The Irishman is full of ripped-from-the-headlines true crime tales, including one of most well-known suspected crimes of the 20th century: the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. But the film also depicts another infamous murder, that of Joseph “Crazy Joe” Gallo, who was the victim of one of New York City’s most famous reputed mob executions. In the film, he's played by comic Sebastian Maniscalco—but here’s what you need to know about the real-life figure.

Who was Joseph “Crazy Joe” Gallo?

Gallo was born in Brooklyn, and reportedly began his mafia career working for the Profaci crime family. According to some accounts, Gallo was among the men who killed Albert Anastasia, head of the Anastasia crime family, in the barbershop of New York’s Park Sheraton hotel. (This barbershop murder is depicted in The Irishman, accompanied by a real crime scene photo, but Gallo isn’t shown committing it.)