In Popular Culture
DeSimone's infamy rests on his depiction by actor Joe Pesci in the 1990 movie Goodfellas (renamed Tommy DeVito in the film), a role for which Pesci won the 1990 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The movie took some artistic liberties: primarily, DeSimone was six years younger than Hill in real life, not the same age (as implied when they first meet). While depicted in the film as a small man with an attitude, DeSimone was a large, burly enforcer, standing at 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and around 225 pounds. Paul Cicero (based on Vario) at one point states that Tommy is a "good kid, but a cowboy with too much to prove", referencing Tommy's older brother Anthony having become an informant for the authorities.
Although based on DeSimone, Tommy DeVito also functions as a composite character. The DeVito character is substituted for various individuals not portrayed in the film; for example, in the double date scene where Hill meets his future wife, Tommy DeVito is substituted for Paul Vario's son, Paul Jr., who actually went on the date.
Hill, nevertheless, calls Pesci's portrayal "between 90 and 95 percent accurate", mentioning only that the diminutive Pesci did not physically resemble the tall, muscular DeSimone. Pesci was 46 years old during production of Goodfellas, while DeSimone was only in his teens and twenties during the real-life events depicted in the film, and is believed to have been murdered at age 28.
Also, in real life, Vario allowed the Gambinos to kill DeSimone in retaliation for the murder of Batts and Foxy Gerothe, whereas in the film, elder members of the family solely execute Tommy DeVito for killing a "made man" without permission, shooting him in both the front and back of the head. Hill's narration makes a reference to the true events, saying DeVito was murdered as "revenge for Billy Batts and a lot of other things." In the film, DeVito is literally shot through the head by Tuddy, based on Paul Vario's younger brother Vito and by Vinnie (Charles Scorsese), based on Thomas Agro. Unlike his real-life counterpart, DeVito's body is found shortly afterwards and is given a funeral, though he is shot in the head specifically so that he cannot be given an open-casket.
Read more about this topic: Thomas DeSimone
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