Larry Gallo

Lawrence "Larry" Gallo (November 3, 1927 – May 16, 1968) was an American mobster who became a member of the Profaci crime family of La Cosa Nostra in New York City. His younger brothers Joey and Albert would follow him into organized crime. Larry was the leader of the Gallo Crew from President Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn.^[1] Hostilities broke out between the Gallo Crew and the rest of the Profaci Family. These hostilities became known as the Gallo-Profaci War. In an effort to peacefully resolve the war, a sit-down was scheduled at the Sahara Lounge in Flatbush, Brooklyn on August 20, 1961. Larry's trusted friend and bodyguard Joe "Jelly" Gioielli was not at this important meeting. An attempt was made on Larry's life at the meeting, but a police officer walked in. The assassins fled, shooting Officer Melvin Blei in the face. Both Officer Blei and Larry survived. In accord with mob tradition, Larry would not name the attempted assassins.^[2]

Elements of Larry's life were depicted in The Godfather films. The attempted strangulation of the fictional Frank Pentangeli resembles the attempt on Larry's life. The "sleep with the fishes" scene also parallels Larry's real life only the victim was his friend Joe "Jelly" Gioielli instead of the fictional Luca Brasi. Jelly boarded a boat in Sheepshead Bay and was never seen again. Larry and the Gallo Crew had a good side. They rescued a mom and five children from a burning tenement, and in 1966 they helped the City Youth Board by intervening with Italian youth gangs.^[3] Larry struggled with cancer for many years. Ultimately, Larry lost his battle with cancer. He passed away at Nassau Hospital on May 17, 1968.^[4][5]