Moe Greene

Morris "Moe" Greene is a fictional character appearing in Mario Puzo's 1969

Morris "Moe" Greene
novel The Godfather and the 1972 film of the same name. The character's name
is a composite of real Las Vegas mobsters Moe Dalitz, or possibly Moe Sedway,
and Gus Greenbaum. However, both Greene's character and personality are
actually based on Bugsy Siegel: his affiliation with the mob in Los Angeles, his
involvement in the development of Las Vegas, and his flamboyant tendencies.[1]
Greene is portrayed in the movie by Alex Rocco.[2]

Alex Rocco portraying Moe Greene

First The Godfather
Contents appearance
The Godfather Last The Godfather
The Godfather: Part II appearance
Legacy Created by Mario Puzo
References
Portrayed Alex Rocco
by
Information
The Godfather
Gender Male
Moe Greene is introduced in The Godfather as a renowned Jewish mobster and
Title Enforcer
former executioner for Murder, Inc. He is credited with the development of
gambling and entertainment in Las Vegas and bringing the interests of the most Occupation Casinos' proprietor,
powerful organized crime organizations in America to Nevada. Greene is in mobster, hitman
business with Don Vito Corleone, who bankrolls the creation of Greene's first (formerly)
hotel-casino. In return, Greene takes the Don's second son, Frederico "Fredo" Family Roth Syndicate
Corleone, under his wing during the war between the Five Families in New Barzini crime family
York, with the Molinari Family guaranteeing Fredo's safety. Although Fredo is (ties)
greatly influenced by both Greene and the city, family heir Michael Corleone Murder, Inc. (formerly)
disapproves of the effect it has on his brother, whom Greene reportedly chastised
and slapped around in public.[3][4]

At a discreet meeting with Greene, Michael expresses his disapproval and makes an offer to buy out Greene's entire interest in the
casino as part of the Corleones' relocation to Nevada. Offended, Greene angrily refuses, claiming that the Corleones have neither
the favor nor the power required to drive him out of the business and are only moving to Las Vegas because the other families are
chasing them out of New York. In the film, he also belittles Michael's credentials as a Don, saying, "I made my bones when you
were going out with cheerleaders!"

In the novel, Greene is murdered shortly afterward by Al Neri. In the end of the film, Michael has Greene killed as part of his
mass slaughter of the Corleone family's enemies. An unknown assassin surprises Greene while he is getting a massage and shoots
him through the eye. This allows Greene's casinos to become property of the Corleone family.

The Godfather: Part II

Greene's death also plays a part in the second film in the series. Greene was a childhood friend to Michael's business partner and
rival Hyman Roth, and it is implied that Roth's anger over Greene's murder is one motivation for his plan to destroy Michael
Corleone.

Legacy
Alex Rocco's portrayal of Greene "cemented Rocco's place in Hollywood mob cinema". Greene's character and death scene has
been described as "iconic".[5] Greene's death is based on the actual murder of mobster, Bugsy Siegel.[6]

The phrase "Moe Greene special" was coined in reference to his iconic execution by being shot through the eye.[7] Moe Greene
special has subsequently been referenced in other gangster shows including The Sopranos, in the episode, Meadowlands.[8]

In 1998, he inspired the title of an Off-Broadway drama, "Moe Green Gets It In The Eye."[9]

References
1. "Fact and Fiction in The Godfather" (https://web.archive.org/web/20080417023350/http://www.crimelibrary.com/g
angsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/the_godfather/7.html). crimelibrary.com. Archived from the original (http://www.cri
melibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/the_godfather/7.html) on April 17, 2008. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
2. Vincent Canby (March 16, 1972). "Movie Review: The Godfather" (https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/2007
6/The-Godfather/cast). The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
3. Paul Berge (January 1, 2010). Trying to Quit (https://books.google.com/books?id=_mUfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA4).
Lulu.com. pp. 4–. ISBN 978-0-557-19969-3.
4. Larry D. Gragg (January 16, 2015). Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel: The Gangster, the Flamingo, and the Making of
Modern Las Vegas: The Gangster, the Flamingo, and the Making of Modern Las Vegas (https://books.google.co
m/books?id=cJLgBQAAQBAJ&pg=PR14). ABC-CLIO. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-1-4408-0186-0.
5. Fraley, Jason (July 20, 2015). " 'Do you know who I am?' The legacy of Moe Greene" (https://wtop.com/entertain
ment/2015/07/do-you-know-who-i-am-the-legacy-of-moe-greene/). WTOP. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
6. Evans, Greg (July 19, 2015). "Alex Rocco, 'Godfather's' Cocky (And Doomed) Moe Greene, Dies At 79" (http://de
adline.com/2015/07/alex-rocco-godfather-moe-greene-dies-1201482059/). Deadline. Retrieved February 25,
2018.
7. Hal Erickson (December 11, 2017). Any Resemblance to Actual Persons: The Real People Behind 400+ Fictional
Movie Characters (https://books.google.com/books?id=RZlBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA214). McFarland. pp. 214–.
ISBN 978-1-4766-6605-1.
8. M. Keith Booker; Isra Daraiseh (March 1, 2017). Tony Soprano's America: Gangsters, Guns, and Money (https://
books.google.com/books?id=mXoADgAAQBAJ&pg=PA74). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 74–. ISBN 978-
1-4422-7323-8.
9. Van Gelder, Lawrence (March 5, 1998). "THEATER REVIEW; Just One Guy Named Moe, and He Ain't Even
Here" (https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/05/theater/theater-review-just-one-guy-named-moe-and-he-ain-t-even-h
ere.html). The New York Times.

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This page was last edited on 25 July 2019, at 13:59 (UTC).

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