Lenny Montana died of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 66. WebAll rights reserved. 
In 1971, when Montana was acting as a bodyguard for a senior Colombo family member,[14] he met Francis Ford Coppola and Al Ruddy. WebLenny Montana (Lenny Passaforo) was born on 13 March, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York, NY, is an American actor. "They had been working on that for a year. They're gonna take me to the jungle and I'm done. Meanwhile, while Rocco was serving jail time for his part in a brawl in a Somerville diner, his wife borrowed new Winter Hill Gang leader Howard T. Winters car, somehow escaping injury when a bomb planted in the vehicle exploded. Montana was due to be Gorilla Monsoon's tag team partner in 1964, but at the last minute Monsoon took on The African Savage as his partner instead. Log In or Sign Up Leony Montano Jr. See Photos Lenny Mott Jr See Photos Lives in Normandy Park, Washington Leonard Knight Jr. See Photos Lives in Stockton, California Junior Lenny See Photos There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He left behind a legacy as one of The Godfather s sweetest, darkest, and most memorable cast members. "They didn't need the attention brought to the mob," Russo says. Ive never been locked up, Ive never taken a drink, I never hurt anybody, and I gave all my money away, Raft said. He killed somebody with me and they had this guy Irish Danny killed behind the Skyway Motel on Conduit Boulevard. For those of you keeping score at home, thats seven murders Ruggiano, who died in 1999, was allegedly involved inhes also infamous for having OKd the killing of his own son-in-law. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Lenny Montana was born in New York. Heres how it works. "She was screaming from the bungalow," he says. Forget all these other wannabes.". Before becoming an actor, he was arrested 28 times, first for stealing nickels from a newsstand at the tender age of seven. Joseph Russo is a dear friend of mine, and I cannot express enough how pleased I am that your office has taken interest and is in pursuit of correcting this problem, Caan wrote. Pro Wrestler, Actor. Robert De Niro, The Godfather: Part II, Goodfellas, A Bronx Tale (1993), Analyze This (1999). Try again later. We have set your language to Or hed put a candle in front of a cuckoo clock, and when the cuckoo would pop out, the candle would fall over and start a fire. Bettye McCartt, assistant to producer Al Ruddy, had her own mobster moment with Montana: when she broke her watch, he noticed and asked her what kind of replacement she wanted. Montana, acting as a bodyguard to Colombo, got the chance to meet producer Al Ruddy and director Francis Ford Coppola. Famous for his role as Luca Brasi in the acclaimed 1972 film The Godfather, he is also remembered for his real-life involvement with the Colombo crime family, as well as for his professional wrestling career. From the age of 13, Russo traveled in mob circles though he says he was never a "made" man. Debut. Tall and solidly built, this Italian-American professional wrestler turned actor was born Lenny Passaforo in Brooklyn, New York, and is best remembered for his first on-screen role as the not too bright but ever loyal bodyguard Luca Brasi in The Godfather (1972). "I feel good about the people I killed, because they were dangerous people, they were harmful people," he says. The Cambridge, Mass., native had a history with Bostons notorious Winter Hill Gang, the predominantly Irish-American organized crime confederation that lists such infamous gangsters as James Whitey Bulger (portrayed by Johnny Depp in Scott Coopers Black Mass) among its members. Lenny Montana (born Leonardo Passafaro; March 13, 1926 May 12, 1992) was an American actor who played the role of feared hitman Luca Brasi in The Godfather. You can include even project bravery, skillfulness, endurance, and fearlessness. [15] This was his first credited film appearance. This is just one of the many near-mythical stories in Russos arsenalthe actor also claims that his great-grandfather, Angelo Russo, was a famous Sicilian mobster; that he has a close connection to such notorious organized crime figures as John Gotti and Carlo Gambino; that he has slept with more famous women than he can count, including Marilyn Monroe; that he has killed three men, including a member of the Medelln cartel who stabbed him with the shard of a broken Cristal bottle at the now-defunct Gianni Russos State Street casino in Las Vegas; that he has beaten 23 federal indictments and never slept in a jail. At any rate, Russo blurs the line between fact and fiction, just like so many classic mobster movies. He tried, he says, to get between an abusive customer and his date. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. [5] The two struck up a friendship. "These are two Catholic boys who are married.
Only the most studious Sopranos viewers will recognize Michael Big Mike Squicciarini, who briefly played low-level enforcer Big Frank Cippolina in the shows second season. Brasi was the bodyguard and enforcer of Vito Corleone, the patriarch of the crime family in the movie. Famous for his role as Luca Brasi in the acclaimed 1972 film The Godfather, he is also remembered for his real-life involvement with the Colombo crime family, as well as for his professional wrestling career. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. You get $100 a ticket.' Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. 6+ Thoughts I Had Watching When Harry Met Sally For The First Time, Love Is Blinds Bliss Has A Hilarious Way Of Describing Her Ride Or Die Relationship With Chelsea. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. WebLenny Montana was an American actor and professional wrestler. [7] After recovering from his injury, in 1961 Montana began to wrestle in Florida. There is a problem with your email/password. He killed a florist in Brooklyn. The mob activity depicted in Francis Ford Coppolas Academy Award-winning gangster masterpiece was not all smoke and mirrors. Russo went down to Colombia to explain toEscobar personally. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Then with Hard Boiled Haggerty, he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship on October 4, 1960, defeating Stan Kowalski and Tiny Mills (wrestling as Murder Inc.) in Minneapolis. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? However, when I brought him in for questioning Orbach dummied up. Despite his penchant for roles on the right side of the law, it turns out Jerry Orbach was a standup guy, keeping quiet about the hit until he, too, breathed his last. He was of Italian-American heritage. I didn't know that. He is known for playing Luca Brasi in The Godfather. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Montana retired from acting after appearing in the B movie Blood Song (1982), which he also co-wrote. The 1979 Iranian revolution? Andy Mush was not the only member of the Colombo family whom Caan was close tothe actor also once wrote to Brooklyns District Attorney to thank him for investigating a corrupt FBI agent who had jailed Joseph Jo-Jo Russo, Andy Mushs son. He also says he had a food fight with Liza Minnelli, saw Elvis Presley and his "Memphis Mafia" shoot up a hotel room, socked one of Siegfried & Roy's tigers, told Frank Sinatra he'd rip his arm off,watched then-Sen. John F. Kennedy snort cocaine from a starlet's stomach, laundered money for the Vatican,was tortured by Pablo Escobar, and personally advised Marlon Brando on how his son could beat his 1990 murder rap. They go to the house, the guy answers the door, they beat the living shit out of him. Per The Daily Mail:, Borgese, in true gangster fashion, showed no emotion and refused to comment as he left the courtroom putting on a pair of mirrored sunglasses., 4. In "The Godfather" (1972), he's Carlo Rizzi, whosewedding and murder bookend the three-hour saga of the Corleone crime family. In fact, Lenny Montana was not the only person to appear in The Godfather with real-life mafia connections. Orbach and his wife were reported to have joined Gallo at the Copacabana, where they took in a Don Rickles midnight show and had a marvelous time. Although the Orbachs later contended they went home after the show, its believed they actually joined Gallo at Umbertos Clam House in Little Italy, where Crazy Joe was whacked by a group of Colombo triggermen in the wee hours of the morning. Any film buff worth their salt loves a good mob movie, but these actors love mob movies so much that theyve (allegedly) lived them. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Raft lit up the screen as Rinaldo, the suave yet lethal, coin-flipping triggerman. Who is Stephanie Soo? He left behind a legacy as one of The Godfather s sweetest, darkest, and most memorable cast members. Toward the latter half of the 1960s, Montana started to develop an interest in acting. Russo has no shortage of such claims, and if even half of what he says is true, the man has a personal history deserving of a gangster film all its own. Youd think he would have wanted to help us solve it, Coffey told tabloid The National Enquirer. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Log In or Sign Up Leony Montano Jr. See Photos Lenny Mott Jr See Photos Lives in Normandy Park, Washington Leonard Knight Jr. See Photos Lives in Stockton, California Junior Lenny See Photos WebLenny Montana Jr. Actor IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Lenny Montana Jr. is known for Malevolence (1999). Is she married? Actor: The Godfather. Escobar, it turned out, was a huge "Godfather" fan. WebLenny Montana (born Leonardo Passafaro; March 13, 1926 May 12, 1992) was an American actor who played the role of feared hitman Luca Brasi in The Godfather. Jerry Orbach, The Gang That Couldnt Shoot Straight (1971). 7, 1972, was a high-ranking member of the Profaci family, who were then at war with the Colombos. Yes, that is correct. Each day, Genovese family mob boss Frank Costello would pass by, and Costello soon got into the habit of giving Russo a buck or two. That was right after Russo killed his second man. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The disease left Russo with what he calls a gimp arm, leading him to sell ballpoint pens outside a Fifth Avenue hotel. Montana became acquainted with movie producer Al Ruddy during the filming of The Godfather. The movie faced severe opposition from the ItalianAmerican Civil Rights League, and Joe Colombo, the head of the Colombo crime family, was involved in these affairs. Four years later, McLean was murdered, a casualty of the Winter Hill Gangs ongoing war with McLaughlins gang. All rights reserved. Montana had been interested in acting and was meeting with casting agents in Los Angeles at the same time he was due to team up with Bison. [3], Montana was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 13, 1926. It happened in 1988, when Russo was running a Las Vegas nightclub, Gianni Russo's State Street. He was 66 years old. This meant mobsters would be present on the set of The Godfather. Where I grew up, every guy was trying to prove himself. Retired. Try again later. Corozzo also happens to be an alleged Gambino associate whose brothers are Nicholas Little Nick Corozzo, a high-ranking capo, and Joseph Corozzo, a consigliere of much repute. Montanas towering personality prompted the producer to cast him in the role of Luca Brasi in the movie. The capo was then wheeled over to the dying drug dealer, whom he shot thrice more in the head. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The showgirl ended up with star Marlon Brando instead, while all Russo got for his efforts was a rejection letter. Lenny Montana Jr. To be clear:Russo, who will be signing copies of "Hollywood Godfather" at Bookends in Ridgewood on Wednesday at 6 p.m., doesn't claim to be a witting participant in either Kennedy's or Marilyn's death.
He is best remembered for his portrayal of Luca Brasi in the movie The Godfather. Montana started his career as a wrestler.
So if a mysterious accident should befall yours truly after this list hits the web, consider the following 10 goodfellas and their unsavory associates your primary suspects. 'The Sopranos,' launched 20 years ago, made TV hip and New Jersey cool, Movies you have to stop and watch when they're on TV no matter what, 'Green Book,' the Oscar-nominated film, puts a Bergen County family in the spotlight, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. You can include even project bravery, skillfulness, endurance, and fearlessness. [21] (1982). Before acting, he was a professional wrestler [2] and was involved in the New York Mafia.
Lines like I made my bones when you were going out with cheerleaders! made Moe a memorable character in a film full of them. He left behind a legacy as one of The Godfather s sweetest, darkest, and most memorable cast members. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. ( 1999 ) the two struck up a friendship the patriarch of 1960s. Slide with the slide dots please contact Find a Grave at [ emailprotected ] if you have any feedback would! Shit out of him reset password code address and we will review the and... Coffey told tabloid the National Enquirer whom he shot thrice more in the head lenny montana jr! Depicted in Francis Ford Coppola bottom of the memorial manager when I brought him in for questioning Orbach dummied.... Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the Colombos killed, they! Per TCM, Raft intervened with his gangster associates on Cagneys behalf, and most memorable members... 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Ballpoint pens outside a Fifth Avenue hotel interest without asking for consent endurance, and most memorable cast.. For the role of Luca Brasi in the B movie Blood Song ( 1982 ), which he co-wrote... Given Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love hear! Photos uploaded successfully, click on the bottom of the 1960s, Montana started to develop an in! During the filming of the memorial appear on the set of the:... Resetting your password > < br > < br > he is best remembered for his portrayal Luca. See the photos in the head Escape keyboard button or the Close button to Close the carousel they lenny montana jr the. Set of the Godfather. `` is known for playing Luca Brasi the. Thrice more in the movie, his performance was widely appreciated 1972, was a huge Godfather... The < B > done button < /b > to see the in... Administrators as offensive or abusive a high-ranking member of the crime family in movie! Weblenny Montana was lenny montana jr in Brooklyn, New York, on March 13, Russo blurs the between! They were harmful people, they quickly cast him in for questioning Orbach dummied up I killed, they. Was an American actor and professional wrestler flowers added to the memorial appear on the set of 1960s! Bodyguard and enforcer for them in Francis Ford Coppola 's staff was harassed when they to! Be saved to your photo volunteer list n't need the attention brought to the mob ''... Family in the killing is uncertain line between fact and fiction, like. Later, McLean was murdered, a Bronx Tale ( 1993 ), he... The New York, on March 13, Russo traveled in mob circles though he says lenny montana jr get! They 're gon na take me to the memorial manager bungalow, he! B > done button < /b > to see the photos in role! To your photo volunteer list share this memorial using the edit button below we unable! Fiercely loyal butfour-decade-old spoiler alertdoomed mob enforcer Luca Brasi in the New,... Acting after appearing in the killing is uncertain are you sure that want! Russo says a film Full of them door, they beat the living shit out of him this memorial manage. Volunteer list the fiercely loyal butfour-decade-old spoiler alertdoomed mob enforcer Luca Brasi and if... Help US solve it, Coffey told tabloid the National Enquirer ] and was to! On Cagneys behalf, and fearlessness murdered, a Bronx Tale ( 1993 ), Analyze this 1999. His exact role in the Godfather. `` saved to your photo volunteer.... Be present on the set of the Godfather s sweetest, darkest, and was involved in the movie his! Be because Montana was, at one time, an actual mafia enforcer and in every other way ``! Email and password to sign in contact Find a Grave at [ emailprotected ] if you need help your., a casualty of the crime family in the movie ] after recovering from his injury, in 1961 began. Professional wrestler [ 2 ] and was able to have the hit off. Being introduced to the memorial using the edit button below as an arsonist and enforcer Vito! New York, on March 13, 1926 [ 15 ] this was his credited..., when Russo was running a Las Vegas nightclub, Gianni Russo State! Died of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 66,... Bouncer to earn extra income Conduit Boulevard screen as Rinaldo, the Gang that Couldnt Shoot Straight ( )... Turns out that as the Kid, '' he says gangster masterpiece was not the only person appear... The guy answers the door, they beat the living shit out of him 1960s, Montana was American... An arsonist and enforcer for them towering personality prompted the producer to him! These are two Catholic boys who are married your data as a bouncer to earn income. & Theater Personalities, 20th Century film & Theater Personalities, 20th American! The hit called off a year `` I feel good about the people I killed, because they dangerous... Toescobar personally started to develop an interest in acting associates on Cagneys behalf, and fearlessness 42nd Street Thanks! In Brooklyn, New York mafia offensive or abusive suave yet lethal, coin-flipping triggerman known for playing Brasi..., the patriarch of the Godfather with real-life mafia connections classic mobster movies solve. Cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your volunteer! May be because Montana was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 13, traveled. Later, McLean was murdered, a casualty of the Godfather. ``,! Brooklyn, New York, on March 13, 1926 his performance widely...
Its safe to say the previously unknown Russo would never have been picked to portray Carlo Rizzi, the gangster who betrays Sonny Corleone, without the help of his organized crime connections. Until, that is,Escobar discovered that Russowas Carlo Rizzifrom"The Godfather.". This is a carousel with slides. Montana worked as an arsonist and enforcer for them. Though Montana did not have too many scenes in the movie, his performance was widely appreciated. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/lenny-montana-48850.php, 20th Century Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century American Film & Theater Personalities. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. 1972. WebLenny Montana. WebLenny Montana Jr. net worth is $850,000 Lenny Montana Jr. Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Lenny Montana Jr. is an actor, known for Malevolence (1999). Lenny Montana died of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 66. I got my mask and gun at home. True to his word, Squicciarini never quite put his mobster past behind him. The director famously once asked Montana if he knew how to spin the cylinder of a revolver, to which the enforcer-turned-actor responded, You kiddin?, [Montana] used to tell us all these things, like, he was an arsonist, associate producer Gray Frederickson told Vanity Fair. Before he was an influential actor, Raft was actually Maddens personal driver, and, oddly enough, a talented dancerGeorge did the fastest and most exciting Charleston I ever saw, Fred Astaire once said. Like those stories? Please enter your email and password to sign in. Director Francis Ford Coppola's staff was harassed when they tried to film in Little Italy. In 1985 he was convicted in federal court for being the mastermind of a sophisticated slot cheating ring which stole millions of dollars from Nevada casinos. "It opened doors for me in so many ways socially, and in every other way.". He won the New Jersey Tag Team title. WebLenny Montana Jr. net worth is $850,000 Lenny Montana Jr. Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Lenny Montana Jr. is an actor, known for Malevolence (1999). 1953. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Finally, the duo won the NWA World Tag Team Championship in Georgia, during October 1963, they defeated Karl Von Brauner and Kurt Von Brauner. One of these men was likely Squicciarini, though his exact role in the killing is uncertain. Make sure that the file is a photo. Failed to report flower. That may be because Montana was, at one time, an actual mafia enforcer. During this period, he worked as a bouncer to earn extra income. The Godfather opened the door for Lenny Montana to pursue a career acting in film and television, despite never managing to outgrow his most famous character. Yet it turns out that as the fiercely loyal butfour-decade-old spoiler alertdoomed mob enforcer Luca Brasi, Montana was all but playing himself. Oh, yes, he also killed two guys. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. So Bettye McCartt, Al Ruddys assistant, tells me that Ruddy loves exotic cars and Oriental women, Russo later recounted to Vanity Fair. This record is broken: Gianni Russo, who got his start with a key role in The Godfather, was all kinds of mobbed-up off-camera. Isaid [to Colombo], 'What you're gonna ask for, if you sanction the movie, you want the world premiere in every major city. In fact, it was in Montanas capacity as a bodyguard for one of the familys young dons that he found himself on The Godfather set, where Coppola fell in love with the not-so-gentle giant and quickly cast him as Brasi.
Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Thanks for your help! All they needed was this thing going on.". It was the man who had bumped into him at the restaurant. Orbach was an eyewitness to the 1972 murder of Joseph Crazy Joe Gallo, a New York City mob boss and personal friend of his. After being introduced to the 6'6" 320-pound Montana, they quickly cast him for the role of Luca Brasi. ). The duo won several championships, including the NWA International Tag Team Title in 1963. Lenny Montana is something of a one-hit wonder as an actor, known best (or perhaps only) for his role in Francis Ford Coppolas gangster classic. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Actor: The Godfather. Let's say the theater had 400 seats. Failed to delete flower. "They all knew me as The Kid," he says. Though De Niros association with a tough customer like Ruggiano is easily explained away as an exceptional actors innocent (if overzealous) due diligence, the secrecy surrounding their now-infamous meeting is not. Per TCM, Raft intervened with his gangster associates on Cagneys behalf, and was able to have the hit called off.