But then he had his own way of saying he was in the mafia without spelling it out. After saying he doesn’t know anything about the mafia, he says how other guys were afraid of him etc.
@LORANDS That is such a moronic statement. I am not looking to live a crazy life, and kill people and spend years in jail. I run two businesses, have a wife and three kids. Thats about as crazy as I want. If you think that a crazy life is a great life, go for it.
I was a c/o at the federal prison in Petersburg Virginia and Sonny was in the dorm I worked. He was a very personable and soft spoken guy. He was the last of the real old school mafia.
my dad passed away at age 103, a year ago today. There is so much wisdom to know and learn, from people who are this age, and still have their wits. Thank you Michael. Proverbs 17:3
Sonny was born in 1917 and passed in 2020 ..he lived to be 103 years old . He was clearly a very talented and intelligent person . Its sad that he didnt apply his abilities to some legitimate endeavor rather than crime ..RIP Sonny
In terms of intelligent? ehhh... His son was intelligent - he made millions per week for Colombos and Sonny lost his capo spot to him because he wasn't a big earner. He certainly wasn't stupid but he was more of a tough guy than a schemer and money-maker that takes brains.
Sonny was actually the one getting into Copacabana through the back door and having a table setup for him on the stage when the club was full. It didnt happen to Henry Hill, it was Sonny that was treated that way.
@@azmoe99 yeah I agree with you Henry Hill was full of shit and all the gangsters went to the Copa has you said and it was owned by Frank Costello apparently, it was a great place to go on a Friday and Saturday night. Take care of yourself Moe from Stevie boy in Britain
Don’t you think that should depend on what his principles are? Hitler had principles. So did Stalin. They murdered millions of innocent people based on their “principles”. A thug with “principles” is still a thug.
why respect someone who made a living out of exploiting, robbing, stealing and using other people? All criminals exist to victimize others, often completely innocent people.
@@mrvk39 well you have your opinion and I have mine. That's our right.but at least he didn't hide be hind a party our organization that let him rob steal or hurt other people. Like the officials we have in DC.or the courts or lawyers
You have to give this man some respect. No matter what side of the fence you sit on. Stayed loyal to his beliefs till the very end. A rare thing in today’s society I think. R.I.P John “sonny “ franzese
@@HadEnough745 yes but that’s not what my point was. yes i would want revenge but that’s out of the question because of that fact he was a professional hit guy but that doesn’t take away the loyalty he showed
Regardless of your opinions on organized crime/mafia/street crime etc. This mans loyalty and respect of the oath is off the charts. All those years and never a peep about anything or anyone. Gotta respect that.
The Bible also states in Mather 5-7 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ... For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged.” no sin is greater then the next... Gods already forgave these men perhaps you should to...@@kinginblack8232
@@thefitnesszonegym9654 that's just something ppl say when they wanna do what they want with no one saying anything There Is such thing as righteous judgment I agree with the judge not thing but Quit trying to use it as a cop out
Sonny was a committed Cosa Nostra who never violated the omerta , he was a legend put aside his crimes and mob days the guy was a the last real mob guy of his era .
You can tell the lady interviewing Sonny is in awe of him and can still feel the magnetism of his power even at 100. Thats crazy.. He is the absolute epitome of a 'Man's Man' RIP SONNY
@@dedo7326 because of movies and TV shows glamorising the mafia,people have this perception of them that is false,alot of the people who owed them debts were simply feeding their children,and even for things like buying Christmas presents when they were struggling,the mafia took advantage of these people when they were at their most vulnerable charging them massive interest that they could never repay and attacking them or their family if they did not continually give them some of the never ending payments.they also got paid for protection by innocent shop owners but the protection paid was to protect them from the gangsters attacking their stores.you were paying them to not attack you!they were scum,pure and simple
Guy was so tough he did FIFTY years in the can, lived to 102 years old, and was still sharp as a tac when he died. A true loyal top OG. F**k the government. RIP, Sonny.
He never served 50 years in prison. Look up the documents He was sentenced to prison for 50 years, of which he served only 11 until 1978 when he was released. He went back to prison on a parole violation back in 1982 until 1984 and then back in prison in 2007 until 2018,. That makes 24 years in prison. Still an awful long time but the 50 years in prison is an urban myth. To recap : 1967-1978 11 years 1982-9184 2 years 2007-2018 11 years = 24 years Add in some other minor arrests between 1938 and 1966 before that. He might have served 25 years locked up. A long time, but it is not 50 years
Sonny is the ‘real deal’. A genuine ‘stand-up guy’, who knows the meaning of omertà. They don’t make guys like that anymore, nor have they for a very, very, very long time. Sonny Franzese is the epitome of the code of ‘made man’ in La Cosa Nostra.
@@orvil9223 he wasn't referring to him as being a good husband or parent...don't forget when they become made it is made very clear that LCN comes before all...he was LCN to the core...not like Sammy the Rat
@@nickynightclub9896 Its a joke, Sonny answered this in an interview when he was asked about Omerta or the code of silence he said he doesn't know what that is. 😂
This man was the epitome of what the organization wanted to be. It never archived that standard except through talk about loyalty and respect. He lived loyalty and respect. The part that hit me was when he was inside no one ever gave him a dime. He took care of others but no one returned the act of kindness to him.
In the mob loyalty is everything. Its pretty telling no one did that, if true. There's no question he had $, so it was code that they basically retired him
Back in the early nineties I became friends with an elderly man who was a Capo with the Gambino family who came down to Durham N.C. to Duke Medical Center. He told me if he had known what he knew now he would never have done the things he had done. He said you don't have to be a crook to make it in America. You have to work hard and be smart to become successful in America. Most people are to lazy to work hard enough to become successful. RIP Jimmie.
Wow. Incredible (and very insightful) video about the Franzese family. This is the most in depth interview of Sonny that I've seen. Please upload more great videos, if possible. Thanks!
Growing up on Long Island i’ve looked up to men like this my whole life, as crazy as it sounds. God bless the family and what your doing w your life now Mike, i’m sure your pops is proud.
Lolol growing up in Long Island? Lolol there were many guys like that in Long Island...I'm sure there were plenty of those that thought they were or wanted to be tho
The stories we would hear every sunday about Uncle Sonny were great lol. He did not play lol. Dude was a real og for sure. A lot of shit talked about him he did live a crazy life but let me tell u something he was a true stand up guy and a very big family man.
I don't know any other mob boss to live so long and this guy not just lived, but actually is in a documentary about him. That's f*cking impressive, you can tell this guy is really tough.
The father was a psychopath who beat his wives , killed people or had them killed , didn't help his other son when he might have been killed during a sitdown etc. , and the son is the only bad guy here ? You should have your head examined.
His son Michael franzese was on a podcast and he said “At one point I believed my dad was gonna live up to 110 and I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now it might be covid cuz it happened around the same time” .
They set him up for bank robberies and he had an alibi for all 5 alleged robberies. Its disgusting what the FBI done because Sonny was too smart for them. He's still razor sharp for his age.
There's a story about Sonny franzese when he was 100 years old the FBI was doing surveillance on him they saw him using his walker as he enters a social club he waits for the doors to close behind him, then he throws his walker across the room and he tells his friends "fuck'em" meaning the FBI doing surveillance on him lmao. He was a REAL Mafioso RIP Sonny 🙏
@@mrxxx2599 yep that’s about right, I’m a very spiritual person and have been since my childhood and I’m 58 years old now I’ve only ever seen one spirit who turned out to be my grandfather who passed away about 3 years after I was born, and these gangsters that I’ve researched organised crime in America for 43 years now and these lunatics when they pass away they are still running around New York, Chicago and everywhere else in America still trying to whack each other I think. Because all the shit they did to each other I’m sure they don’t move on but thinking about it they think what they have done is wrong do they really so maybe they do move on it certainly makes you think about it really and all that prick a pair of sons of his have done nothing but live off his reputation neither of them could live up to him as gangsters I’m not saying that is clever because it isn’t but they both tried to live up to him but couldn’t they’ve just thrived of him ponces as we call them in Britain.
His son Michael is awesome. He hasn't tried to play the part of mob is squeaky clean. Nor has he made himself out to be clean from that life. But he changed his life around and has turned his life for God.
Oh yeah Ed McDonald played himself in Goodfellas..as an FBI agent...."C'mon Karen don't give me the Babe in the Woods routine... cocaine conversations about cocaine" ......love this sheet
@@Polish2317 If you're talking about Michael then you're wrong. His mother told Michael what really happened. She got pregnant at 16 from an affair with then married Sonny Franzese, but her family forced her to marry someone so she would be married by the time Michael was born. After that Sonny divorced his wife and Michael's mother divorced her husband so that she and Sonny could get married. I doubt she would lie to her son and Michael and Sonny are very similar looking.
To all who have responded to my initial comment, I feel I must clear something up. Nicky Nightclub is spot-on, actually. When I said Sonny Francese was a genuine ‘stand-up-guy’, what I was alluding to is, he was - and still is - a genuine ‘mobster’, obeying the ‘code of conduct’ all of the ‘proper’ mafioso types held so important - mobsters like Sonny, or Tommy ‘Karate’ Pitera for example. These are NOT the types of people you want as your friend. These are sociopaths, who are self-serving and would think nothing of harming or killing anyone who would get in the way of them advancing their nefarious life-styles. They are murderers, plain and simple, who just love hurting, mutilating and maiming people who stand in their way. I have NO romantic notions of gangsters. They are stone-cold killers, every one of them - after all, that is how they gain acceptance into their ‘families’. By ‘making their bones’ or, if you don’t know what that means, by killing someone! Lovely guys they are not.
Thank you for that. I hate that they are idolized. Yes it's fascinating to learn and read about them but I would never want to be in their place. They lack real empathy and truth. And no I do not respect them. They are feared and many people confuse that with respect.
It truly can be said, when he died at 103 years old, that was the true last american gangster. Not many left around like him anymore. He believed in that oath...he believed in that oath......
Such an interesting part of history. Love watching Mick Franzese's channel too. Sonny did it the way a lot of the mob say they would but don't. Didn't roll over and did his time.
See how times have changed. It's really not no mob connect killing since John and Robert Kennedy, Union boss, teamsters , Carlos Marcelo days and the Cuban president, Remember all the Mafioso use to vacation in Havana all powerful Mob figures met their, so they had Fidel Castro on they payroll too, he wood have his own personal people to do some work for exchange, the mail courrier was very important man, ups, ain't had nothing on over night brown envolopes delivery.
Hes obv STILL a user, wasnt SO bad this interview, but was there, he usually looks and moves his mouth like he wants to swallow his own face, Meth will do that to a person as we see every day, and everywhere.
First time seeing this. That’s my uncle my nanny rose brother. A lot of shit talked about him but he was always amazing to his family. RIP uncle Sonny until we meet again.
Don’t know why i would lie about that lol. Sonny was 1 of19 red rose was my great grandma she lived at my aunt Maria’s for a long time I saw her everyday.
Yes he did. He rolled on his father to save his own ass! Also they were going to put a hit on Michael and Donny knew it but never spoke up for his son, nor did he tell Michael. Some kinda family huh?
@@sandralybrand9407 And say what? Don't put a hit on him? The hit was going to be ordered regardless of Sonny's input, there's nothing he can do about it. Trying to stop it from happening is only going to put a target on his back.
John Gotti was a shadow of Sonny Franceze, without a doubt. Sonny Franceze was the real deal, Gotti couldn’t stop talking about being apart of that life which 100% goes against the pledge of Omertà.
Gotti never talked to the media about the mafia. He got caught on wiretap like many other mobsters like Paul Castellano, Tony Salerno, Anthony Tony Ducks, etc.
This guy is such an oddity in today's underworld society (mob) in that he never turned on his beliefs. He pretty much carried the mob on his back from the days when there was no television imagine that. John Sonny Franzese seen it all and still kept his wits and sanity all of his life, like wow. When the guy said that Sonny kept talking about acid I thought he was talking about L.S.D lol.
The reasons I found this documentary about Mr. Franzese to be so fascinating, more so than it even being alluded to as Shakespearean in nature is that to me he was a man possessed with great character. His attitude was almost like that of a true Revolutionary if one were think about that. Committed Revolutionaries go against the establishment but more importantly they take the attitude that they are dead already. That is why they are so dangerous and hard to defeat. So there is no fear. Just total commitment to their cause. Che Guevara told his group which he formed to go into Bolivia with the ultimate goal of invading Argentina about his entire plan and asked them if they were in. They replied yes and he then told them, " We may not come back alive. Not even me. So from this day forward consider yourselves dead and each day from this day forward is a gift " So to me Sonny was like that. He was totally committed to "The life" 100% He had absolutely no fear. Just total commitment. When Guevara was caught and wounded, held in that Bolivian schoolhouse, the school teacher who brought him his last meal asked him " Do you have a wife and children?" He answered that he did. She then asked him, " Then why did you leave your wife and children to do this ?" He answered, "My ideals come first, always my ideals come first " This is documented. Even the Jesuit religious order which achieves great things but are reviled by some, every thing they accomplish they 100% believe it is done in God's Glory. Their motto, " Ad majorem Dei Gloriam" So Franzese was made of this stern stuff. Yes he was a Criminal but he was totally different from all others not only criminals but people in general. He was truly willing to sacrifice everyone and everything for his beliefs. I'm not saying he was right in doing the things he did and I hope my comparisons do not offend but those are my impression from this Documentary and Ms. Peddie's superbly researched biographical account of his life. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.
Sonny sure wasnt like Junior Soprano when it came to baseball games "if you would have shut up against mountain lake you wouldn't have missed that fly ball... I was ashamed to face my friends" 😂😂
I wish Sonny would have sat down and did a tell all interview before he passed! I know he would have never done that but it would have been extremely interesting!
Look at you all fawning over a criminal, maybe someday when you or your loved one become a victim of one of these criminals you can shake their hands and tell how happy you are too finally become a victim of one of these "true" gangsters.
We already fawn over criminals almost every day, and especially every 4 years. There's a whole group of them running this country right now. And if you don't think that a lot of those bastards don't have a body count themselves; than you really were born yesterday.
Yeah and some ppl fawn all over the government . Biggest bunch of scumbags and gangsters with licenses to rob you, cheat and yes kill, too. Smarten up.
you need to stop glorifying mob figures. Sonnys the same guy who strong arrms his own people for protection/extorts every store around. How you think he made his money
He was framed for a crime he didn’t do! No matter what else he had or hadn’t done you are supposed to be proven guilty on what you were charged with not your reputation! There are many people behind bars that our justice system railroaded
Yeah and this is why you wouldn't be near a law book Katie because no matter what you think or feel being locked up for a crime you didn't do breaks humanitarian laws
100 years old 50 years in prison "i dont know nothing about the mafia or nobody" legendary
Half life in prison. What a winner ;-)
@@bobbydibernado5926 No kidding, what a waste of a life & how it horribly affected his whole family
Ie e of crap. Disease
But then he had his own way of saying he was in the mafia without spelling it out. After saying he doesn’t know anything about the mafia, he says how other guys were afraid of him etc.
@LORANDS That is such a moronic statement. I am not looking to live a crazy life, and kill people and spend years in jail. I run two businesses, have a wife and three kids. Thats about as crazy as I want. If you think that a crazy life is a great life, go for it.
I was a c/o at the federal prison in Petersburg Virginia and Sonny was in the dorm I worked. He was a very personable and soft spoken guy. He was the last of the real old school mafia.
Is he .Michael's real Father?
@JohnnyTsunami566 So then what is he?
He was incarcerated in Va? That’s dope to know
@@metsfanatic6270no. Step son. Married his mother after she had him.
@@pmccoy8924
Really? Damn
This man was still so sharp at 100 years old. Incredible.
Respectfully, he clearly wasn’t 🤧 he couldn’t see, hear, or remember shit
@@kylesenninger8542 I think he did
@@TurquazCannabiz maybe he was just playing the part, but he seemed pretty decrepit. he was 100 years old for christ’s sake
@@kylesenninger8542 man at 100 years old you probably wouldn’t even remember your name
@@TurquazCannabiz at which point I hope you don’t call me “sharp”😂🤧
my dad passed away at age 103, a year ago today. There is so much wisdom to know and learn, from people who are this age, and still have their wits. Thank you Michael. Proverbs 17:3
Genesis 6:3.
He told us his daughter was a lawyer and he got a chain on visit for his birthday
We met him he was cool I slept across from him in the dorm he called me mad max from the SHOTTa movie
I got deported to Jamaica and he said bye while I was packing up
Even went kings county court on bus together to finish his state case he said he was going to the feds after
Sonny was born in 1917 and passed in 2020 ..he lived to be 103 years old . He was clearly a very talented and intelligent person . Its sad that he didnt apply his abilities to some legitimate endeavor rather than crime ..RIP Sonny
Back in his day, LCN was probably considered legitimate by certain people.
He loved the life it seems
Born in ww1
It's all about chanced and education which were very few back in in the 20's and 30's .
In terms of intelligent? ehhh... His son was intelligent - he made millions per week for Colombos and Sonny lost his capo spot to him because he wasn't a big earner. He certainly wasn't stupid but he was more of a tough guy than a schemer and money-maker that takes brains.
You and your son ran all of Brooklyn
"I was a part of that?....thats nice"
Great reference
Haha indeed
Sad story man,his entire family collapsed.
Not insulting anyone involved it's simply sad.
😂😂👏
I see what you did there.
Sonny was actually the one getting into Copacabana through the back door and having a table setup for him on the stage when the club was full. It didnt happen to Henry Hill, it was Sonny that was treated that way.
Henry was never big in the street
Henry was a gopher at best, turned WAT, Sonny was Sonny Franzese.
That was power.
There were others also; not just Sonny at the Copa. Henry is full of shit, I agree
@@azmoe99 yeah I agree with you Henry Hill was full of shit and all the gangsters went to the Copa has you said and it was owned by Frank Costello apparently, it was a great place to go on a Friday and Saturday night. Take care of yourself Moe from Stevie boy in Britain
Sonny Franzese was a TRUE Gangster!!!! He embodies the meaning of La Cosa Nostra.
For the streets he’s a mans mans type of guy you’d commit a crime with an not worry about it after
🌌
@@hannabarberry poo
"That man can do jail time standing on his head. He's true to his position. He lived it. He breathed it. He'll die it." - Christina Franzese,his wife.
In and out of prison for half of his lifetime. Any one with a brain will say, He embodies the meaning of stupidity.
I'm actually amazed this guy lived as long as he did. Really one hell of a story.
Jail preserves life. You age slowly in there.
@@Lynx-lh9it actually, it's the other way around....
@@mrvk39 no , it's not.
@@Lynx-lh9it but what do scientists know, right? Lynx8811 knows better!
@@mrvk39 I do.
It's a shame nobody got more footage of this man or had more discussions with him before he passed.
They tried to! He said! I know nothing!!
Yeah, he wouldn’t talk on camera
Sonny is a legend in that life because he didn’t talk
I heard Sonny say one time, “you know how the fish got caught !?!? The fish opened its mouth & hocked him” !!!!
“You wanna know how I did the time? One day at a time”
An Olde Lags...Oldie but a Goodie.
The truth in a nutshell. One day at a time for all of us.
WERE ALL EXPERTS ON D MAFIA these days, movies etc..... He's the REAL DEAL!!!!!!! Nae many MEN like this, 👍 AUTHENTICITY 100%
One day at a time like the drunks do
365.25 days a year for 50 years = 18,262 days! (leap year every 4 years/Feb 29th)
Dudes a stone cold liar “I don’t know nothing about the mafia” lmao true cosa nostra gangster
⚘
Tapes were doctored
Possible he actually forgot by now 😂
Its actually true.
They weren't the mafia.
They were Cosa Nostra.
The mafia was in Italy.
Different criminal organizations.
@Tyler Buckley a real one. they don't come like Sonny no more. He took his oath to the grave.
He's got the best thickest head of hair for a 100-year-old.
Thicker then my hair as a 14yr pld
@@noobslayer6960 Yea he had a gorilla pelt. Lucky guy.
He really does ✌️🥰
He said he slept well at night due to not snitching.
I believe him but his hair is proof.
@@mickobrien3156 I was gonna say Otter Pelt, but that's pretty good too.
It’s Tragic to think of what this man could have accomplished with 103 years on earth instead of a life of crime
He enjoyed. It was his way of living until the end. Not like some rats like Sammy the Rat Gravanno
@@islamonline990What colour is the soap you dropped in prison?
Design a boat or something? Or what are you getting at?
@@oldironsides4107ikr. Here we are watching a documentary about the man. He did it right!
Yeah you gotta remember life is too short working daily. It’s all about makin bank with little effort.
you have to respect a man that stands on his principles and doesn't give up on them.rip sonny
Like the nazis and sovjets...
@@guntertorfs6486 exactly what i thought... Rip to all those following orders
Don’t you think that should depend on what his principles are? Hitler had principles. So did Stalin. They murdered millions of innocent people based on their “principles”. A thug with “principles” is still a thug.
why respect someone who made a living out of exploiting, robbing, stealing and using other people? All criminals exist to victimize others, often completely innocent people.
@@mrvk39 well you have your opinion and I have mine. That's our right.but at least he didn't hide be hind a party our organization that let him rob steal or hurt other people. Like the officials we have in DC.or the courts or lawyers
I can already see Jon Bernthal playing him in a movie
Exactly. Needs to happen before Jon gets too old.
Its that nose dude
Jon Bernthal really does look like a young/middle aged Sonny it's unreal, can't wait for this to come out
Amazing !
Yes! I was trying to figure out who Sonny reminded me of.
One of the best mob docs I've ever seen
You have to give this man some respect. No matter what side of the fence you sit on. Stayed loyal to his beliefs till the very end. A rare thing in today’s society I think. R.I.P John “sonny “ franzese
@Google Wack “no matter what side of the fence your on” loyalty is very rare he has a point
If he killed your father for being late with a payment, you wouldn't respect him too much..You'd hate him & want to kill him.
@@HadEnough745 yes but that’s not what my point was. yes i would want revenge but that’s out of the question because of that fact he was a professional hit guy but that doesn’t take away the loyalty he showed
@@HadEnough745 it depends sum ppl wanted to work with them so its cause and effect
@@HadEnough745 Nah fr I thought I'd love em 😳😳💀
Regardless of your opinions on organized crime/mafia/street crime etc. This mans loyalty and respect of the oath is off the charts. All those years and never a peep about anything or anyone. Gotta respect that.
The bible says ppl will call good evil and evil good
@@kinginblack8232 what's your point ?
@@thefitnesszonegym9654 don't look at the mafia as something deserving of praise .don't romanticize it
The Bible also states in Mather 5-7 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ... For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged.” no sin is greater then the next... Gods already forgave these men perhaps you should to...@@kinginblack8232
@@thefitnesszonegym9654 that's just something ppl say when they wanna do what they want with no one saying anything
There Is such thing as righteous judgment
I agree with the judge not thing but
Quit trying to use it as a cop out
These Franzese docs are your best. I hope we get more mob related content like this...
Best doc ever
“Determination is stronger than anything.. make up your mind to do something you do it”
- John ‘Sonny’ Franseze
Likewise my favorite part
Well said by a true legend 🙏🇺🇸♥️🤍💙♥️🤍💙
Yea except get out of prison before 5 damn decades 🙄
Should have applied it towards his family instead of handball.
That was gold rip sonny
Sonny was a committed Cosa Nostra who never violated the omerta , he was a legend put aside his crimes and mob days the guy was a the last real mob guy of his era .
He was not a man of mafia, he was the mafia
You can tell the lady interviewing Sonny is in awe of him and can still feel the magnetism of his power even at 100. Thats crazy.. He is the absolute epitome of a 'Man's Man' RIP SONNY
Hes no mans man. Fuck that.
He's a murderer,just imagine he killed one of your family members over an un paid debt
@@user-sk4wf3ve6z Right.
@@user-sk4wf3ve6z imagine getting your self into debt with the mob in the first place. No one is innocent here don’t forget that.
@@dedo7326 because of movies and TV shows glamorising the mafia,people have this perception of them that is false,alot of the people who owed them debts were simply feeding their children,and even for things like buying Christmas presents when they were struggling,the mafia took advantage of these people when they were at their most vulnerable charging them massive interest that they could never repay and attacking them or their family if they did not continually give them some of the never ending payments.they also got paid for protection by innocent shop owners but the protection paid was to protect them from the gangsters attacking their stores.you were paying them to not attack you!they were scum,pure and simple
Guy was so tough he did FIFTY years in the can, lived to 102 years old, and was still sharp as a tac when he died. A true loyal top OG. F**k the government. RIP, Sonny.
He never served 50 years in prison. Look up the documents
He was sentenced to prison for 50 years, of which he served only 11 until 1978 when he was released.
He went back to prison on a parole violation back in 1982 until 1984 and then back in prison in 2007 until 2018,.
That makes 24 years in prison. Still an awful long time but the 50 years in prison is an urban myth.
To recap :
1967-1978 11 years
1982-9184 2 years
2007-2018 11 years
= 24 years Add in some other minor arrests between 1938 and 1966 before that. He might have served 25 years locked up. A long time, but it is not 50 years
@@ericvosselmans5657 Thank you. I had no clue about this.
@@truthteller4442
he was a hard core murdering stone cold thug. Hey but people glorify that behavior nowadays
@@truthteller4442 all mobsters ar scumb ags
@@ericvosselmans5657 40y.
Sonny is the ‘real deal’. A genuine ‘stand-up guy’, who knows the meaning of omertà. They don’t make guys like that anymore, nor have they for a very, very, very long time. Sonny Franzese is the epitome of the code of ‘made man’ in La Cosa Nostra.
A stand up guy that beat his wife and admittedly destroyed his family? Yeah, real stand up guy.
@@orvil9223 he wasn't referring to him as being a good husband or parent...don't forget when they become made it is made very clear that LCN comes before all...he was LCN to the core...not like Sammy the Rat
"Omerta" What's that?
@@michaelmurray6577 it's a code of silence and a refusal to give evidence to authorities
@@nickynightclub9896 Its a joke, Sonny answered this in an interview when he was asked about Omerta or the code of silence he said he doesn't know what that is. 😂
Thank you! I’ve always wanted to learn more about Sonny Franzese
Did I open the food container that Sonny was struggling to open? Yes I did
- John Alite
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂
Did I say yes I did when he asked me if I did? Yes I did
- John Alite
I baseball batted that food container
What did this scammer say now 😂😂 a food container ?
“I don’t know nothing about the mafia or nobody” 😂 what a g
Where does he say that?
This man was the epitome of what the organization wanted to be. It never archived that standard except through talk about loyalty and respect. He lived loyalty and respect. The part that hit me was when he was inside no one ever gave him a dime. He took care of others but no one returned the act of kindness to him.
In the mob loyalty is everything. Its pretty telling no one did that, if true. There's no question he had $, so it was code that they basically retired him
Back in the early nineties I became friends with an elderly man who was a Capo with the Gambino family who came down to Durham N.C. to Duke Medical Center. He told me if he had known what he knew now he would never have done the things he had done. He said you don't have to be a crook to make it in America. You have to work hard and be smart to become successful in America. Most people are to lazy to work hard enough to become successful. RIP Jimmie.
Jimmie who?
Jimmie "Brown" Failia@@BigH1987
Wow. Incredible (and very insightful) video about the Franzese family. This is the most in depth interview of Sonny that I've seen. Please upload more great videos, if possible. Thanks!
Only one he talks on or talked past tense.
"I taught sonny everything he knows, can you believe it? ahaha" - Gianni Russo
😂
He did teach the guys how to do their make-up if they had to do an interview.
XD
@@mikezeigler606 😂
Sh*ts Old Now!
Come Up With Some New Material, And Make It "ORIGINAL" It's Been Rediculous, Stupid & Played Out!
It Ain't Even Funny!
Growing up on Long Island i’ve looked up to men like this my whole life, as crazy as it sounds. God bless the family and what your doing w your life now Mike, i’m sure your pops is proud.
Lolol growing up in Long Island? Lolol there were many guys like that in Long Island...I'm sure there were plenty of those that thought they were or wanted to be tho
I can already tell you're from Long Island without saying you're from Long Island.
one of the best documentaries i ever saw thank you !
"Did I tell Sonny to talk to Newsday, yes i did"
-john alite
The junkie son has some front even showing his face after getting his dad locked up.
Agreed
He probably got paid to do it
Why did he testify against his Dad?? How can you do that!?
@@dawnprudenti1965 to save himself from drug charges
@@danevertt3210 Wow that's it!? That is messed up!!! Thank you for responding 😊
Excellent documentary I really appreciate how it was put together
He was still banging at 100 years old lmmfaoooooo. Quadruple triple double OG
💯💯💯💯🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 bro forrreal
If he never went to prison he would have been the boss of the family.
The stories we would hear every sunday about Uncle Sonny were great lol. He did not play lol. Dude was a real og for sure. A lot of shit talked about him he did live a crazy life but let me tell u something he was a true stand up guy and a very big family man.
Man that's crazy that it's TRUE fr fr
Wrong these arent gang bangers these are real gangsters dont get that twisted.
Could literally sit allday listening to Michael franzese talk about his life and his father's life such interesting stories
I don't know any other mob boss to live so long and this guy not just lived, but actually is in a documentary about him. That's f*cking impressive, you can tell this guy is really tough.
Didn’t really “live” if his last 50 years was spent in prison and away from his family who all left him or died other than Michael
@@caeespo4249 what do you know about that that you could be in a position to say such a thing?
@@otisjacksonjunior9795 his kids literally talk about it
One day at a time that's how you have to do it
@@otisjacksonjunior9795 Otis , you horses ass.
His son has the gall to talk about his father like that to the press after locking him up as a senile old man in a wheel chair
A senile old man? Did you watch the interview? The guy was still as sharp as a fkn razor at 100!
The father was a psychopath who beat his wives , killed people or had them killed , didn't help his other son when he might have been killed during a sitdown etc. , and the son is the only bad guy here ? You should have your head examined.
"I had a helluva experience in life, I tell ya... "
Understatement of the last century.
hell of a meaning bad or good?
@@PowerfuLWarzone the whole shabang
The size of sonnys hands like shovels ...and still sharp as a razor and a real gangster till the day he passed r.i.p tripple Og
"Determination is stronger than anything, you know, Make up your mind to do something you do it" Sonny Franzese
Sonny "Now listen..." Michael "Let me tell you this..." Both powerful men in their own right!, both with powerful sentence starters
100 years he still had a full of hair he still very sharp 👌 R.I.P mr sonny the last true gangster
His son Michael franzese was on a podcast and he said “At one point I believed my dad was gonna live up to 110 and I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now it might be covid cuz it happened around the same time” .
Praising a killer mobster!
@@amafid u think he is without facts
@@lefty8250 What the hell does that even mean ? The man is right.
They set him up for bank robberies and he had an alibi for all 5 alleged robberies. Its disgusting what the FBI done because Sonny was too smart for them. He's still razor sharp for his age.
Disgusting? He's the piece of shlt. If the FBI had just dumped him in the middle of the night, the world would've been a better place.
And look what's happening now. People see it, but won't call it out because it fits their side
Sonny was Cosa Nostra to the day he died’ May God bless.
There's a story about Sonny franzese when he was 100 years old the FBI was doing surveillance on him they saw him using his walker as he enters a social club he waits for the doors to close behind him, then he throws his walker across the room and he tells his friends "fuck'em" meaning the FBI doing surveillance on him lmao. He was a REAL Mafioso RIP Sonny 🙏
@@Knowledgeispower5.56 Reminds me of The Chin's acting lol
you know he doing times for thousand years now ?
⚘
@@mrxxx2599 yep that’s about right, I’m a very spiritual person and have been since my childhood and I’m 58 years old now I’ve only ever seen one spirit who turned out to be my grandfather who passed away about 3 years after I was born, and these gangsters that I’ve researched organised crime in America for 43 years now and these lunatics when they pass away they are still running around New York, Chicago and everywhere else in America still trying to whack each other I think. Because all the shit they did to each other I’m sure they don’t move on but thinking about it they think what they have done is wrong do they really so maybe they do move on it certainly makes you think about it really and all that prick a pair of sons of his have done nothing but live off his reputation neither of them could live up to him as gangsters I’m not saying that is clever because it isn’t but they both tried to live up to him but couldn’t they’ve just thrived of him ponces as we call them in Britain.
His son Michael is awesome. He hasn't tried to play the part of mob is squeaky clean. Nor has he made himself out to be clean from that life. But he changed his life around and has turned his life for God.
Amazing how sharp minded he was at over 100 years.
More so than Joe Biden HAHAHA
@@TheRetirednavy92 Watch Sonny's Family Hates Me! On YT
@@TheRetirednavy92 well joe has a dementia
He’s really just confused and doesn’t remember anything.
Bruuuh, just realized Ed is the agent who's explaining the deal to Henry and Karen.
Fuck. I thought I recognized him
Yeah he still looks and sounds the same just a few more gray hairs
Ed MacDonald he later changed sides and helped Joe Massino get out.
@G R of course he told on people
Oh yeah Ed McDonald played himself in Goodfellas..as an FBI agent...."C'mon Karen don't give me the Babe in the Woods routine... cocaine conversations about cocaine" ......love this sheet
Amazing how the 2 sons have a totally different relationship with their dad.
It's because 1 of them is not his real son.
@@Polish2317 If you're talking about Michael then you're wrong. His mother told Michael what really happened. She got pregnant at 16 from an affair with then married Sonny Franzese, but her family forced her to marry someone so she would be married by the time Michael was born. After that Sonny divorced his wife and Michael's mother divorced her husband so that she and Sonny could get married. I doubt she would lie to her son and Michael and Sonny are very similar looking.
@@muccmaster Michaels a wee bit less wrinkly and they look fek all alike! Even in his youth sonny looked fek all like Michael!!
his pop wouldnt stand with him at a sit down. no bueno
@@buildinit6523 yours didn't even fancy you as a varsity athlete.
Please do more mob documentaries! These were superb!
Not going to be anyone else like Sonny though. He actually lived it, 100%.
It's hard to find other guys like this one. They don't make anymore guys like Sonny Franzese
Thats one good piece of advice I remember my dad giving me. He said when you make up your mind to do something you do it.
To all who have responded to my initial comment, I feel I must clear something up. Nicky Nightclub is spot-on, actually. When I said Sonny Francese was a genuine ‘stand-up-guy’, what I was alluding to is, he was - and still is - a genuine ‘mobster’, obeying the ‘code of conduct’ all of the ‘proper’ mafioso types held so important - mobsters like Sonny, or Tommy ‘Karate’ Pitera for example. These are NOT the types of people you want as your friend. These are sociopaths, who are self-serving and would think nothing of harming or killing anyone who would get in the way of them advancing their nefarious life-styles. They are murderers, plain and simple, who just love hurting, mutilating and maiming people who stand in their way. I have NO romantic notions of gangsters. They are stone-cold killers, every one of them - after all, that is how they gain acceptance into their ‘families’. By ‘making their bones’ or, if you don’t know what that means, by killing someone! Lovely guys they are not.
Many people look at these people as heroes or idols.
Thank you for that. I hate that they are idolized. Yes it's fascinating to learn and read about them but I would never want to be in their place. They lack real empathy and truth. And no I do not respect them. They are feared and many people confuse that with respect.
That's why i like the sopranos. You may think those guys are funny or smart, but you always knew those guys we're scumbags you wouldn't want to meet
I know
Agree funny how people romanticize over these gangsters but quick to talk down on gangsters of other ethnicities
fascinating life.. too bad they didnt get him fair and square..
@@steelydanlover1972 Rather than getting him fairly, they framed him.
An absolute frame job. If any journalist with morals wants a good story, all the proof of the fake case is available.
@@steelydanlover1972 getting him on a crime he actually committed
It truly can be said, when he died at 103 years old, that was the true last american gangster. Not many left around like him anymore. He believed in that oath...he believed in that oath......
Good riddance. A bunch of murderers. Tired of this subculture getting romanticized, when some of us have had our lives ruined by their brutality
No thats not the last or close to last
@@pdfbanana look at the goverment ur point is? nd if someone wanted to work with u and kept not following the rules then oh well ur dead😱
@@lefty8250 You know better? Let me know my man...
Scarfo gotti and this guy were true gangster s
Such an interesting part of history. Love watching Mick Franzese's channel too. Sonny did it the way a lot of the mob say they would but don't. Didn't roll over and did his time.
See how times have changed. It's really not no mob connect killing since John and Robert Kennedy, Union boss, teamsters , Carlos Marcelo days and the Cuban president, Remember all the Mafioso use to vacation in Havana all powerful Mob figures met their, so they had Fidel Castro on they payroll too, he wood have his own personal people to do some work for exchange, the mail courrier was very important man, ups, ain't had nothing on over night brown envolopes delivery.
Sonny will always be a legend
This was a fabulous documentary very well done ! 👏
How they laugh as they discuss murder. Gives me the chills.
It was strictly business
@@patryk2497 Watch Sonny's Family Hates Me! On YT
Its a sport for these people no mercy
Because , unlike the heaps of admiring commenters here , you're normal.
Same thing with the Gov, you think they don’t commit murders within their ranks, the Mob was the same you break the rules you pay.
They don’t make em like sonny anymore
Well good
@@rokin73criminal or not, to have a friend that loyal that he’s never snitch on you is pretty rare
Literally last of a dying breed
There are still a few of them in prison.
good
The only mafia boss I can accept is Michael.F, he’s a great guy
This was fascinating, what a gem. Thanks for sharing.
I'll never trust the man who rat his father.
-_-
Exactly. I don’t know why they’d even put that pos in this.
Hard to trust any criminal really, especially murderers, extortionists, and racketeers.
Hes obv STILL a user, wasnt SO bad this interview, but was there, he usually looks and moves his mouth like he wants to swallow his own face, Meth will do that to a person as we see every day, and everywhere.
His dad was a killer. He was evil.
@@stevesmith5600 True, there is no honor amongst thieves
Wow, I didn't think that he ever talked on camera! I love it!
"I don't know nuttin bout no Mafia" - Sonny "Tight Lips" Franzese
What a humble fella,I could chat to him for hours! God bless him
This guy was as Hard as a Rock Respect
First time seeing this. That’s my uncle my nanny rose brother. A lot of shit talked about him but he was always amazing to his family. RIP uncle Sonny until we meet again.
Surrreeee
Chris remember me I am Sonny’s nepthew also nanny Concetta son
Wtf
I miss aunt red rose.... uncle sonny and aunt red were twins.
Don’t know why i would lie about that lol. Sonny was 1 of19 red rose was my great grandma she lived at my aunt Maria’s for a long time I saw her everyday.
I learned one thing…….. Determination is stronger then anything.
You set your mind to something. And you do it💪
His son John, featured in this show, regrettably testified against his father in a court case. Take what he says here as though he's lying
Yes he did. He rolled on his father to save his own ass! Also they were going to put a hit on Michael and Donny knew it but never spoke up for his son, nor did he tell Michael. Some kinda family huh?
@@sandralybrand9407 who is Donny?
@@sandralybrand9407 And say what? Don't put a hit on him? The hit was going to be ordered regardless of Sonny's input, there's nothing he can do about it. Trying to stop it from happening is only going to put a target on his back.
@@taoliu3949 say "hey Michael, they're planning to kill you watch your ass" or go to war to side with your son. How about that?
@@CHRISTisKing197 And then what? If Michael dissappears everyone will know Sonny tipped him off.
Going to war? Lol. With who's army?
Michael Franzees has his own TH-cam channel and conducted many interviews (sit downs) with former members of that life.
Where im From he was legend !!!a man amongst men never broke kept his word and he was true to him self ! God bless him he had more honor then most!
@@gregoryvita6932 uh???
@@gregoryvita6932 oh2😌
The gotti part was priceless. I rewinded it like 5 times. TUUUUFFF GUYYYY.
Haha just been doing the same
Haha the Ed McDonald is great. You can tell he liked a lot of the guys he locked up 😂
@@paddigan he definitely did. And the fact he agreed to be in Goodfellas was awesome.
@@swp2154 he does a goodfellas commentary with Henry Hill. It’s called the cop and crook commentary. I definitely recommend it
@@swp2154 He wanted to be in the movie
Sonny Franzese died with his boots on. You just got to automatically respect a guy like that in my opinion. Rest In Peace Mr. Franzese.
Shooda been CEMENT boots.
@@davegreene8588 , don’t be a Jagoff.
Yeah, they don't make em like Sonny anymore
That was a Michael Franzese statement
@@rislani3, it’s not verbatim. Take a fuckin chill pill.
6:05 Michael said that Sonny told him after crimes there was no need to ever speak on it again
Whats done, is done! We got away with it so why talk and risk being done by a FBI bug, or ratso.
John Gotti was a shadow of Sonny Franceze, without a doubt. Sonny Franceze was the real deal, Gotti couldn’t stop talking about being apart of that life which 100% goes against the pledge of Omertà.
Gotti never talked to the media about the mafia. He got caught on wiretap like many other mobsters like Paul Castellano, Tony Salerno, Anthony Tony Ducks, etc.
Gotti never did a sit down interview with a reporter. Gotti got caught on wiretaps, something that a lot have been caught by but he never talked.
@@JuniorR-u3z LMFAO wtf are you talking about? Gotti was caught up on wire taps talking a lot above the Ravenite Club. Are you new to this or what?
“I never hurt anyone who was innocent” real g
This guy is such an oddity in today's underworld society (mob) in that he never turned on his beliefs. He pretty much carried the mob on his back from the days when there was no television imagine that. John Sonny Franzese seen it all and still kept his wits and sanity all of his life, like wow. When the guy said that Sonny kept talking about acid I thought he was talking about L.S.D lol.
Me too! Took me a minute to realize ...wait they're talking about dissolving bodies 🥺
Yeah, something about Sonny Legend tripping balls didn’t sound right.
Hello gorgeous
@@fredjennings5312 "Uncle June got laser beams shooting out his eyes"
Lol same. I thought they meant drugs
" Around here there was some work done now let's go" a real stone cold gangster
Excellent short doc. Well done!
The reasons I found this documentary about Mr. Franzese to be so fascinating, more so than it even being alluded to as Shakespearean in nature is that to me he was a man possessed with great character. His attitude was almost like that of a true Revolutionary if one were think about that. Committed Revolutionaries go against the establishment but more importantly they take the attitude that they are dead already. That is why they are so dangerous and hard to defeat. So there is no fear. Just total commitment to their cause. Che Guevara told his group which he formed to go into Bolivia with the ultimate goal of invading Argentina about his entire plan and asked them if they were in. They replied yes and he then told them, " We may not come back alive. Not even me. So from this day forward consider yourselves dead and each day from this day forward is a gift " So to me Sonny was like that. He was totally committed to "The life" 100% He had absolutely no fear. Just total commitment. When Guevara was caught and wounded, held in that Bolivian schoolhouse, the school teacher who brought him his last meal asked him " Do you have a wife and children?" He answered that he did. She then asked him, " Then why did you leave your wife and children to do this ?" He answered, "My ideals come first, always my ideals come first " This is documented. Even the Jesuit religious order which achieves great things but are reviled by some, every thing they accomplish they 100% believe it is done in God's Glory. Their motto, " Ad majorem Dei Gloriam" So Franzese was made of this stern stuff. Yes he was a Criminal but he was totally different from all others not only criminals but people in general. He was truly willing to sacrifice everyone and everything for his beliefs. I'm not saying he was right in doing the things he did and I hope my comparisons do not offend but those are my impression from this Documentary and Ms. Peddie's superbly researched biographical account of his life. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.
Like the Che Guevara part
It's hilarious how he lies through his teeth, until the end.
"Sonny is the type of guy you invite to a BBQ" wtf is this lady hamming on about
The most stand up guy in the Mob.
"When you hear 'em you gotta say it sounds familiar" 😂
Another grant piece of work, well done and thank you for sharing it with us =)
Sonny sure wasnt like Junior Soprano when it came to baseball games "if you would have shut up against mountain lake you wouldn't have missed that fly ball... I was ashamed to face my friends" 😂😂
I wish Sonny would have sat down and did a tell all interview before he passed! I know he would have never done that but it would have been extremely interesting!
This is as close as you’ll get to that
That’s the one thing you would never get out of him , a tough mean guy from what I’ve read smart, good talker , but someone you do not mess with
Naa he would of rather done another 50 year
Look at you all fawning over a criminal, maybe someday when you or your loved one become a victim of one of these criminals you can shake their hands and tell how happy you are too finally become a victim of one of these "true" gangsters.
People are spoon fed their morals
Nun of his victims were civilians all gangsters just like him so your statement is idiotic
We already fawn over criminals almost every day, and especially every 4 years. There's a whole group of them running this country right now. And if you don't think that a lot of those bastards don't have a body count themselves; than you really were born yesterday.
Yeah and some ppl fawn all over the government . Biggest bunch of scumbags and gangsters with licenses to rob you, cheat and yes kill, too. Smarten up.
How do you think the Kennedys got rich? 🤦🏻♀️
What do Vito Corleone and Sonny Fanzese have in common? Their favorite son was named Michael. #legends
And both are Legend in their own way, Michel had stayed in Mob he was on highway to be Boss.
N both had a fredo type son smh lol
Michael is not his biological son, but yeah, could still be his favourite.
Shittest "joke" I've heard in a long time!
The more I hear about Sonny, the more I like who he was. No wonder Michael is such an all-around great guy.
you need to stop glorifying mob figures. Sonnys the same guy who strong arrms his own people for protection/extorts every store around. How you think he made his money
How can you watch this documentary and like him
Sonny was a cold blooded killer and a horrible human being. Embarrassing comment....smh
@@Ctone77LOL Mkays y'all... Hope you're all enjoying the current border situation and the crime that's going on today.
@@OTRTrader If Sonny wasn't white you would hate him lol
I love how it's a documentary about him and he really didn't even say anything , a real deal guy
He was framed for a crime he didn’t do! No matter what else he had or hadn’t done you are supposed to be proven guilty on what you were charged with not your reputation! There are many people behind bars that our justice system railroaded
Railroaded lol he might have been put away for something he didn’t do but he sure as hell deserved to be there
@@katiec972 Yeah, you clearly missed the point.
Yeah and this is why you wouldn't be near a law book Katie because no matter what you think or feel being locked up for a crime you didn't do breaks humanitarian laws
John is the fredo in the family, the weakest link unfortunately
It’s always a Fredo somewhere
Why unfortunately? These people are murderers and thief’s that prey on their own kind. They deserve to be killed or locked up.
More like Clemenza.
But his father was gonna get his own michael franzese whacked twice
I really hope there's a special place in hell for people who snitch on family...smh
Agreed , how Michael from The Godfather’ told his brother “ never pick sides against the family “
💙
Dunno about that but there is a special place in hell for every wise guy to walk the streets so make of that as you will.
The definition of ten toes down. Wow u just don't see that anymore. He amazes me everytime i hear his story.
Interesting Documentary. Can’t say I agree with asking him questions as if he is a little kid at this old age. The man served his time, let it be…