Keith Mack
Al Lettieri, born Alfredo Lettieri, was an American actor of Italian descent who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his roles as villainous characters, including Sicilian heroin trafficker Virgil Sollozzo in the 1972 film The Godfather. Lettieri's brother-in-law was Pasquale Eboli, the brother of Genovese crime family boss Thomas Tommy Ryan Eboli. Pasquale's niece, Giovannina Gio Bellino, recalled how Lettieri brought some of the cast of The Godfather, including Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, to her family home for dinner.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Pasquale Eboli |
| Siblings | Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli, Pat Eboli, and Gio's mother, Jean |
| Relation to Al Lettieri | Brother-in-law |
| Relation to Genovese crime family | Brother of boss Thomas Eboli |
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What You'll Learn
Pasquale Eboli was Al Lettieri's brother-in-law
Pasquale Eboli was the brother-in-law of Al Lettieri, an Italian-American actor who was fluent in Italian. Lettieri is best known for his role as mobster and Sicilian heroin trafficker Virgil Sollozzo in the 1972 American crime film The Godfather. Lettieri was also a dialogue coach and a screenwriter, co-writing the screenplay for the 1971 gangster movie Villain.
Pasquale Eboli was the brother of Genovese crime family boss Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli. Thomas Eboli granted Lettieri permission to get involved with The Godfather. Lettieri was married to Pasquale Eboli's sister, Jean, who hosted dinners for the cast of The Godfather, including Marlon Brando, James Caan, Morgana King, Gianni Russo, and Al Ruddy.
Al Lettieri and Pasquale Eboli were also related by marriage to Thomas "Tommy" Eboli, who was found dead in 1972, four months after the premiere of The Godfather. Lettieri and Pasquale Eboli's nephew, Pat Eboli, recalled how his uncle and Lettieri helped Al Pacino work on his Italian for the famous sequence in The Godfather in which Michael Corleone guns down the double-crossing Sollozzo and the crooked police captain, McCluskey.
Al Lettieri died of a heart attack in 1975 at the age of 47, leaving behind two children. Pasquale Eboli's father, Patsy Eboli, disappeared in 1976 and was never heard from again.
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Pasquale's brother, Thomas Eboli, was a crime boss
Al Lettieri, born Alfredo Lettieri, was an Italian-American actor who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his roles as villainous characters, including his performance as mobster Virgil Sollozzo in the crime film The Godfather (1972). Lettieri's brother-in-law was Pasquale Eboli, the brother of Genovese crime family boss Thomas Eboli, also known as Tommy Ryan Eboli.
Pasquale's brother, Thomas Eboli, was a prominent figure in the Genovese crime family, one of the most powerful and influential Mafia organizations in the United States. Thomas Eboli rose through the ranks of the family and eventually became its boss, succeeding his predecessor Vito Genovese. Thomas Eboli was known for his ruthless and violent tactics, and he played a significant role in expanding the family's criminal enterprises, particularly in the areas of loan sharking, extortion, and illegal gambling.
Thomas Eboli's criminal activities brought him into conflict with the law on multiple occasions. He was arrested and convicted of several offences, including conspiracy and extortion, and served time in prison. Despite this, he managed to maintain his position as boss of the Genovese crime family, due in part to his strong connections and influence within the organization.
Pasquale's brother, Thomas Eboli, played a pivotal role in the creation of the iconic film The Godfather. Thomas granted his brother-in-law, Al Lettieri, permission to get involved with the film, which led to Lettieri's memorable performance as Virgil Sollozzo. The Eboli family also hosted cast members of The Godfather, including Marlon Brando, James Caan, and Al Pacino, at their home in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Tragedy struck the Eboli family in the years following the release of The Godfather. Thomas Eboli was found dead on a Brooklyn street in July 1972, just four months after the film's premiere. He had been shot multiple times in the head and neck, in a manner reminiscent of the famous movie scene where Don Corleone is shot. Thomas' nephew, Patsy Eboli, disappeared in 1976 and was never heard from again, leaving behind only a parking bill at Kennedy Airport, where his Cadillac was found abandoned.
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Thomas Eboli was head of the Genovese crime family
Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli was the acting boss of the Genovese crime family, one of the "Five Families" dominating organised crime activities in New York City and New Jersey. The Genovese family was founded by Charles "Lucky" Luciano in 1931 and was known as the Luciano crime family until 1957, when Vito Genovese became boss.
Eboli was born Tommaso Eboli in Scisciano, Italy, in 1911. He moved to the United States and became a citizen in 1960. During the Prohibition era in the early 1920s, Eboli worked as a bootlegger for future crime boss Lucky Luciano. By the early 1930s, he had become the personal bodyguard for Luciano's underboss, Vito Genovese. Eboli also worked as a professional boxer, taking the nickname "Tommy Ryan" from a professional boxer of the same name to hide his Italian heritage.
In 1933, Eboli was arrested on charges of illegal gambling and disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to 60 days in prison and banned from boxing for life. Despite this setback, Eboli continued to rise through the ranks of the Genovese crime family. In 1957, when Genovese became boss, Eboli became the Caporegime over the old Greenwich Village Crew. He also owned several nightclubs and bars in Manhattan and controlled rackets on the Hudson River docks.
When Genovese was imprisoned in 1959, Eboli became the acting boss of the family. However, he was not the official boss, as Genovese had established a Ruling Panel to run the family in his absence, which included Eboli as acting boss, Gerardo "Jerry" Catena as underboss, and Philip "Benny Squint" Lombardo. After Genovese died in prison in 1969, Lombardo became the official boss, but Eboli continued to serve as a front boss until his death in 1972.
Eboli borrowed $4 million from Carlo Gambino, the head of the rival Gambino crime family, to fund a drug trafficking operation. However, the operation was shut down by law enforcement, and Eboli was unable to repay the debt. Gambino allegedly ordered Eboli's murder due to the unpaid debt, and on July 16, 1972, Eboli was shot and killed outside his girlfriend's apartment in Brooklyn.
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Pasquale's nephew, Pat Eboli, was on the set of The Godfather
Al Lettieri, born Alfredo Lettieri, was an Italian-American actor who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for his role as mobster Virgil Sollozzo in the 1972 crime film The Godfather, in which he starred alongside Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. Lettieri's brother-in-law was Pasquale Eboli, whose brother, Thomas Eboli, was the boss of the Genovese crime family. Pasquale's nephew, Pat Eboli, was on the set of The Godfather.
Lettieri's involvement with The Godfather was facilitated by Thomas Eboli, who granted him permission to participate in the film. Lettieri's connection to the Eboli family sheds light on the hidden role that the real Mafia played in the creation of Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece. The Eboli family's story unfolded alongside the success of The Godfather, with Tommy Eboli's murder in 1972 and the disappearance of Pat Eboli's father, Patsy Eboli, in 1976.
Pasquale's nephew, Pat Eboli, was present on the set of The Godfather, specifically during the filming of a pivotal scene. Al Pacino, who played Michael Corleone, had to speak Italian in several scenes, including the famous sequence where Michael guns down Sollozzo and the crooked police captain, McCluskey. Pacino struggled with the Italian lines, as recalled by Pat Eboli, who was there that night with his uncle Al Lettieri and Marlon Brando.
The presence of Pat Eboli on the set of The Godfather highlights the intersection of Hollywood and the underworld, as the film's creation was influenced by individuals with ties to organised crime. Pat Eboli's account of that night, with Pacino practicing his Italian lines, offers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of one of the most iconic films in cinematic history.
The Eboli family's association with The Godfather extends beyond Pasquale Eboli's brother-in-law, Al Lettieri. The family's experiences, including the tragic losses of Tommy and Patsy Eboli, mirror the dramatic events depicted in the film, creating a complex web of reality and fiction that adds to the intrigue surrounding The Godfather's legacy.
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Pat Eboli recalls Al Pacino struggling with Italian on set
Al Lettieri, born Alfredo Lettieri, was an American actor who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. He was best known for his role as Sicilian heroin trafficker Virgil Sollozzo in the 1972 film The Godfather. Lettieri's brother-in-law was Pasquale Eboli, also known as Patsy Ryan, the brother of Genovese crime family boss Thomas Eboli.
During the filming of The Godfather, Al Pacino and Al Lettieri visited Pasquale "Patsy" Eboli, a mafia boss and member of the Genovese family. Eboli gave them some "tips" for the interpretation of their characters. Pasquale's brother, Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli, the head of the Genovese family, had granted permission for Lettieri to get involved with the film.
Pat Eboli, Pasquale's brother, was on the set of The Godfather for the pivotal scene. He recalled that "Pacino was definitely struggling with the Italian". Pacino's co-star, Al Lettieri, on the other hand, spoke fluent Italian. Pacino and Lettieri took a break from working on their lines to have dinner with the Eboli family. Pacino also described in his 2024 autobiography how Lettieri took him to visit a suburban New York family that resembled the Corleones.
Al Lettieri passed away in 1975 at the age of 47. His brother-in-law, Pasquale Eboli, disappeared the following year and was never heard from again.
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Frequently asked questions
Al Lettieri's brother-in-law was Pasquale Eboli, brother of Genovese crime family boss Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli.
Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli was the head of the Genovese crime family and granted Al Lettieri permission to get involved with the film The Godfather.
Pasquale "Pat" Eboli was Thomas Eboli's brother and Al Lettieri's brother-in-law. He was present on the set of The Godfather to help Al Pacino with his Italian lines.
Al Lettieri played the Sicilian heroin trafficker and mobster Virgil Sollozzo in The Godfather.
