Witness to the Mob
Encyclopedia
Witness to the Mob is a made for TV film which premiered on May 10, 1998.
, his turning to government witness in legal trials of John Gotti
and his life in Witness protection program.
The film is based on the book about Gravano titled Underboss
written by Peter Maas
. Main source of information was Gravano himself.
Plot
Film follows the rise of Sammy Gravano in ranks of NY Cosa NostraAmerican Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
, his turning to government witness in legal trials of John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
and his life in Witness protection program.
The film is based on the book about Gravano titled Underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
written by Peter Maas
Peter Maas
Peter Maas was an American journalist and author. He was born in New York City and attended Duke University. Maas had Dutch and Irish heritage....
. Main source of information was Gravano himself.
Cast
- Nicholas TurturroNicholas TurturroNicholas Turturro, Jr. is an American film, television and prolific on-stage character actor, perhaps best known for his role as James Martinez, on NYPD Blue from 1993 to 2000.-Early life:...
- Sammy GravanoSammy GravanoSalvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime... - Tom SizemoreTom SizemoreThomas Edward "Tom" Sizemore, Jr. is an American film and television actor and producer. He is known for his roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan, Strange Days, Pearl Harbor, Heat and Black Hawk Down....
- John GottiJohn GottiJohn Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age... - Debi MazarDebi MazarDeborah "Debi" Mazar is an American actress, perhaps best known for her Jersey Girl-type roles; as sharp-tongued women in independent films; and for her recurring role as press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage.-Early life:...
- Deborah Gravano - Abe VigodaAbe VigodaAbe Vigoda is an American movie and television actor. Vigoda is well known for his portrayal of Sal Tessio in The Godfather, and for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on the sitcom television series Barney Miller from 1975–1977 and on its spinoff show Fish that aired from February 1977 to...
- Paul CastellanoPaul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family... - Philip Baker HallPhilip Baker Hall-Early life:Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio, the son of a factory worker father who was from Montgomery, Alabama. He attended the University of Toledo. As a younger man, Hall served in the military, started a family, and became a high school English teacher. In 1961, he decided to become an actor...
- Salvatore "Toddo"Aurello - Frank VincentFrank VincentFrank Vincent is an American actor, musician, author and entrepreneur. He is a favorite performer of director Martin Scorsese, having played important roles in three of Scorsese's most acclaimed films: Raging Bull , Goodfellas and Casino . He often plays a gangster and works both in features and...
- Frank DeCiccoFrank DeCiccoFrank DeCicco also known as Frankie D and Frankie Cheech was a New York mobster and labor racketeer for the Gambino crime family... - Lenny VenitoLenny VenitoLenny Venito is an American actor who has made appearances in movies such as Gigli, Men in Black II, and War of the Worlds.Starting in 2006, Venito has been featured in The Sopranos as the character nicknamed "Murmur," who helped shake down actor Ben Kingsley and violently mug actress Lauren Bacall...
- Sal DiMaggio - Johnny Williams - Angelo RuggieroAngelo RuggieroAngelo Salvatore Ruggiero Sr. pronounced was a caporegime of the Gambino crime family and close friend of John Gotti.-Mob family roots:...
- Frankie ValliFrankie ValliFrankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
- Frank LocascioFrank LocascioFrank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio is a New York mobster who became the Consigliere to the Gambino crime family, under Boss John Gotti. LoCascio is the father of Salvatore LoCascio, a caporegime in the Gambino family.... - Michael ImperioliMichael ImperioliJames Michael Imperioli , commonly known as Michael Imperioli, is an American actor and television writer. He is perhaps best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2004. He also...
- Louie Milito - Vincent PastoreVincent PastoreVincent Pastore is an Italian-American actor, often cast as a mobster and best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.-Early life:...
- Michael DeBattMichael DeBattMichael "Mickey" DeBatt was a reputed Gambino crime family mob associate who was involved in the gangland slaying of drug trafficker Frank Fiala.-Biography:... - Peter McRobbiePeter McRobbiePeter McRobbie is a Scottish-born, American-based character actor.-Career:McRobbie has more than 60 movies and television series to his credit. The movies include Spider-Man 2, World Trade Center, Sleepers, and Bullets over Broadway...
- George Pape/Gerard PappaGerard PappaGerard Pappa , also known as "Gerry" and "Papa Bear" , was a former Colombo crime family associate and eventually a Genovese crime family soldier and known hitman, who was widely feared for his violent tendencies, which directly attributed to his own murder in 1980.-Biography:Gerard was 36 when he... - Nicholas Kepros - Vincent "The Chin"/Vincent GiganteVincent GiganteVincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
- Michael Ryan Segal - Nicky Cowboy/Nicholas MormandoNicholas MormandoNicholas Mormando, also known as "Nicky Cowboy" was a Gambino crime family mob associate who was involved in the murder of Frank Fiala and member of Sammy Gravano's Bensonhurst, Brooklyn crew.-Biography:Nicholas Mormando was the son of Italian-American emigrants from Morimondo in Milan, Italy...
- Tony SiricoTony SiricoGenaro Anthony "Tony" Sirico, Jr. is an American character actor who is most famous for his role as Paulie Gualtieri in the television series The Sopranos.- Background and career :Sirico was born in Midwood, Brooklyn...
- Tommy Gambino/Thomas GambinoThomas GambinoThomas "Tommy" Gambino is a New York mobster and a longtime Caporegime of the Gambino crime family who successfully controlled lucrative trucking rackets in the New York City Garment District.-Early life:... - Richard BrightRichard Bright (actor)Richard James Bright was an American actor best known for his role as Al Neri in the The Godfather films.-Early life & work:...
- Joseph ParutaJoseph ParutaJoseph Paruta, also known as "Old Man" and "Sammy Gravano's Personal Luca Brasi" was a mobster in the Gambino crime family and considered a "key member" of Sammy Gravano's Bensonhurst, Brooklyn crew. He is the only known mobster who asked for a mercy killing after becoming terminally ill with lung... - Richard E.Council - Louie DiBono/Louis DiBono
- Peter Appel - Eddie Garofalo/Edward Garofalo
- Tony Kruk - Di Bernardo/Robert DiBernardoRobert DiBernardoRobert DiBernardo, also known as "DB", was a caporegime in the Gambino crime family...
- Stephen Payne - Bosko RadonjichBosko RadonjichBosko "The Yugo" Radonjich was a Serbian nationalist and later leader of the Westies, a predominantly Irish-American gang based in New York's Hell's Kitchen.-Early life:...