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THE HOLLYWOODGODFATHERP O D C A S T
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SEASON 6 / EPISODE 101

The Godfather of New Orleans: Unveiling Carlos Marcello's Reign (Rebroadcast)

Sep 9, 2026 · Mob & mysteries
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On the 101st Hollywood Godfather Podcast, the hosts introduce a request-driven format and respond to a listener asking for an episode on New Orleans and Carlos Marcello. Patrick argues the American Mafia’s origins trace to New Orleans in the late 1880s, describing the “Sicilian Assassination League,” the 1890 killing of police superintendent David Hennessey, and the subsequent mass lynching of Italian defendants amid rivalry between the Matranga and Provenzano factions. They profile Marcello (born Calogero Minacore), his name change, gambling focus, small 12-man family with major political power, testimony before the Kefauver Committee, and later legal troubles, deportation attempts, and links with Costello and Trafficante. They discuss JFK-era claims involving Oswald, Ruby, and mob figures, mention mob lawyer Frank Ragano, explain “godfather” and initiation symbolism, run a Corleone Fine Italian Foods ad, and answer mailbag questions about Elvis, Connecticut mob history, a planned TV series (targeting fall 2022), holidays, New York’s decline, and Gianni Russo’s $3M boat purchase.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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Transcript source

The publisher supplies an automated transcript. It has not been editorially reviewed and may contain errors in names, dates or dialogue.

Open publisher transcript (text/vtt) ↗
Frank Costello testifying before the Kefauver Committee in 1951
Frank Costello, 1951 · Al Aumuller / Library of Congress ↗

LITTLE ITALY · GIANNI’S EARLY YEARS

Frank Costello

Before Hollywood, a different kind of mentor.

Before Hollywood, there was Little Italy. In Hollywood Godfather, Gianni recalls Frank Costello taking him under his wing during his New York childhood. He presents Costello as a powerful early influence on the life that followed. Gianni says he worked for Costello as a messenger for years and viewed him as a mentor. On the podcast, he revisits this relationship in “Mentoring by the Mob: Frank Costello.” This chapter presents Gianni’s personal recollections, with links to his memoir and interview.

Gianni’s memoir · publisher synopsis ↗ Gianni’s 2019 VICE interview ↗

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