* 1931 – Salvatore Maranzano is murdered by Charles Luciano's hitmen.

Years later, Bonanno wrote in his autobiography that he didn't know about the plan to kill Maranzano, but this is highly unlikely ; Luciano would have almost certainly had him killed as well had he still been loyal to Maranzano.

The photograph commonly displayed of " Maranzano " is in fact that of Salvatore Messina, who ran vice rackets in London in the 1950s.

* In the 1972 film The Valachi Papers, Maranzano is portrayed by Joseph Wiseman.

* In the 1990 film Mobsters, Maranzano is portrayed by Michael Gambon, but is known as ' Faranzano '.

* In the 1999 film Lansky, Maranzano is portrayed by Ron Gilbert.

* In the 1999 Lifetime movie Bonanno: A Godfather's Story, Maranzano is portrayed by Edward James Olmos.

* In the 2011 Torchwood episode " Immortal Sins ", Maranzano is portrayed by Cris D ' Annunzio.

* Salvatore Maranzano is sent to New York by Sicilian Mafia Don Vito Cascio Ferro in an attempt to unify the New York Italian-American gangs into a single organization.

The small town is noted, however, for having been the birthplace of many American Mafia figures, including Salvatore Maranzano, Stefano Magaddino and Joseph Bonanno.

Levine was a member of the notorious Mafia gang, Murder, Inc., and is credited with being the trigger man, with Dutch Schultz lieutenant Abraham " Bo " Weinberg, in the 1931 murders of Joe " The Boss " Masseria and, along with Joe Adonis, Albert " Mad Hatter " Anastasia and Benjamin " Bugsy " Siegel, one of the three hitmen sent by Meyer Lansky to assassinate the Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore Maranzano in his office.

Maranzano then named himself capo di tutti capi ( boss of bosses ).

However, at a meeting of crime bosses in Upstate New York, Maranzano declared himself capo di tutti capi, the absolute boss of all of the crime families.

Maranzano confirmed and anointed the bosses of the crime families who had survived the war -- Luciano, Tommy Gagliano, Joe Profaci, Vincent Mangano and himself.

However, at a secret meeting in Upstate New York, Maranzano surprised everyone by naming himself boss of all bosses.

However, this position was short-lived, as Maranzano himself was murdered in 1931.

To avoid any future wars, Maranzano reorganized all the Italian-American gangs into families and anointed himself as the " boss of all bosses ".

Maranzano declared himself the boss of all bosses and reorganized all the New York gangs into five crime families.

In September 1931, Maranzano was himself assassinated in his office by a squad of contract killers.

Maranzano set himself above, and apart from, all the U. S. crime families by creating an additional position for himself -- capo di tutti capi or " boss of all bosses.

In September 1931, Maranzano was himself murdered and Luciano became the preeminent mobster in America.

In September 1931, between the killing of young Vengalli and his acquittal for that death, Coll was hired by Salvatore Maranzano, who had recently crowned himself the Mafia boss of all bosses in New York City, to murder his right-hand man, Charles " Lucky " Luciano.

However, Maranzano suspected Luciano of wanting to kill him and seize power for himself.

Maranzano also introduced the now familiar Mafia hierarchy: Boss, Underboss, Consigliere, Capo, Soldier ( soldato ), and declared himself capo di tutti capi ( boss of bosses ).

By declaring himself " boss of bosses ," Maranzano reneged on the deal he had made with Lucky Luciano, which was that after Luciano helped murder Masseria, the two bosses would be equals.

Although Maranzano was slightly more forward-thinking than Masseria, Luciano came to believe that in his own way, Maranzano was even more greedy and hidebound than Masseria had been.

Indeed, Luciano came to believe that Maranzano was, in his own way, even more hidebound and power-hungry than Masseria had been.

Although they had planned to get rid of Maranzano anyway, Costello and Luciano came to believe that Maranzano was even more power-hungry than Masseria had ever been, and moved up their timetable.

" However, he was somewhat more forward-looking than either Masseria and Maranzano.

In 1931, two months after Maranzano was murdered, Bonanno was married to Fay Labruzzo.

When Maranzano was murdered just months after Masseria on September 10, 1931, the " Boss of Bosses " position was eliminated in favor of The Commission, a council which demarcated territory between the previously warring factions and governs American Mafia activities in the United States and Mexico.

Within a few months, Maranzano and Luciano were plotting to kill each other.

As a youngster, Maranzano had wanted to become a priest and even studied to become one, but later became associated with the Mafia in his homeland.

Maranzano divided all the Italian-American gangs in New York City into Five Families.

* April 15 – The Castellemmarese War ends with the assassination of Joe " The Boss " Masseria, briefly leaving Salvatore Maranzano as capo di tutti i capi (" boss of all bosses ") and undisputed ruler of the American Mafia.

Eventually, Bonanno became involved in bootlegging activities, and soon joined a Mafia family led by another Castellammarese, Salvatore Maranzano.

This war between Masseria and Maranzano became known as the Castellammarese War.

By 1930, Maranzano ’ s chief aides were Bonanno ( as underboss and chief of staff ), Tommy Lucchese and Joseph Magliocco.

Tommy Gagliano ran another gang that supported Maranzano.

The Buffalo, New York mob boss Stefano Magaddino, another Castellammarese, also supported Maranzano.

However, a third, secret, faction soon emerged, composed of younger mafiosi on both sides disgusted with the old-world predilections of Masseria, Maranzano and other old-line mafiosi, whom they called " Mustache Petes.

" This group of " Young Turk " mafiosi was led by Luciano and included Costello, Genovese, Adonis, Gambino and Anastasia on the Masseria side and Profaci, Gagliano, Lucchese, Magliocco and Magaddino on the Maranzano side.

By 1931, momentum had shifted to Maranzano and the Castellammarese faction.

Luciano and Genovese urged Masseria to make peace with Maranzano, but Masseria stubbornly refused.

In the end, Luciano and Genovese concluded a secret deal with Maranzano.

After Masseria's death, Maranzano outlined a peace plan to all the Sicilian and Italian gang leaders in the United States.

In New York City, five Mafia families were established, headed by Luciano, Profaci, Gagliano, Vincent Mangano and Maranzano respectively.

At the head of the whole organization would be the capo di tutti capi ( the boss of all bosses ), namely Maranzano.

Luciano's immediate superior, Giuseppe " Joe the Boss " Masseria was coming into conflict with Salvatore Maranzano, a recent arrival from Palermo who was born in Castellammare del Golfo.

When Maranzano arrived in New York in 1925, his access to money and manpower led him to become involved in extortion and gambling operations that directly competed with Masseria.

" However, Masseria still had to deal with the powerful and influential Maranzano and his Castellammarese Clan.

Schiro fled New York in fear, leaving Maranzano as the new leader.

By 1931, a series of killings in New York involving Castellammarese clan members and associates caused Maranzano and his family to declare war against Joe Masseria and his allies.

The Castellammarese War raged on between the Masseria and Maranzano factions for almost four years.