Carmine Cuneo

This article is about the film character. You may be looking for his novel counterpart.

Carmine Cuneo
Biographical information
Gender	Male
Born	Sicily
Died	1955 New York City, New York, U.S.
Affiliation	Cuneo family
Title(s)	Don
Behind the scenes
Portrayed by	Jarion Monroe (voice)

"Lousy doublecrossin' snakes"

―Carmine Cuneo

Carmine Cuneo was the head of the Cuneo family.

Biography

Known as one of the few Dons whose criminal activities had never been suspected by the police, Don Cuneo ran a fleet of milk trucks from The Bronx as a front for his illegal activities. This earned him the nickname 'The Milkman'. He was the second most senior Don on the Commission, after Vincent Forlenza of Cleveland. Always fond of children, during the peace meeting arranged by Don Corleone, Carmine made it a point that the future drug business would not involve children in any way.

Role in the War

Cuneo sided with his fellow dons against the Corleone family, in Emilio Barzini's plot to take their territory and assets, and spread the heroin trade through the entire city. His family became heavily involved in the mob war shortly after it began, assassinating two Corleone button men whilst they were stil eating their soup. They were some of the strongest fighters in the war. Don Cuneo despite his unassuming nature, was known to be a ruthless tactician.

Cuneo offered his assistance in the assassination of Sonny Corleone following his impetuous strike against the family's secret racket. After Sonny's death Vito Corleone put a stop to the war, but his son Michael continued to plot against his father's enemies.

Demise

Carmine Cuneo before his execution.

For his part in the conspiracy, Don Cuneo was assassinated in 1955 by Corleone family soldier Willie Cicci, who trapped the unsuspecting Don in the revolving door of an hotel before shooting him through the glass four times. Don Cuneo's death coincided with that of the other heads of the Five Families, in a move made to ensure Michael Corleone's move to Nevada could go ahead.

His role in commanding the Cuneo family was continued by his son Leo Cuneo in 1955 until 1979, when most the Commission's old guard was wiped out by Joey Zasa.

Personality and traits

Cuneo was known as an affable and good-natured figure, who was usually seen wearing a white fedora and carrying copious amounts of sweets in his pockets to bestow upon his grandchildren or upon children of his business associates. Such behaviour made him pass by the law unsuspected. He was also, like most Cuneos, a man of honour who always kept his word, and when he was betrayed by the Corleones in 1955, he died cursing their treachery.

In the novel

In the novel he is known as Ottilio Cuneo. He is not executed during the Baptism, instead he joins the Corleone empire and works with them peacefully until his death years later.

In the video game

"You gave us your word... And now this."

―Carmine Cuneo

Cuneo features briefly in The Godfather: The Game (referred to only as "Don Cuneo"), where he must be shot in the foyer after exiting the Savannah Hotel in Midtown during the Baptism of Fire. He is the only Don in the game that does not have a unique character model.

Behind the scenes

• He was portrayed by Rudy Bond and by Jarion Monroe in the game.
• In the screenplay Cuneo appears to be somewhat combined with Victor Stracci (though Stracci does appear separately), meeting his death in elevator at the hands of Peter Clemenza. At the time of his death he is with Moe Greene, suggesting a business relation between the two.
• Although Carmine is presumably a Sicilian, the surname Cuneo originates from the Northern Italian city of Cuneo, in Piedmont.

Don of the Cuneo crime family
Preceded by: -	192? - 1955	Succeeded by: Leo Cuneo