The book will be released by St. Martin's Press on Feb. 14. I had some good friends there, but Dad's friend Louie Milito was forever suggesting that he transfer me to the private prep school on "The Hill." Louie wound up with the Gambino Family, Sammy with the Colombo Family until he was transferred over to the Gambinos as well. But to Karen, Sammy Gravano was a sometimes elusive but always loving father figure. They spoke and dressed differently from the dads of the other kids at school. Stymie owned a bar in Brooklyn called Docks. ", "She's writing a book?" Mrs. Milito, 64, widow of Gambino captain Louie Milito, said she is "furious" that Ms. Gravano, 38, daughter of turncoat Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano, is inking a tome about growing up mobbed up. Joe Hartlaub on May 13, 2003. Dad jumped out and ran into our house, and I ran in after him. asked Mrs. Milito in a late night phone call to the Advance. He knew that. Those rumors later proved to be true. I was just so relieved.I didn't think about Frank Fiala at all. I cleared the table, and then asked my father if he wanted to watch me ride Snowflake. Sammy also opens up about his dealings with some of the most notorious mobsters ever like Roy DeMeo, Greg Scarpa and Tommy Karate Pitera. Reality TV star Karen Gravano, the daughter of notorious mobster Sammy (The Bull) Gravano, looks out from the balcony of her Staten Island home. The killing of Stymie enraged Gravano. "Mom was in the front seat with Dad, and my younger brother, Gerard, and I were buckled in the back. Get your brother, put on some clean clothes, and let's get going. His eyes were cold; I felt as if he was looking through me. The farm was Dad's pride and joy, a thirty-acre working horse farm he'd purchased and renovated in rural New Jersey. From Hairdresser To Mafia Killer: The Louie Milito Story The Narrator 1.38K subscribers 41K views 1 year ago The story of Louie Milito's rise and fall in the Gambino Crime Family. Even though The Rampers considered themselves independent of the mafia, many of the members became part of the mafia later on. Yes. It was my father's most successful nightclub. Gravano has discussed his childhood friend and then crew member Louie Milito many times. Alan Kaiser was just a sixteen year old kid when he was shot to death by Sammy Gravano and Louie Milito. He wanted me to get a superior education and had me enrolled at the prestigious Staten Island Academy. He wore sweats and gold chains, and he had tattoos, Jesus on one arm and a rose on the other. They would have another issue when an associate of Scarpas killed Stymie DAngelo, Sammys crew member. He tells us the story about how he got Louie made, but we learn la. Dad would first get the car washed and then we'd stop in. And as she grew up, while her peers worried about clothes and schoolwork, she was coming face-to-face with crime and murder. She was only 13 when her father did what he did and my husband disappeared.". AbeBooks.com: MAFIA WIFE. The glamorous "made man" made. Louie is an American comedy drama television series that premiered on FX on June 29, 2010. Lynda said she was afraid Louie would kill her. It was surrounded by a beautiful stone porch that had a big table and lots of outdoor chairs. he'd ask. If he doesn't come home, it'll have to be another night. Vallario went to Gotti, who told Sammy that it was time for Louie Milito to be killed. He had this thing about eating together as a family every night, and made it a point to be home at five sharp.I remember sitting around the long white table in Aunt Fran's dining room when Dad started telling everybody about this Czechoslovakian guy named Frank Fiala. My father could be in trouble. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. "I feel bad for Staten Island," said Mrs. Milito, formerly of Todt Hill now ensconced in Boca Raton, Fla. "She is giving Staten Island a bad name. Lynda's kids went to private schools. "Wow," I said. Dori's grandfather was a big player in the Gambino crime family. He quickly turned his back to me, but not before I saw him jam a revolver into the waistband of his jeans. "My mother and father say a big gangster lives in that house," she said, pointing across the street to the Castellano estate.I knew that Paul was Dad's friend. At 16 she was a victim of a date rape.WHAT IS LYNDA DOING NOW?Lynda is a best-selling international author, speaker, advocate and advisor.Lynda is constantly working hard and relentlessly searching for her husband Louies body. "I'm not in the mood." After I had asked, I'd disappear from the room and then sneak around back and listen from the outside to hear them weighing their decision.That evening, however, I sensed my father was not himself. Milito was in the same crew as mob turncoat Sammy Gravano, (whose daughter stars in the competing " Mob Wives "). The jury was told that the autopsy showed that he had been shot at close range seven times, including four times in the head and that he had been dead for as long as 48 hours. She played the piano, and she taught Gerard and me how to play. He hammed it up a bit by telling him that his coffee boy was on six murders. (Nicholas Fevelo for New York Daily News) It was. "Go say hello to Uncle Toddo," he'd instruct, pushing me in the old man's direction. The farm was a place where my family would always have fun. I was so excited to see my friends. I was nine years old when I began to suspect that my father was a gangster. I put two and two together and decided if Paul Castellano was a gangster, my father must be one, too. With the place being filled with senior citizens, Sammy found the comment disturbing but he didnt show his opinion. Mom said I needed Dad's permission. Neither of us said a word.Later that week, Dad ordered my mother to pack up my brother and me and head to the farm in Cream Ridge. They dressed the same, too, in similar sweat suits and sneakers. I stopped reading the minute my father sat down at the breakfast table. ""All right, Eddie, stop with your whining," Dad snapped.Something was definitely wrong. Nobody I know is in prison.". "You can play, but only for half an hour. When I wanted to eavesdrop on my parents' conversations I could hide behind it, out of view. said: He had a very loose idea of what he wanted. I'd have to wait to learn this angle of the business.By the fall, my father announced that I was going to be transferring to a new school. ""He's in the construction business," my father replied.I remembered thinking how glad I was that my father worked in the same business as Paul, so that maybe one day we could get a mansion like that. The old man would pat me on the head and then stick a twenty-dollar bill in my pocket. We found two eggs, but broke one in the fight over who was carrying them. My bedroom was upstairs with a view of the track, which I loved. When two of his kids got in trouble for smoking marijuana, he threw them out of the house. When we left for Staten Island, she told my father, "I love you," then hugged him in a way that was different. This was around the time that Sammy and John Gotti killed Paul Castellano. [24] On Metacritic, the first season scored 69 out of 100, based on 20 reviews. [16] In the second season, the budget was increased to $300,000 per episode. First, he arrived unexpectedly. Anybody who was anybody lived on "The Hill. The movie had even been filmed a few blocks from my school. A police officer, Sgt. "But you're just gonna go back to Staten Island for a couple of days. No one just walked into a room and said hello; it was always a handshake, and there always seemed to be an order of whose hand should be shaken first. She was married to Louie Milito for twenty-two years; they have a son, Louis, and a daughter, Deena. Episodes in the series have standalone plots, although some recurring roles (e.g. -- In "Mob Daughter," Karen Gravano remembers her childhood as the daughter of infamous mobster Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. "She doesn't know what she's talking about. Nicky also stood by Sammy when it became known that Paul Castellano may punish or kill Gravano and his crew for doing the unsanctioned hit. The spellbinding, explosive memoir by Lynda Milito, wife of Louie Milito, a Capo in New York's most powerful and notorious Mafia family, the Gambinos, in which she shares an intimate portrayal of living inside the dangerous world of the Mafia. [21] Criticisms largely centered on the pacing and low-key delivery of the show's jokes, which often include long setups compared to the rapid-fire punchlines of a traditional sitcom. * Lynda Milito, widow of Gambino crime family triggerman Louie Milito. At this point, Nicky had multiple things working against him. Even then, I knew not to ask any questions. serves as the show's lead and plays the only character who appears in every episode. Some of his friends were bouncers. Mafia Wife: My Story of Love, Murder, and Madness. "[10] Some stories also take place outside of the show's main time frame. Anybody who was anybody lived on "The Hill.". He was always nicely dressed in slacks and a sweater, sporting a big, fancy watch and a pinky ring. Opie & Anthony and Amy Schumer have had voice-only guest appearances. One particular house in this fancy neighborhood belonged to Gambino family crime boss Paul Castellano. I just don't care. Louie was the triggerman on several of Sammys early murders. Lynda lives in Boca Raton,. "I got made, in Toddo Aurellow's crew, before he did. My father was obsessed with construction and remodeling. "If you come up, you need to bring your coveralls because everyone is pitching in," he'd say. "My mother and father say a big gangster lives in that house," she said, pointing across the street to the Castellano estate. announced that he would be handing off some editing duties to longtime Woody Allen collaborator Susan E. The woman was Deena. The Son of Sam Law should be amended so no family member of that criminal should be able to profit.. [25] The second season scored 90 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim", based on 7 reviews. . ""You are," he smiled. Gravano was well aware of Scarpas fierce reputation. to accept a deal with FX, C.K. ""Well, I don't think you're going to have to worry about that 'cause you're stuck with me for a long time. He didn't mention being a businessman like Paul was putting your life on the line. 304 pp with black-and-white photos. The show has a loose format atypical for television comedy series, consisting of largely unconnected storylines and segments (described by FX president John Landgraf as "extended vignettes")[4] that revolve around Louie's life, punctuated by live stand-up performances. The woman was Deena Milito, testifying as a prosecution witness in Mr. Gotti's murder-racketeering trial in Federal District Court in Brooklyn. He was summoned to Vallarios bar where hitman John Carneglia snuck up behind him and put a bullet in his head. "No, I'll come out later," he said. I just thought Dad respected him more because he was older. "Hey Bo, what's up?" When will he be back? He even called Gerard and me "kiddo." On this particular Sunday, we were cruising around Todt Hill, an upscale community on the southern end of Staten Island, filled with homes owned by doctors, lawyers, and "businessmen.". One night, Greg and his crew were hanging out in one of Sammys many nightclubs. "All the time he worked at the LouArt Beauty Salon in the early sixties he was going out trunking, stealing cars, doing paperwork, changing the titles and selling swag to his customers -- baby clothes, TVs, menswear, toys, furs, you name it, he could get it.". I didn't even know that Fiala's murder was against the rules of the Mafia because it hadn't been authorized by the boss, Paul Castellano. "Hey Bo, what's up?" She got her New York real estate license and made $40,000 in commissions the first year, solid money in the late 1970s. Dad would meet us there when he got home. Uncle Angelo was into golf and tennis, and he had a fish tank in his basement. 's production company, Pig Newton, in November 2017, after he confirmed that a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him were true. This was during the 2nd Colombo Family war after Joe Gallo got out of prison. Beginning in the third season, Louie has moved toward story continuity within the season, and it includes multi-episode story arcs.[11]. It had hills covered in trees, narrow two-lane roads, and lots of large horse farms. "There was a strange vibe in Aunt Fran's house that evening. Dad was in the kitchen acting normal. Unlike other murders of Gravano crew members, Gravano showed zero sympathy or regret when discussing Mormandos murder. "Are you okay?" That earned him prison time, including a stint on a highway cleanup crew picking up trash. It's very vrit. Since Louie lacks continuity between episodes, supporting actors occasionally reappear in multiple roles, as is the case with William Stephenson, who appears as a bus driver in the pilot and as himself in "Oh Louie/Tickets"; Amy Landecker, who appears as Louie's date in "Bully" and as a young Louie's mother in "God" and "In the Woods"; and F. Murray Abraham, who plays a swinger in "New Jersey/Airport", Louie's uncle Excelsior in "Dad", and Louie's father in "In the Woods". It was extremely unusual not to hear from her father, she said, noting that he spoke to her on the telephone every day, even when he was in prison on tax-evasion charges. My mom seemed a little preoccupied. It took five minutes just to get down the bumpy dirt road that dead-ended in our driveway.The main house was enormous and had breathtaking views of our thirty acres of grassy land. I was too scared to ask any questions. He won't be joining us for dinner. Sammy didnt try to stop the hit, in fact he requested that he would be present when Louies murder occured. We were on one of our Sunday expeditions when Dad pointed it out to us. ""What about the sleepover?" "[30], 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released Season 1 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in Region 1 on June 21, 2011. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Self-proclaimed "Mafia Wife" author Lynda Milito said "Mob Wives" reality show star Karen Gravano is "giving Staten Island a bad name. "Yeah, why? has received several Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his acting, writing, and directing and has won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series at the 64th and 66th Primetime Emmy Awards. Referring to John Landgraf, who convinced C.K. In the first season, blunt, socially awkward conversations between Louie and his therapist are also shown occasionally. [22][23], Of the "top TV" lists tracked by Metacritic, Louie appeared on nine of 28 in 2010[5] and 22 of 39 in 2011, the latter of which includes three lists where the show was ranked 1st. I was also feeling guilty about hearing stuff that was clearly not meant for me to hear. "Your father is busy. During the summer, Dad commuted back and forth. ". This, ultimately, is the lesson to be learned from MAFIA WIFE. The stand-up in the show consists of original material recorded for the series, and is usually shot from the stage rather than from the more traditional audience perspective. My mother would walk me to school every day. He hosted "secret" meetings at their house, and had countless whispered conversations with "business associates." They told him they would have laughed if Sammy tried because theyd know he was a jerkoff. You can have one over the weekend. Nor did the bride object when Louie hid an automatic in her Tupperware. On the tape, Mr. Gotti said, in an expletive-laced quotation, "You tell this punk, I, me, John Gotti, will sever" his "head off! One of our favorite routines when I wanted to stay up late was to rub his head, face, and shoulders. still hasn't found his niche", "Louie - Fox's Canadian Press Release Gives Street Date, Extras for Season 1 DVD/Blu Combo Set", "Louie - DVD Release for 'The Complete 3rd Season' is Scheduled", "Louie - 'The Complete 4th Season' DVDs Are NOW AVAILABLE! Even then, I knew not to ask any questions. But she could not leave his millions. He'd ripped apart and remodeled every place we'd ever lived in. Obviously, I didn't know that Toddo was Salvatore "Toddo" Aurello, a capo in the Gambino crime family, and my father's boss and mentor in the mob. I put two and two together and decided if Paul Castellano was a gangster, my father must be one, too. That's when I came upon the pistol Dad had stuffed beneath the mattress. He just told me not to talk about it anymore.My father had this "coolness" about him. And so did Dori LaForte. Continuity is not enforced; for example, Louie's mother has been portrayed in two very different ways. Murder is overlooked. I lecture. The show's comedy consisted of such styles as surrealism, satire, absurdism, and gallows humor. The backup plan was to kill Mr. Gravano from a distance with a hunting rifle that had once belonged to a Gambino soldier named Louis Milito, the investigator said. He had developed a massive crack cocaine habit. The Colombos relented and Greg had his son Greg Jr. kill the man. It looked more like an Italian villa or a museum, with its iron gates and a gigantic fountain spewing water in the middle of a large, circular brick driveway filled with expensive cars and incredibly manicured grounds. Karen Gravano is the daughter of Sammy "the Bull" Gravano, once one of the mafia's most feared hit men. Lynda wore steel leg braces and the shoes that go with them, she remembers that, but what she remembers most was the terrible, empty loneliness she felt when her family left her after weekend visits.At ten, Lynda was abused for the first time. Louie Milito disappeared in 1988, supposedly shot by the man who ratted out John Gotti. My father had told us he wouldn't be coming for several more days. Ive had it, Ive really had it, said Lynda Milito of Florida, the widow of Gambino capo Louie Milito, who authored her own 2003 tell-all Mafia Wife: My Story of Love, Murder and Madness. Ms. Milito insists she never profited her husbands underworld activities, because she supported herself and her children as a real estate agent. As Louie and Nino carried the conversation, Roys attention seemed elsewhere. "Mommy, does Daddy have a gun because he was in the army?". In 1989 Wire taps John Gotti claimed that he didnt order the hit. Lynda Milito with Reg Potterton. and Would Bring 'Louie' Back, but Season 6 Depends on Society Accepting 'Second Chances', "Review: FX's 'Louie' still unpredictable, and brilliant, in season 3", "Louis C. K. and the Ballad of Jack Dall", "How Louis C.K. It spanned the entire five thousand square feet of the building and had a bar, a dance floor, and a private VIP lounge. directed, cast, and edited the first episode of the show with a budget of $250,000, provided by FX. Her mother had just gone inside to make us some lemonade when my new friend made a startling announcement. I was into horseback riding and spent hours with Snowflake, my beautiful white pony. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Karen Gravano talks on her phone during a scene from "Mob Wives." But I wanted to know what was going on. "What does Paul do that he has such a big house? It was included in the 101 Best Written TV Series list created by the Writers Guild of America. I wondered if this was a souvenir from the war. Mafia Wife Lynda Milito http://mafiawifelive.comLynda Milito is Best Selling Author of #1 Mafia Book in the World, MAFIA WIFE which centers around her life of Love, Murder and Madness while married to Louie Milito, a Capo in the Gambino crime family. Guys would be playing cards and drinking coffee. My father was a different person when he was at the farm. But shortly before his murder, she "told Louie he had to move out of the house . Those who deeply feel the loss of Alan Kaiser's life blame Sammy "Bull' Gravano and they want his daughter Karen to pay for the sins of her father Read this story by NEW YORK DAILY NEWS . serves as the show's sole writer and director, an unusual combination in American TV production. I wasn't sure what this guy was doing that made Dad think he was out of his mind, but whatever it was, it was beginning to piss off my father. He didn't have his wife with him, which was very unusual. I was furious about leaving my friends and worried that I wouldn't fit in with the kids at private school. Sammy could sense that if he had pressed the issue, Scarpa might have a serious problem even in his own family. And don't drive your mother nuts." All those French words. One of those times was the unsanctioned murder of Frank Fiala, a very unstable man who tried to buy Sammys nightclub the Plaza Suite. She said she doesn't believe mob boss John Gotti ordered the hit after learning from Gravano that her husband was allegedly bad-mouthing him. No one just walked into a room and said hello; it was always a handshake, and there always seemed to be an order of whose hand should be shaken first. 's co-star in Lucky Louie) occasionally provide story arc continuity between episodes. Gotti was an acting capo for Neil while he was in the can but still an associate at the same time. "He's in the construction business," my father replied. After testifying against Gotti, Gravano, who murdered 19, went into witness protection in Arizona, only to be busted in 2000 for running a massive Ecstasy drug ring. You're in charge and you have to take care of your brother. The victim was Louis DiBono, a reputed Gambino member, also said to be one of Mr. Gravano's business partners. My father had just finished the renovations on a three-bedroom house he'd bought for us in Bulls Head, a predominantly blue-collar neighborhood just over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and not far from the two-bedroom apartment we had been renting in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.My father was obsessed with construction and remodeling. She was only 13 when her father did what he did and my husband disappeared." Mrs. Milito, 64, widow of Gambino captain Louie Milito, said she is "furious" that Ms. Gravano, 38, daughter of. Production began in November 2009. C.K. It was a beautiful day, and we were outside on her front lawn. Dad couldn't relate to that type of discipline; no matter what I did, he would never disown me.On the nights that Dad worked late in Brooklyn, we'd usually go over to Aunt Fran's for dinner. The club looked like a big kitchen, with tables and chairs set out around the room and a few pictures, mostly scenes of Italy, hanging on the walls. We weren't even supposed to be going for another few days. Sammy had his doubts about Nicky from the start but still let him in the crew. Watergate was organized crime. But Lynda lacks Carmella's warmth and humanity. Louie is known for being a prominent member of the New York Mafia and for his gangland disappearance at the hands of his best friend, notorious mobster Salvatore Sammy the Bull Gravano.Lynda Milito was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Read about Karen Gravano's interview with "20/20" and watch the full story on "20/20" Friday at 10 p.m. I was sure something was wrong and was convinced it had to do with the gun and the murder outside his nightclub. "Go say hello to Uncle Toddo," he'd instruct, pushing me in the old man's direction.I'd have to go over and hug and kiss him. Sammy knew about many of DeMeos victims including Frank Amato, who was dating Paul Castellanos daughter until he fell out with Big Paul. They spoke and dressed differently from the dads of the other kids at school. It was like nothing ever happened. She says she once loved Louie. They had wads of cash in their pockets and always came bearing gifts, even if it was just a box of pastries on Sunday.On weekends, my father would sometimes take me with him to "the club" in Bensonhurst. I'd often use the spot to overhear discussions about requests of mine, like when I would ask my parents if we could go to Great Adventure Amusement Park. He'd sit out on the front porch in the mornings, sipping coffee and watching the trainers on the track. In a hushed courtroom, a 23-year-old woman testified in the John Gotti trial yesterday about the day her father suddenly disappeared in 1988, never to be heard from again. "I've had it, I've really had it," said Lynda Milito of Florida, the widow of Gambino capo Louie Milito, who authored her own 2003 tell-all "Mafia Wife: My Story of Love, Murder and Madness." Ms. Milito insists she never profited her . ", See the article in its original context from. "Ask your father when he gets home. [26] The third season received critical acclaim, scoring 94 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 16 reviews. He was always nicely dressed in slacks and a sweater, sporting a big, fancy watch and a pinky ring. The beef became too big to resolve and it was decided the men could no longer be in the same crew together. [27] The fourth season also received critical acclaim, scoring 93 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 30 reviews. Another one was about my cousins and how they flew through the city on the wings of an eagle. Louie was a participant on all of Sammy's big hits through the years. Aunt Fran would read us those stories, and she'd add to them with her own fanciful fabrications. As soon as we took ownership, he was knocking down walls and doing his elaborate renovations. I was sure it had to do with what had happened the night I'd seen him with the revolver. He also had a small diamond in the middle of his chest. Uncle Angelo was a hard man, but he was very generous. Lynda sees herself as Carmella Soprano, torn between love for her husband and his money and her dislike for his profession. It looked more like an Italian villa or a museum, with its iron gates and a gigantic fountain spewing water in the middle of a large, circular brick driveway filled with expensive cars and incredibly manicured grounds. My father hired a trainer from the barn in Staten Island where my brother and I took lessons and built a small house for him on the property. Nicholas Mormando aka Nicky Cowboy was another top shooter in Sammys crew. I knew they were probably talking about Paul Castellano. He seemed like his normal self again. Why Louie Milito was killed. Mr. Milito, who was slain in . 's New Louie Editor Susan E. Morse Compares Him to Her Old Boss, Woody Allen", "FX's 'Louie' better than HBO's 'Lucky Louie', but Louis C.K. Louie played his cards all wrong. If I sound angry, I am. "Something had come up and he couldn't meet me for dinner," she said. I didn't even know if he saw me reading the article. Louie's kids called me Uncle Sammy. [13][14] In addition to starring, C.K. Lynda Milito is on Facebook. A prosecutor, Laura Ward, asked Ms. Milito if she heard from her father after that. Earlier yesterday, the prosecutors presented testimony by an admitted gambler, Jack Zorba, who spoke of a card game that was closed down after a message was sent to the man who ran it. Normally, he pretended he had to bribe me to rub his head, pay me.