The Alto Knights

Background. In mid‑20th‑century New York, major Italian‑American organized‑crime groups operated within what later became widely known as the “Five Families.” Two central figures of that era were Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. They came from the same underworld milieu but ended up on opposing sides of internal power struggles with major political and criminal consequences.

Who Genovese and Costello were

• Frank Costello (born Francesco Castiglia) was a highly influential boss often described as the mafia’s “prime minister” because of his political connections, gambling interests, and preference for negotiation over open warfare.
• Vito Genovese was a notably ambitious and ruthless leader focused on consolidating control within his organization and elevating his standing in the broader mafia hierarchy.

Why they clashed

The core issue was a struggle for control of the same criminal organization at different points led or dominated by different figures. Costello maintained power for years through an extensive network of political and business relationships. Genovese sought to remove him and secure lasting dominance.

The 1957 assassination attempt

Event. In 1957, Frank Costello was shot in an assassination attempt. The gunman is commonly identified as Vincent “Chin” Gigante. Costello survived. The attack was widely associated—especially in law‑enforcement and underworld narratives—with Genovese’s interests, though legally proving “who ordered it” is a separate matter. Aftermath. Following the shooting, Costello largely withdrew from day‑to‑day mafia leadership (while potentially retaining influence through relationships and reputation), which helped Genovese consolidate control.

How closely this (in broad strokes) matches real history

• Accurate in outline: the Genovese–Costello power struggle; the 1957 shooting and Costello’s survival; Costello’s subsequent step‑back from active leadership; Genovese’s rise inside the organization.
• Key nuance: describing them as running “two different families” can be misleading depending on framing. Historically, their story is primarily about control of the same organization (the one later firmly associated with Genovese’s name), rather than two entirely separate families as independent rivals. Details about motive, intermediaries, and operational responsibility for the attempt can also vary by source and interpretation.

People from the provided list

Барри Левинсон, Николас Пиледжи