Nick "Old Man" Licata (February 20, 1897 - October 19, 1974) was an Italian American mobster who was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1967 until his death in 1974.
Nicolò Licata was born on February 20, 1897 in the small Italian town of Camporeale, in Sicily[1] (although his surname may suggest family origins in Licata). He was the son of Colagero and Vita, and had six brothers and two sisters.[1] According to his records at Ellis Island, he boarded the Sant' Anna in Palermo at age 16 with $25. On December 5, 1913, Licata arrived in the United States and joined his brother Leonardo in Brooklyn. He later legally anglicised his first name to "Nick". During the 1920s Licata became involved in bootlegging in Detroit during the prohibition era. He eventually became a made man in the Detroit crime family. He left for Los Angeles after offending its boss, Joseph Zerilli. He endeared himself to L.A. Boss Jack Dragna who was able to convince Zerilli to call off a murder contract on Licata. He was accepted as a member of the L.A. family and became close to Dragna's brother, consigliere Tom Dragna. On March 25, 1932 Licata became a naturalized citizen.[1] He resided in Inglewood and owned several apartment buildings, including the one he lived in.[1] Licata owned barrooms and operated as a bookie and loan shark out of a hangout on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood and a club called "Five O'Clock" in Burbank.[2] He was arrested once in 1945 for refilling liquor containers.[1]
Nicolò Licata was born on February 20, 1897 in the small Italian town of Camporeale, in Sicily[1] (although his surname may suggest family origins in Licata). He was the son of Colagero and Vita, and had six brothers and two sisters.[1] According to his records at Ellis Island, he boarded the Sant' Anna in Palermo at age 16 with $25. On December 5, 1913, Licata arrived in the United States and joined his brother Leonardo in Brooklyn. He later legally anglicised his first name to "Nick". During the 1920s Licata became involved in bootlegging in Detroit during the prohibition era. He eventually became a made man in the Detroit crime family. He left for Los Angeles after offending its boss, Joseph Zerilli. He endeared himself to L.A. Boss Jack Dragna who was able to convince Zerilli to call off a murder contract on Licata. He was accepted as a member of the L.A. family and became close to Dragna's brother, consigliere Tom Dragna. On March 25, 1932 Licata became a naturalized citizen.[1] He resided in Inglewood and owned several apartment buildings, including the one he lived in.[1] Licata owned barrooms and operated as a bookie and loan shark out of a hangout on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood and a club called "Five O'Clock" in Burbank.[2] He was arrested once in 1945 for refilling liquor containers.[1]
