Frank Todaro

Frank Todaro
Born
Francesco Todaro

(1889-07-15)July 15, 1889
DiedNovember 29, 1944(1944-11-29) (aged 55)
Resting placeMetairie Cemetery
Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
OccupationMobster
Spouse
Nancy Giamalva
(m. 1914)
Children4
RelativesCarlos Marcello (nephew by marriage)
AllegianceNew Orleans crime family

Frank Todaro (/tˈdɑːr/; born Francesco Todaro, Italian: [franˈtʃesko ˈtɔːdaro]; July 15, 1889 – November 29, 1944) was an Italian-American mobster, who was the boss of New Orleans crime family during 1944.

Early life

Todaro was born in the area of San Cipirello, Province of Palermo, Sicily on July 15, 1889, to Giuseppe Todaro and Giuseppa DiMaggio. Todaro along with brothers Calogero "Charlie", Giuseppe "Joe", and Salvatore "Sam" Todaro immigrated to the United States in 1907 and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana,[1] while his brother Angelo remained in Sicily.

Frank married Nancy Giamalva on July 14, 1914, in New Orleans,[2] and they two sons children; Joseph and Clement Todaro, and two daughters, Jacqueline Leggio and Josephine Gallo.[3]

Career

Todaro was underboss of the New Orleans Mafia and succeeded Corrado Giacona as boss, after his death on July 25, 1944. He was boss for four months, until his death.[4] Carlos Marcello, who became boss of the family in 1947, married his niece Jacqueline "Jackie" Todaro, the daughter of his brother Joseph.[a]

Later life

Todaro died at his residence on S. Broad Street in New Orleans on November 29, 1944, from complications related to throat cancer. It has been speculated that Silvestro "Silver Dollar Sam" Carollo had a hand in his death with a little poison, but there is no concrete evidence to support this theory.[5]

His funeral was held on December 1, 1944, the wake was conducted at Lamano-Panno-Fallo Funeral Home, a Roman Catholic Requiem Mass was held at St. Mary's Church and he was interred at Metairie Cemetery.[6]

References

  1. ^ 1920 Federal Census - New Orleans
  2. ^ New Orleans Marriage Records
  3. ^ "T Obituaries Orleans Parish Louisiana". USGenWeb Archives Project. 2005. Retrieved April 10, 2020. Is The Beloved Brother Of Jaqueline Leggio, Josephine Gallo And Joseph Todaro (Deceased), And The Son Of Frank Todaro And Nancy Giamalva Todaro, Both Deceased.
  4. ^ "Corrado Giacona: New Orleans Mob Boss (1922 – 1944)". National Crime Syndacate. 11 October 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2020. Giacona ran things (along with Silver Dollar Sam Carolla who acted as street boss) until his death on July 25, 1944. His underboss, Frank Todaro, succeeded Giacona but himself died about six months later.
  5. ^ "Where New Orleans Buries it's Dead Mobsters: Metairie Cemetery". National Crime Syndacate. 24 October 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2020. Some speculation claims Silver Dollar Sam had a hand in his death with a little poison. Not a lot of info out there on Frank.
  6. ^ Newspaper Obituary - New Orleans Picayune 11/30/1944

Notes

  1. ^ In Mafia Kingfish, by John H. Davis, has been erroneously reported that he was the father-in-law of Carlos Marcello.
American Mafia
Preceded by
Vincenzo Moreci
New Orleans crime family
Underboss

19??–1944
Succeeded by
Joseph Poretto
Preceded by
Corrado Giacona
New Orleans crime family
Boss

1944
Succeeded by