Louie Russo
Encyclopedia
Luigi 'Louie' Russo is a fictional character in Mark Winegardner's
The Godfather Returns
. Russo serves as the Don of the Chicago Outfit
from 1955 to 1961.
as the 1920s. He and his brother, Willy, were 'made' under Al Capone
. His brother was one of the men sent to kill Vito Corleone
during the Castellamarese war (mentioned in The Godfather
), although he was eventually killed by Luca Brasi
.
Russo holds a grudge against the Corleones for years, but after Michael Corleone
becomes Don in 1955, Russo tricks him into believing that the bad blood between them is over. Under Russo, the Chicago mob expands into the New York area and interferes with the Corleones' Las Vegas
casinos. Russo unsuccessfully conspires with Vincent Forlenza
and Nick Geraci
to kill Michael Corleone, in the process duping Michael's brother Fredo
into betraying him.
In June 1961, he invites Tom Hagen
to his supper club/gambling house in rural Illinois
with the intention of killing him. He, Hagen, a rower, and two Russo soldato
s go out on a gondola in his man-made lake. On the course of the trip, as part of Michael's revenge, Hagen strangles one soldato while the rower hits the other soldato and Russo with his oar. Hagen then personally kills Russo on his boat, with Russo's own gun, and dumps the bodies in the lake. Russo is succeeded by John Villone.
, Russo is portrayed as a cruel, vindictive man whose methods of retribution are particularly vicious, even by Mafia
standards; in the sequel The Godfather's Revenge
, Tom Hagen describes Russo as "a sick man, in ways I don't like to think about." Following an assassination attempt years before, in which his eyes are permanently damaged, he wears large black sunglasses to shield them from the light. When he inadvertently shows his uncovered eyes to Tom Hagen after his glasses are knocked off, Hagen notes that they are red with a green ring in the middle, giving them a sinister appearance
Mark Winegardner
Mark Winegardner is an American writer born and raised in Bryan, Ohio. His novels include The Godfather Returns, Crooked River Burning, and The Veracruz Blues. He published a collection of short stories, That's True of Everybody, in 2002. His newest novel, The Godfather's Revenge, was published...
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...
. Russo serves as the Don of the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
from 1955 to 1961.
Biography
Louie Russo goes as far back to ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
as the 1920s. He and his brother, Willy, were 'made' under Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
. His brother was one of the men sent to kill 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...
during the Castellamarese war (mentioned in 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...
), although he was eventually killed by Luca Brasi
Luca Brasi
Luca Brasi is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather, as well as its 1972 film adaptation .-In the novel and film:In The Godfather, Luca Brasi is one of Don Vito Corleone's personal enforcers...
.
Russo holds a grudge against the Corleones for years, but after Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novels, The Godfather and The Sicilian. He is also the main character of the Godfather film trilogy that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in which he was portrayed by Al Pacino, who was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his...
becomes Don in 1955, Russo tricks him into believing that the bad blood between them is over. Under Russo, the Chicago mob expands into the New York area and interferes with the Corleones' Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
casinos. Russo unsuccessfully conspires with Vincent Forlenza
Vincent Forlenza
Vincent "The Jew" Forlenza is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and Mark Winegardner's sequel The Godfather Returns.-In The Godfather:...
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...
to kill Michael Corleone, in the process duping Michael's brother Fredo
Fredo Corleone
Frederico "Fredo" Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather. In the fictional universe of the novel and its film adaptation, he is the second son of Vito Corleone , head of a powerful Mafia family...
into betraying him.
In June 1961, he invites 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...
to his supper club/gambling house in rural Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
with the intention of killing him. He, Hagen, a rower, and two Russo soldato
Soldato
A Soldato is the lowest level of the formal Mafia hierarchy, both in America and in Sicily. However, a soldier is much greater in rank and prestige than any ordinary associate of the crime family. In order to become a soldier, the primary requisite for an associate is to become a made man...
s go out on a gondola in his man-made lake. On the course of the trip, as part of Michael's revenge, Hagen strangles one soldato while the rower hits the other soldato and Russo with his oar. Hagen then personally kills Russo on his boat, with Russo's own gun, and dumps the bodies in the lake. Russo is succeeded by John Villone.
Personality
In his appearances in The Godfather ReturnsThe 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...
, Russo is portrayed as a cruel, vindictive man whose methods of retribution are particularly vicious, even by Mafia
Mafia
The 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...
standards; in the sequel 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...
, Tom Hagen describes Russo as "a sick man, in ways I don't like to think about." Following an assassination attempt years before, in which his eyes are permanently damaged, he wears large black sunglasses to shield them from the light. When he inadvertently shows his uncovered eyes to Tom Hagen after his glasses are knocked off, Hagen notes that they are red with a green ring in the middle, giving them a sinister appearance