- Emilio Barzini
Infobox character
colour = #DEDEE2
name = Don Emilio Barzini
caption =
first =The Godfather
last =
cause =
nickname = The Wolf
alias =
species =
gender = Male
age = 62
born =1893
death =1955
occupation =Gangster
title =
family =Barzini Family
spouse =
children = Emilio Barzini, Jr.
relatives = Emilio Barzin, Jr. (son) "Big" Bobby Toro (cousin) Domenico Mazza (cousin)
episode =
portrayer =Richard Conte
creator =Mario Puzo Don Emilio Barzini (1893-1955) is a fictional character in
Mario Puzo 's novel "The Godfather" and the film based on it. In the film, Barzini was portrayed byRichard Conte .Barzini presided as head of one of
New York 's Five Families, and wielded power matched only byVito Corleone . He had interests in markets such as narcotics, gambling and prostitution, and was also clever enough to be interested in Las Vegas and Nevada. Unlike Corleone, he was not considered a "Mustache Pete " and had a great deal of respect among younger Mafia leaders.He was respected by his fellow Don enough to be invited to the wedding of
Connie Corleone . However, when his counterpart refused to participate in theheroin trade, Barzini secretly conspired with the other families to make war with the Corleones, forcing them to make peace and open up their territory to drug trafficking. To this end, he approachedCarlo Rizzi with a ploy to drawSonny Corleone out to the tollbooth where he was ambushed and killed. Don Corleone, realizing this too late, agreed to lend his political protection to the enterprise and to never be the one to break the peace.Not satisfied with the submission of the Corleones, Barzini began chipping away at their territory in New York City, and approached Corleone
caporegime Salvatore Tessio to organize another peace summit where Vito's heirMichael Corleone would be ambushed. However, by this time the Don and his son had long anticipated Barzini's move and, on the day of the summit, he was assassinated along with the other conspirators. Corleone enforcerAl Neri , disguised as a police officer, shot the Don, his bodyguard, and his driver on the steps of theNew York Supreme Court courthouse atFoley Square In the , Barzini is the one who kills the protagonist's father, causing the playable protagonist,
Aldo Trapani , to seek revenge. In the game, Don Barzini is killed on the court steps by Aldo who finally gets vengeance.It is said that Emilio Barzini is loosely based on real-life mob boss
Vito Genovese .
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