Scalice was born Francesco Scalisi in Palermo, Sicily, Italy on September 23, 1893, to Vincenzo Scalisi and Emanuela Privetera.[1] He was a cousin of Anthony Gaggi's father,[2] and third cousin of Dominick Montiglio, Gaggi's nephew. In 1910s, with his brothers Thomas, Philip, Jack,[3] Joseph and Giovanni, Frank emigrated to the United States, settling in The Bronx. He was married to Joan, and he had five daughters and one step-son.[3] He operated his business from the Little Italy area in the Bronx. He also lived and raised his family in the City Island section of the Bronx. He was involved in many crimes and became Capo in the Brooklyn-based gang of Salvatore D'Aquila. After the murder of D'Aquila on October 10, 1928, the power in New York shifted to Joe Masseria's Manhattan-based gang.[4][5] The successor of D'Aquila, Manfredi Mineo, connected Masseria with the alliance and came into conflict with Scalice as a result.
The Castellammarese War ended on April 15, 1931, when Masseria was killed.[7] Maranzano met with the New York bosses in May 1931 to work out a peace plan and organize the Five Families. Scalice was recognized as the Don of one of the families. However, after the murder of Maranzano on September 10, 1931,[8] new boss Lucky Luciano forced Scalice to resign as family boss. He was replaced with Vincent Mangano.[9]
Vincent Mangano's brother Philip was found dead near Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn on April 19, 1951.[10] Vincent disappeared; he was never found and was declared dead ten years later. It was widely assumed that Anastasia had both brothers killed.[11] After the deaths of the Manganos, Anastasia became the boss of the family, promoting Scalice as underboss.
Death
On June 17, 1957, Scalice was assassinated by two gunmen at a vegetable market in the Bronx,[12][13] for selling memberships in the family. Scalice's funeral was held at the Scocozza Funeral Home in the Bronx. Police and federal agents attended the funeral and the Bronx District Attorneysubpoenaed all the visitor records.[14] Scalice is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
After his death, Carlo Gambino became Anastasia's underboss.
On September 7 of that year, Scalice's brother Joseph was murdered and declared missing on September 10.[15] According to Joseph Valachi, he was killed by James Squillante, after he threatened to avenge Frank's murder, and like that of his brother it was ordered by Anastasia.[16]
On April 27, 1959, Scalice's brother Giovanni, who had been held as a witness in his brother's murder, was discharged, and took a plane to Paris.[17]
In popular culture
The murder of Scalice inspired the assassination attempt on Vito Corleone in The Godfather, who was shot and critically wounded while buying fruit at a fruit stand.[18]
References
^"immagine 316". Antenati (in Italian). Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ ab"Pal of Luciano Slain in Ambush". New York Daily News. June 18, 1957. Retrieved June 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Two brothers, Thomas and Philip, arrived in a short time and sought to reach the slain man's body. [...] Another brother, Jack, [...] Police said that Scalise lived with his wife, Joan, a step-son and one married daughter. He has five married daughters.
^"Slain Hood Scalise's Brother Is Missing". New York Daily News. September 11, 1957. p. 279. Retrieved June 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. A citywide missing persons alarm went out last afternoon for Joseph Scalice, 52, brother of slain hood Frank Scalise [...] police said, was last seen at 6:30 A. M. last Saturday by his wife Bella, 47, as he left in the family car on a shopping trip.
^"SCALISE FREED, LEAVES; Had Been Held as Witness in Murder of Brother Frank". The New York Times. April 28, 1959. p. 59. Retrieved June 6, 2020. Giovanni Scalise, who had been held as a material witness in the murder of his brother Frank in June, 1957, was discharged yesterday. He was escorted by immigration officials to a plane that departed for Paris from New York International Airport, at Idlewild Queens.
