13 Facts About James Lanza

James "Jimmy the Hat" Lanza was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the San Francisco crime family.

James Lanza was the son of the first known boss of the San Francisco crime family and took over in 1961.

James Lanza was first noticed when Life magazine published his photo in the late 1960s, identifying him as boss of the San Francisco crime family.

James Lanza was born Mariano Vincenzo Proetto on October 23,1902, in Castelbuono, Sicily, to Francesco Proetto and Caterina Albanese.

James Lanza represented the San Francisco LCN family's interest from the early 1940s to 1952 before being convicted of failing to report nearly $1 million in unpaid taxes.

James Lanza soon became the most powerful and successful boss the family ever had; he started making gambling operations, contract hits, and more.

James Lanza became well connected throughout the country with other mob figures, as well in Las Vegas by his friend William "Bones" Remmer.

James Lanza became close friends with Joseph Civello, the boss of the Dallas crime family and to Joe Cerrito, the boss of the San Jose crime family.

James Lanza's picture was published in an article about Cerrito in 1968.

James Lanza did not trust Fratianno, and was believed to have put a contract on him because he believed Fratianno was bringing too much police, FBI and media attention to the San Francisco family.

The Patriarca Mafia Family wanted an informant hit, and James Lanza was believed to have given local permission for the murder of a former New England crime family associate.

James Lanza was considered to be disliked by Jimmy Fratiano.

James Lanza died peacefully of natural causes on February 14,2006, in San Mateo, California.