Joe Zaluchi
Encyclopedia
Don Giuseppe 'Joe' Zaluchi is a fictional character
in the novels The Godfather
, The Godfather Returns
, and The Godfather's Revenge
. He is the boss of the Detroit syndicate
. He is based on real-life Detroit crime boss Joseph "Joe Z" Zerilli
. The character also appeared in film version of The Godfather
, portrayed by Louis Guss
.
Growing up poor in Sicily
, he and his family went to America
to have a better life. They moved to Detroit in the early 1900s. There, Zaluchi makes his fortune and starts a family. He owns a business, and starts paying protection
to the feared Purple Gang
. After he sees that the gang is destroying Detroit, he takes matters into his own hands, going to New York
to negotiate with a rising Vito Corleone
. Vito himself pulls some strings to get some people in Detroit to help Zaluchi.
In 1930, after amassing more political influence, men, and allies, Zaluchi wipes out the Purple gang. After a year of fighting, in 1931, Zaluchi becomes the don of Detroit. Corleone sends him alcohol from Canada
, and Zaluchi makes a big profit. After that, he starts extending his power in Detroit.; he acquires a horse-racing tracks and soon controls a large part of the gambling in Detroit.
During the Five Families
war portrayed in The Godfather, he allies himself with the Corleone family. He serves as sort of a mediator in the meeting of the Five Families, where he insists that heroin will in no way be sold in schools and that it should be confined to the "dark" (African-American) neighborhoods.
In The Godfather Returns, he receives a satchel and he uses it to sabotage the flight of Tony Molinari
, Frankie Falcone, and Nick Geraci
. He is never connected to any of these, however.
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...
in the novels 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...
, The Godfather Returns
The Godfather Returns
The Godfather Returns is a novel written by author Mark Winegardner, published in 2004. It is the sequel to Mario Puzo's The Godfather, which was originally published in 1969, and The Sicilian...
, and The Godfather's Revenge
The Godfather's Revenge
The Godfather's Revenge, a 2006 novel written by author Mark Winegardner, is the sequel to The Godfather, The Sicilian, and The Godfather Returns. The story takes place from 1963–1964, and picks up the story from where The Godfather Returns left off...
. He is the boss of the Detroit syndicate
Detroit Partnership
The Detroit Partnership, also known as the Detroit crime family, Detroit Combination, Detroit Mafia, Detroit Outfit or Zerilli crime family is an American Mafia crime family based in Detroit, Michigan...
. He is based on real-life Detroit crime boss Joseph "Joe Z" Zerilli
Joseph Zerilli
Joseph Zerilli was a Prohibition-era Detroit gangster who led the crime family known as the Detroit Partnership from the 1930s through the 1970s.-Early life:...
. The character also appeared in film version of 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...
, portrayed by Louis Guss
Louis Guss
Louis Guss was an American character actor with a long line of screen credits, having appeared in hundreds of TV series, feature films and stage productions, specializing in blue-collar ethnic roles, over a five decade career...
.
Growing up poor in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily 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,...
, he and his family went to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to have a better life. They moved to Detroit in the early 1900s. There, Zaluchi makes his fortune and starts a family. He owns a business, and starts paying protection
Protection racket
A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a criminal group or individual coerces a victim to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they...
to the feared Purple Gang
The Purple Gang
The Purple Gang, also known as the Sugar House Gang, were a mob with predominantly Jewish members of bootleggers and hijackers in the 1920s, operating out of Detroit, Michigan, which was a major port for running alcohol products during Prohibition due to proximity to Canada.Many openly violent...
. After he sees that the gang is destroying Detroit, he takes matters into his own hands, going to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to negotiate with a rising Vito Corleone
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...
. Vito himself pulls some strings to get some people in Detroit to help Zaluchi.
In 1930, after amassing more political influence, men, and allies, Zaluchi wipes out the Purple gang. After a year of fighting, in 1931, Zaluchi becomes the don of Detroit. Corleone sends him alcohol from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Zaluchi makes a big profit. After that, he starts extending his power in Detroit.; he acquires a horse-racing tracks and soon controls a large part of the gambling in Detroit.
During the Five Families
Five Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
war portrayed in The Godfather, he allies himself with the Corleone family. He serves as sort of a mediator in the meeting of the Five Families, where he insists that heroin will in no way be sold in schools and that it should be confined to the "dark" (African-American) neighborhoods.
In The Godfather Returns, he receives a satchel and he uses it to sabotage the flight of Tony Molinari
Tony Molinari
Anthony 'Tony' Molinari is a fictional character in the novels The Godfather and The Godfather Returns.Molinari is the head of the Molinari family, and is allied with the Corleone family during the Five Families war depicted in the first novel...
, Frankie Falcone, and Nick Geraci
Nick Geraci
Fausto Dominic 'Nick' Geraci Jr. is a central character in the Mark Winegardner novels The Godfather Returns and The Godfather's Revenge. He is a caporegime in the Corleone crime family, but later betrays the family, and becomes a sworn enemy to Don Michael Corleone.-Biography:The Godfather Returns...
. He is never connected to any of these, however.