Angelo Bruno
| Angelo Bruno | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | May 21, 1910 Villalba, Sicily, Italy |
| Died | March 21, 1980 (aged 69) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Cause of death | Gunshot to the back of the head |
| Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon, Pennsylvania |
| Nationality | Italian, American |
| Other names | "The Gentle Don", "The Docile Don" |
| Citizenship | Italian, American |
| Occupation | Businessman, Crime boss, Mafioso, Mobster, Rum Runner, Racketeer |
| Known for | Boss of the Bruno crime family |
| Spouse(s) | Sue Maranca (1931-1980) |
Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno (born Angelo Annaloro; May 21, 1910 – March 21, 1980) was a Sicilian-American mobster, notable for being boss of the Philadelphia crime family for two decades until his assassination. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation as "the Gentle Don" or "the Docile Don" due to his preference for conciliation over violence, especially in comparison to his violent successors.
Born in Villalba, Province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Bruno immigrated to the United States in his teens and settled in Philadelphia. The son of a grocer, Bruno was a close associate of New York Gambino crime family boss Carlo Gambino. Living with Bruno was a cousin of mobster John Simone. Bruno dropped the name Annaloro and replaced it with his paternal grandmother's maiden name, Bruno.
Bruno was married to Sue Maranca and had two children. Bruno owned an extermination company in Trenton, New Jersey, an aluminum products company in Hialeah, Florida, and a share in the Plaza Hotel in Havana, Cuba. Bruno's first arrest was in 1928 for reckless driving. Subsequent arrests included firearms violations, operating an illicit alcohol still, illegal gambling, and receiving stolen property.
In 1959, Bruno succeeded Joseph Ida as boss of the Philadelphia family. Over the next twenty years, Bruno successfully avoided the intense media and law enforcement scrutiny and outbursts of violence that plagued other crime families. Bruno himself avoided lengthy prison terms despite several arrests; his longest term was two years for refusing to testify before a grand jury. Bruno forbade family involvement in narcotics trafficking, preferring more traditional Cosa Nostra operations, such as bookmaking and loansharking. However, Bruno did permit other gangs to distribute heroin in Philadelphia for a share of the proceeds. This arrangement angered some family members who wanted a share of the drug-dealing profits.
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