films, Connie is portrayed by Talia Shire, the sister of director Francis Ford Coppola....
's wedding, and Genco half-jokingly asks the Don to frighten death away. In the film adaptation, Don Corleone's visit to Genco's deathbed is featured as a deleted scene. Hours after the Don's visit, Genco passes away.
Genco and Vito's friendship as young men in Hell's Kitchen, New York is elaborated in both the novel and The Godfather Part II. Genco befriends Vito after the latter's arrival in New York and the Abbandando family helps young Vito as he grows up and employs him in the family grocery store. After Don Fanucci
Don Fanucci
Massimo Fanucci is a fictional character appearing in the Mario Puzo novel The Godfather and the film The Godfather Part II, sequel to the film based on the novel of the same name. He is portrayed by Gastone Moschin.-In the novel:...
forces Genco's father to hire his nephew and fire Vito, the two go their separate ways until Vito decides to start a business importing olive oil from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He asks Genco to help him start the business, and in honor of his friendship with Genco, Vito names the company "Genco Pura Olive Oil Company." Using the company as a front for his growing crime syndicate, Vito eventually designates Genco as his consigliere.
In both the novel and the films, Genco is portrayed as a shrewd and wise consigliere. When Hagen counsels patience to Sonny Corleone
Sonny Corleone
Santino "Sonny" Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and its 1972 film adaptation. He also appears as an infant, as a young boy, and an adult in The Godfather Part II....
after the Don returns from the hospital, Sonny upbraids him by saying, "If I had a wartime consigliere, a Sicilian
Sicilian people
Sicilian people may refer to either:* The people of Sicily, i.e. their ethnicity, see Sicily#Demographicsor* Individuals of Sicilian ancestry or birth, see the List of Sicilians...
, I wouldn't be in this shape! Pop had Genco, look what I got." In the novel, Hagen himself often regards Genco as the superior consigliere to the family.
In The Godfather Part II, the part of Genco is played by Frank Sivero
Frank Sivero
Frank Sivero is a Sicilian-American character actor, perhaps best known for playing the roles of Genco Abbandando in Mario Puzo's and Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II and Frankie Carbone in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas.Sivero was born Francesco LoGiudice in Siculiana, Sicily, Italy,...
.