Victor Spilotro - Biography

Biography

Spilotro was born in West Town, Chicago. He was the first-born son of Pasquale Spilotro, Sr. (1899–1954), a restaurant owner, and his wife, Antoinette. His parents, Pasquale Spilotro, Sr. (who emigrated from Triggiano, in the Italian province of Bari, from the southeastern region of Puglia, and arrived at Ellis Island in 1914) and Antoinette Spilotro, ran Patsy's Restaurant. When Pasquale, Sr. arrived in America, however, he had no money, education, or particular skill. Unlike most Italian immigrants who settled around Taylor Street and Halsted Street, a mile from The Loop, the Spilotros lived at 2152 North Melvina Avenue in Belmont Cragin, Chicago. Mobsters such as Salvatore "Sam" Giancana, Jackie "The Lackey" Cerone, Gus Alex and Francesco Nitti ("Frank the Enforcer") regularly dined at Patsy's, which was on the west side at Grand Avenue and Ogden Avenue, using its parking lot for mob meetings. In 1954, Patsy, Sr. suffered a fatal aneurysm and died at the age of fifty-five. He was the oldest of five brothers, Vincent, Anthony, Pasquale, Jr., called, "Pat," Michael and John.

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