When you think of The Sopranos, you probably envision the complex world of Tony Soprano, his family, and the tangled web of mob life. But what if I told you that the gritty drama was inspired by real events and real people? The Boiardo crime family from Newark, New Jersey, is at the heart of this story. Let’s dive into the life of the Boiardo family and see how their legacy shaped one of television’s greatest series.
Meet the Boiardos: The Mob Family in Disarray
In the late 1960s, the Boiardo crime family was experiencing significant turmoil. At the helm was Anthony “Tony Boy” Boiardo, a man struggling under the weight of expectations and ailing health. His father, Richie “The Boot” Boiardo, was nearing 80 and eager to retire, preferring to tend to his garden and enjoy his lavish pool rather than deal with mob business.
However, family loyalty kept pulling Richie back into the fray. Tony Boy was viewed unfavorably by many in the organization, with soldiers like Angelo “Gyp” DeCarlo and Anthony “Little Pussy” Russo caught on FBI wiretaps expressing their concerns about Tony Boy’s fate. This tense family dynamic sounds strikingly familiar, doesn’t it?
A Life of Crime and Family Ties
Much like the Soprano family, the Boiardos were deeply intertwined in a world of crime, loyalty, and betrayal. David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, has admitted that while “90 percent of [the TV show] is made up,” it’s heavily inspired by the Boiardo family. Names and situations mirrored those of real Jersey mobsters, like the similarities between Tony Boy and Tony Soprano. Both men dealt with panic attacks stemming from the pressures of their roles in the underworld, and both sought the help of therapists to navigate their tumultuous lives.
Tony Boy’s struggles were compounded by his upbringing as the son of a mob boss. While he was born into privilege, he was ill-equipped to lead a crime family. “Tony Boy was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth. He raced around in fancy cars and threatened to kill people,” said Richard Linnett, author of In the Godfather Garden: The Long Life and Times of Richie ‘The Boot’ Boiardo. This quote perfectly encapsulates the dichotomy of privilege and vulnerability that defined his character.
The Rise and Fall of the Boiardo Family
From Milk Routes to Mob Rule
The Boiardo family’s criminal empire didn’t start with extortion or murder; it began with a humble milk route. Richie Boiardo, who immigrated from Italy in 1901, transitioned from delivering milk to selling illegal lottery tickets to his customers. This initial foray into crime was just the beginning.
With the onset of Prohibition in the 1920s, Richie pivoted to bootlegging, learning the ropes from established criminals. By the early 1930s, he had established himself as a formidable player in Newark’s underworld, ultimately becoming a bootlegging kingpin. This trajectory laid the foundation for a criminal empire that would dominate Newark for decades.
A Legacy of Violence and Control
As the Boiardo family’s influence grew, so did the violence surrounding them. They were known for their ruthlessness and ability to eliminate rivals, even going so far as to execute the Mazzocchi brothers, their competition in the bootlegging business. While Richie was shrewd in business, he wasn’t shy about using brutality to maintain control.
The family’s operations expanded beyond bootlegging to include loan-sharking, racketeering, and various illicit enterprises at the Port of Newark. “It was and is a candy store,” remarked a law enforcement source. The Port was a hotbed for criminal activity, offering countless opportunities for profit.
The Crumbling Empire
However, by the late 1960s, the Boiardo crime family began to fall apart. As IRS investigations closed in on Richie, Tony Boy was left to steer a ship that was rapidly sinking. The pressures of leadership were too much for him, leading to disastrous decisions that alienated key members of the organization.
One notorious incident involved a chaotic meeting at the Fremont Club that ended in gunfire. The fallout from this meeting had severe consequences, including the murder of an innocent bartender who witnessed the events. This moment encapsulates the collateral damage that mob life often inflicted on the innocent.
Tony Boy died of a heart attack in 1978, and his father followed six years later. By then, the Boiardo family was but a shadow of its former self, but the legacy of organized crime in Newark continued, albeit in a different form.
The Continuing Legacy of Newark’s Mob
Despite the decline of the Boiardo family, organized crime in Newark didn’t disappear. Ex-Secret Service agent Jan Gilhooly suggests that the Newark mob is still alive, though it has evolved. “Organized criminals spend 24 hours a day thinking about how to steal things,” he noted, highlighting the adaptability of crime families in the face of law enforcement challenges.
Today, Newark remains a hotbed for various criminal enterprises, from loan-sharking to drug trafficking. According to law enforcement sources, mobsters still operate in the area, and the legacy of figures like Richie and Tony Boy Boiardo lingers on. In fact, one wiretap revealed gangsters joking about which characters from The Sopranos were based on them, illustrating the show’s cultural impact on the very lives it portrayed.
Conclusion: The Boiardo Family and The Sopranos
The story of the Boiardo crime family serves as a fascinating backdrop to The Sopranos, highlighting the blurred lines between reality and fiction. While the series brought a stylized version of mob life to the screen, it was rooted in the very real struggles and complexities of the Boiardos. Their rise and fall encapsulate the themes of power, family loyalty, and the psychological burdens of a life steeped in crime.
As we continue to celebrate The Sopranos, it’s essential to remember the real-life inspirations that shaped its narrative. The Boiardo family, with their tumultuous history and complex characters, remains an integral part of the lore surrounding one of television’s greatest shows.
FAQs
Q: How did the Boiardo family influence The Sopranos?
A: The Boiardo family served as a significant inspiration for The Sopranos, with many characters and storylines reflecting real events and figures from their tumultuous history in Newark.
