Category:Hyman Roth


 * "If I could only live to see it, to be there with you. What I wouldn't give for twenty more years! Here we are, protected, free to make our profits without Kefauver, the goddamn Justice Department and the F.B.I. ninety miles away, in partnership with a friendly government. Ninety miles! It's nothing! Just one small step, looking for a man who wants to be President of the United States, and having the cash to make it possible. Michael, we're bigger than U.S. Steel. "
 * ―Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone [src]

Hyman Roth was a Jewish investor and a business-partner of Vito Corleone, and later his son Michael.

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Contents
[hide]*1 Biography
 * 1.1 Roth's Organisation
 * 1.2 Assassination Attempt
 * 1.3 Death
 * 2 Real life sources
 * 3 Notes and references
 * 4 External links
 * }

Biography Edit
Born Hyman Suchowsky in Hell's Kitchen, New York he changed it at the suggestion of Vito Corleone who discovered his hero was Arnold Rothstein for fixing the World Series. He had one brother, Sam and a wife named Marcia, who always remained loyal to her husband.

Roth worked diligently for the Corleone family during Prohibition, and was a close friend and ally of Moe Greene, the "inventor" of Las Vegas. Roth, as well as Vito Corleone, both got their starts working together running molasses out of Cuba. It is suggested, however, that Vito Corleone never fully trusted Roth.

Roth's Organisation Edit

 * "I'm going to take a nap. When I wake up, if the money is on the table, I'll know I have a partner. If it isn't, I'll know I don't."
 * ―Hyman Roth [src]

Roth and Michael in Havana.Added by Sonny BlackRoth had very few men under his control over the years, which helped him keep under the radar of the authorities for many years. Although Roth himself had little in the way of fighting power, this was offset by his numerous business dealings, where his partners would provide him with all the muscle he needed. His ability to generate such enormous profits from his plans for him and his partners gave him immense influence and a sort of political invincibility in the underworld: nearly all of Roth's most bitter rivals realized he was far too valuable an asset to lose, and his partners were determined to protect their moneymaker from the few who didn't.

By the late 1950s, Roth is based in Miami and lives like a typically quiet, middle-class Jewish man approaching old age — though in reality he is a multi-millionaire and powerful crime boss. His right hand man is the Sicilian Johnny Ola. Roth, though in ill health, is about to enter into an extraordinarily profitable business partnership with the corrupt Cuban government of Fulgencio Batista, but is thwarted by Fidel Castro’s Communist revolution. This event threw much of the criminal underworld in turmoil, and Rico Granados began to move in on Roth's territory. In order to defend his empire, Roth hired Dominic Corleone to take out Granados.

At about this time, Roth manipulates Michael's brother Fredo into giving him information he uses to make an attempt on Michael's life and ruin his business connections with the Mangano family, who had recently formed an alliance with Michael's right hand man, Dominic.

Assassination Attempt Edit
During the last night of Batista's leadership, Michael, who has known that Roth has betrayed him, decides that "Roth would not see the New Year." After ordering the murder of Johnny Ola in the same night, Michael has his bodyguard, Bussetta kill Roth. Roth is ill and lying in bed when Bussetta sneaks in and tries to suffocate Roth with a pillow. Fortunately for Roth, members of the military storm the hospital and kill the bodyguard.

Death Edit
Roth at Miami Airport in 1960, moments before his death.Added by Sonny BlackBy the end of the winter, Roth publicly states that he wishes to retire and live the twilight of his life in Israel — which is a sign that he gives up the feud against the Corleones. But Michael is not satisfied yet. As Roth returns from Israel, having had his request to live there "as a Jew in the twilight of his life" refused by the Israeli High Court because of his alleged criminal ties. He arrives at the airport and prepares to be taken into Federal Custody in the U.S., However, he is shot point-blank by Corleone caporegime Rocco Lampone, who was posing as a reporter. Rocco was then in-turn shot by federal officers as he was running away.

Real life sources Edit
Roth is largely based on Jewish gangster Meyer Lansky, who ran molasses from Cuba and maintained a lucrative partnership with Fulgencio Batista. He also had a strong friendship with Bugsy Siegel, on whom Moe Greene is based. The scene in where he is shot is similar to the death of Presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.