Joey Zasa
From The Godfather Wiki
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| Joey Zasa | |
|---|---|
| Biographical information | |
| Gender |
Male |
| Eye color |
Brown |
| Hair color |
Black |
| Born |
September 14, 1934 |
| Died |
July 4, 1979 (aged 44) |
| Family | |
| Title(s) |
Don of New York (1975-1979 |
| Portrayed By | |
- "I say to all of you, I have been treated this day, with no respect. I've earned you all money. I've made you rich, and I asked for little. Good. You will not give, I'll take! As for Don Corleone, well he makes it, very clear to me today, that he is my enemy. You must choose between us."
- ―Joey Zasa[src]
Joey Zasa took over as boss of the Corleone operations in New York. He was portrayed by Joe Mantegna.
[edit] Biography
Following the death of Frank Pentangeli and Aldo Trapani in 1959 and the retirement of his successor Dominic, Zasa was awarded all the Corleone Crime Family business in New York with the Commission and Michael's approval.
While Zasa was feared and, to a certain degree, respected among his peers in New York's underworld of organized crime for his business acumen and utter ruthlessness, his flamboyance and hunger for publicity earned him the Corleone family's displeasure as it attracted unwanted public attention to its criminal enterprises. Michael especially disapproved of Zasa's high public profile, as well as the fact that many of his underlings were dealing in narcotics, something that Zasa denied, claiming he would kill anyone who did. He did, however, trust his word somewhat over that of Vincent Mancini, who claimed that Zasa had been insulting Michael in public. After the two were encouraged to make peace, Mancini bit a chunk out of Zasa's ear, which was later avenged with an attack on Vincent's apartment, which failed.
Zasa tried to have Michael murdered during a meeting with all the various Dons of the Commission in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Michael escaped, but nearly every other Don attending the meeting was killed.
[edit] Execution
During a neighborhood religious festival, Zasa and his two most trusted body guards were celebrating, when Zasa saw Lou Pennino scratching the car that Zasa had put up as a prize in a raffle. When Pennino was confronted, he fled and Al Neri who was disguised with Robe And Hood on, and carrying The Virgin Mary statue in the festival procession whipped out a shotgun and shot Anthony Squigliaro.
Zasa fled, and when entering a shop, is shot three times in the back by a police officer on horseback, revealed to be Vincent.
It later transpired that Joey had been backed by Don Altobello and his ally, Lucchesi, who were attempting to stop Michael's takeover of International Immobiliare.
[edit] Real-life sources
Zasa was based on the real-life mobster, Joe 'Crazy Joe' Gallo
